Outsourcing to home-based virtual assistants and robot secretaries compared to hiring executive assistants

Want the flexibility of working at home? In Sacramento, more companies are outsourcing their business support services than ever before to save money. You're a business woman in Sacramento. If given a choice, would you rather hire a robot secretary or a cybertery--or for that matter start a cybertery franchise? The Dow/Angell Cybertery franchise – one of three in the area – targets Roseville and Granite Bay, although their work also takes in surrounding counties.

In today's Sacramento Bee, February 6, 2011, see the article, Home-based offices grow in capital region - Sacramento Business. Whereas temporary workers come into an office setting or factory, home-based virtual assistants work in their own homes, where employers outsource their work. What is the next trend, robot secretaries who don't need flexible time because they have no families?

Time flexibility is one main reason anyone might want to work as a cybertery--virtual assistant working at home. Or you might want to run your own franchise if you'd rather be a boss than work for someone else at home as a virtual assistant. Did you ever wonder why so many women work as virtual assistants? Time flexibility? According to a 2007 survey by VAnetworking.com, 96.8 percent of all VAs are women, 69.3 percent are married and 76.1 percent have children.

What about those stay-at-home dads in Sacramento? Among those women working as virtual assistants for Cybertery, 59.2 percent have college or trade school training. There are more than 150 services offered, including bookkeeping, database management, marketing mailings, e-mail blasts, surveys, bill payments, tax preparation, telephone calls and travel management, according to the Sacramento Bee article.

Professional VAs use the most advanced means of communication, the newest and most efficient and time-saving office products and work delivery methods, regardless of geographic boundaries. Everyone from paralegals to Internet researchers can attain work assignments (and even his/her pay) electronically without actually meeting face to face with those for whom they perform the work.

If you want to start a virtual assistant or cyberterry franchise, the Cybertery (virtual assistant) website notes, "A recent independent study shows that over 400 industries have sought the assistance of outsourced 'Virtual Assistants' or VAs. From this need emerged the VA industry, which continues to thrive and grow internationally each year."

According to the cyberterry website, "While independent market studies suggest there are as many as 5,000 independent VAs already in business, only those with strong marketing strategies, competitive pricing and efficient workflows will thrive. To be a successful VA, you need to have more than technical expertise; you need to have the inclination and knowledge to run a successful business. And Cybertary offers our franchise partners just that."

Unlike full-time employees, Cybertaries execute work for clients only when needed, delivering most of their assignments via the Internet. Unlike temporary employees, Cybertaries guarantee not only consistent high standards for quality work but also the same great service from the same great people...every time.

The selling or marketing point to employers is that cyberteries save money. The cybertery website reports, "Unlike employee arrangements, Cybertaries do not charge for idle time, vacation or sick leave, nor do we ask for benefits or insurance." Clients only pay for work actually performed and also save money on overhead expenses because cyberteries work out of their own offices using their own technology equipment, for example, computers and printers, faxes, email, and other technology.

In Sacramento and elsewhere, the overall demand for VA services is growing dramatically and has grown quickly during the last few years. It's now more common and much more cost effective for business clients to use Cybertary on a regular basis. This, along with Cybertery's strong repeat and referral business, also makes growth with Cybertary a solid business, career and lifestyle opportunity. Is this for you, here in Sacramento if you like working at home?

Robot secretary or human virtual assistant?

If you're a business woman would you rather have a robot secretary of your own instead of being someone else's virtual assistant? Which would you rather be, the boss or manager of your own homebased business, or being someone's assistant? Or maybe you'd like to compete for the few government jobs that offer perks and health care insurance? Or, if you're at home with small children, maybe working at home is the better solution?

And if you have the skills a virtual assistant needs, you make the choice. A human virtual assistant wants family time and flexible time. A robot secretary isn't human and has no family needs. But what are available now are human virtual assistants. As for robots, watch the trends and trendhunter website to see how much they cost.

Could a robot secretary do all these 150 services? That depends on whether the robot is programmed with all 150 skills. A human virtual assistant might only perform a few of these skills such as tax preparation and bookkeeping or surveys and travel management. It depends on your skills and interests.

Or would you rather start a business where you could hire or build a non-human robot secretary instead? According to the Robot Secretaries website, "Kokoro Dreams’ life-sized android secretary’s name is Phorone. She stands 175 cm and she has already starred in an anime where she was the protagonist. The big hope is that someday, she, and robots like her, will be able to replace real human secretaries."

According to the trendhunter website--regarding the robot secretary, “She is apparently powered by pressurized air and is capable of delivering human like expressions and can even talk.” There are no plans of putting the Phorone up for rent yet, but there is a link on the website to a video of how the robot secretary works. Check out the video.