Virtual Assistant for Real Estate: What to Expect in One

Real estate agents juggle marketing tasks, listings, and customer engagement to keep pace with market trends. Posting ads on Craigslist or Facebook, responding to hundreds of email inquiries, and filing tons of paperwork is just the tip of the iceberg. Luckily, performing this balancing act shouldn’t be a problem when you have a virtual assistant for real estate agents.

Virtual assistant services specialized for the real estate industry enable agents and realtors to focus on meeting clients and closing deals. In other words, a realtor virtual assistant improves the way you work while increasing sales conversion at surprisingly low costs. With your everyday tasks carefully looked after, you get less stress on a well-balanced day.

The value of having a virtual assistant for real estate

Real estate businesses are jumping the chance to delegate administrative tasks like calling, scheduling appointments, and documentation to a virtual assistant. There is no doubt that outsourcing virtual assistant services is a valuable asset. It is, indeed, only natural especially when you understand the growing demands of the real estate market.

The 2018 housing market had its share of ups and downs and the 2019 forecast is a bit bleak. Real estate listings website Realtor.com sees rising rates and home prices overshadow inventory increases. As a result, it’ll be more difficult to buy or sell a home this year. The next three quarters may be a bit rocky, but a virtual assistant can help you conquer these intimidating data.

2019 Key Housing Indicators – Realtor.com

What’s even better with today’s virtual assistants is their wealth of experience in understanding the real estate market. You don’t have to worry about hiring and dedicating time to train them because they are skilled enough on how to be an effective virtual assistant for real estate businesses. The key to maximizing a virtual assistant’s skills and experiences is understanding what to expect in one. Here are examples of skills that an experienced virtual assistant for real estate can bring to your business:

Planning a sustainable online strategy

A realtor virtual assistant knows the ins and outs of online marketing. Skilled VAs are typically good at creating and managing content by incorporating their SEO knowledge. This ensures healthy website traffic as they tailor-fit content to meet market demands and give you a competitive advantage. Moreover, you can entrust them the management of all your social media accounts. They can handle updates and client engagement through these channels to give your business a viable online presence.

Communicating effectively

Communication is one of the core skills a virtual assistant is expected to have. This skill set touches on getting the right messages across, whether it’s via email, text, or chat. The success of how well your transactions are coordinated lies in a VA’s skill to communicate information. Let them manage your correspondence with clients and take care of transactions by interacting with fellow realtors, vendors, and customers.

Organizing documents and schedules

A virtual assistant for real estate makes sense of the million things on your to-do list. They know how to prioritize tasks and leads that will generate the most revenue. They can particularly monitor a short-sales process and organize the documents involved in it. Hand over the lead generation and database administration to a virtual assistant to give you more time to focus on other tasks. In addition, maximize their organization skills by letting them carry out scheduling appointments and site visits.

Designing analytics and gathering feedback

Opening your listings to constructive feedback is an effective way of improving your marketing and sales strategy. Additionally, a virtual assistant can help keep a pulse on your client’s preferences and opinions by responding to their feedback. Let a real estate VA monitor the success of your campaigns and listings. Allow them to generate reports and perform analytics on website traffic as well as customer feedback.

Get only the best VA for your real estate business

Working in real estate means busy and hectic days ahead. Just imagine the amount of work that goes into closing a single deal. Generate leads, post listings, schedule appointments, meet with clients – the list of tasks goes on and on. This, however, should not deter you from achieving success in the industry. Hire a virtual assistant for real estate to lessen the burden.

A virtual assistant for real estate increases your productivity levels which leads to improved work quality. Outsourcing virtual assistant services through HOPLA gives you access to its rich pool of multicultural talents. Let our experts at HOPLA help you focus on your real estate business’ core functions.Get in touch with us today and get a VA for your real estate business ASAP.

Blog source: https://hopla.online/blog/virtual-assistant-for-real-estate-what-to-expect-in-one/

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Why Common Sense Matters in Virtual Data Entry Jobs

Most candidates boast of their technical skills for virtual data entry jobs. But with the rise of artificial intelligence, should they start to worry?

Intelligence represents the algorithmic mind, while common sense represents the reflective mind.

AI replacing human jobs has been a predicted scenario for quite a while, and debates are ongoing to determine whether or not it is possible. But despite numerous milestones in technology, they cannot replicate the ultimate secret of the brain: common sense. Luckily, it is an innate skill for humans.

What Makes Common Sense Important to Virtual Data Entry Jobs

Intelligence and common sense are two different things. Intelligence represents the algorithmic mind, while common sense represents the reflective mind.

With the advancements in artificial intelligence, it can easily learn skills that would take months for virtual data entry assistants to master. Furthermore, it reduces the time needed to accomplish a task. However, that’s all it can do: get a task done.

Success is 50% hard work and 50% common sense.

As a business owner, you know that an accomplished task is the start of something new. In the reflective mind, you start to understand what the bigger picture is and how the tasks contribute to it. And when you begin to understand, you can set goals realistically and make decisions quickly.

How Common Sense Helps Virtual Assistants Do Better

As mentioned above, common sense is a vital skill that AI cannot replicate, especial in virtual data entry jobs! This is what gives humans the upper hand in handling online data entry jobs and other administrative tasks. But how does it help in virtual assistant tasks?

See What’s Missing

Why is there an ongoing need for virtual assistants? Aside from reducing workload, they also act as a trusted consultant. They know the ins and outs of your business and with their reflective mind, they notice what’s missing.

Let’s take airline reservations as an example. An AI assistant can do that for you with just a few taps on your phone, right? A human virtual assistant understands why you made that reservation, so they will automatically book a place for you to stay, too. How will the workplace be once you’ve left the office? Your virtual assistant will help you plan on it, considering important factors affected.

In a nutshell, they make sure that all the pieces of the puzzle are in sight to build the bigger picture. If it’s missing, they quickly find a way.

Initiative

Another thing AI cannot guarantee is initiative. Their programming can only execute once an input is available. Meanwhile, a virtual assistant learns from experience, keeping in mind what needs to be done and when to do it.

Most of the time, virtual assistants take initiative not only on accomplishing tasks but also doing more than what is required of them. They don’t just do, they also participate.

Thinking outside the Box

Undoubtedly, humans surpass AI in providing creative outputs. However, for online data entry jobs, thinking outside the box means so much more.

When working on multiple tasks, assistants always do their best to accomplish them in a timely manner. But when unexpected troubles arrive, they can think of creative solutions to overcome the issue. Since they do not follow algorithms, virtual assistants continue to persevere in the most difficult situations. No inputs needed, just common sense.

Communication

Imagine finishing a task with the help of an AI, only to get a flashing error screen. If you’re not an expert in handling this kind of technology, it can cause more harm than good. Not to mention the delay and frustration it will cause.

With virtual assistants, you don’t have to play the guessing game. Issues are immediately discussed and solutions are easier to plan, thanks to active collaboration.

Finding the Perfect Virtual Assistant

The ideal virtual assistant is a master of technical skills and possesses valuable soft skills, including common sense. Is this what your business needs? Let HOPLA help you find them.

We are a managed outsourcing company with an active and growing database of professional virtual assistants. Our team helps you connect with the best talents who will match your needs and goals. All you have to do is call us for a free consultation today!

Blog source: https://hopla.online/blog/why-common-sense-matters-in-virtual-data-entry-jobs/

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Remote Recruitment Mistakes: The Horrors of Hiring a Mismatch

Remote recruitment is offering talents the option to work away from the usual office setup. It technically means hiring people who work from home and do online jobs. With the way technology has seeped into our daily lives, it is only natural for business to take advantage of the cost-effectiveness of hiring remote staff.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about how business owners of all shapes and sizes are shifting to working remotely. It’s not hard to understand why considering the numerous benefits it provides both a company and an employee. In fact, in the US alone, adoption of the working from home system can save over $700 billion a year on a national level. Additionally, from 2015 to 2016, the growth in self-employment since 2005 among the home-based incorporated businesses is up 43%.

The Horrors of Hiring a Mismatch

Even with the widespread interest in remote work, remote recruitment still takes time. Searching for the potential talent that will match your company’s needs and objectives is as crucial as building the business itself. It’s only natural to look for someone who would represent your company missions and vision and hope that you make a good decision in hiring the right talent out of the online jobs you offer.

Besides, hiring an unqualified candidate is a concern for any company. No business wants to end up getting someone unsuitable for the job and make a habit of saying, “Thank you. Next.” time and again. This dread is even more prevalent in remote recruitment because of the same reasons why remote work is appealing – geographical and schedule flexibility. You do not have full visibility of how and when they work. There is also not so much opportunity for you and your remote team to bond over coffee.

Flawed employee onboarding, in turn, can cost your company a lot. You can’t expect someone with a web designing background to write your content for you. Similarly, if you hire a candidate from a higher rank for a job that’s not within his scope of experience, you will only waste time and money because of unsatisfactory performance. In effect, substandard operations can lead to poor work quality, financial costs, and reputation damage.

Retaining Talent through Best Remote Recruitment Practices

As a remote recruiter, cherry-picking candidates for online jobs means attracting the best talents the world can offer. The benefits of creating your business through remote recruitment are undeniable. However, a business operating with remote staff is not safe from frequent employee turnovers. You can manage employee turnover, yes, but the key to keeping them in your employ should start from good remote recruitment practices.

Best remote recruitment practices begin with knowing what mistakes you should avoid as a remote recruiter. Let’s take a look at these examples:

1. Writing an unclear job description. It all begins here. Writing a job description is part of a remote recruiter’s job. For a fact, you need to know what exactly your company is hiring for. You are best positioned to know what the job opening is all about. A well-written job description also gives candidates an idea of what the opportunity entails and how their experience matches with the responsibilities that come with it.
2. Giving video interviews a pass. You cannot and must never hire someone based only on their CV. Always find a time that will work both for you and your candidate to conduct a video interview. This is a good step to get to know your candidates more than their CV. A video interview provides a remote recruiter a closer look at candidates’ communication skills and personality. This will help you determine how they can contribute to your company’s success.
3. Failing to do a test task. Test tasks give remote recruiters a first-hand look at what a candidate can do. These assignments can give you a handful of insights into a candidate’s work behavior, how professional they are, and the quality of work that they complete. This helps steer remote recruitment in the direction of the right candidate for your job opening.
4. Improper new hire inboarding. Proper employee onboarding means taking the time to introduce your new hire to the team. This can be your way of planting the seeds for great teamwork. It can be a chance for your new hire to experience what your company culture feels like. Get them accustomed to the work that you do and the team that keeps the wheels turning.

Hiring only the Best and the Brightest

Remote recruitment opens a lot of doors for both a business and a talent. When done right, it can offer your business a talented pool of people who can collaborate to bring you success.

If you think you still lack the experience to dodge the horrors of hiring unqualified talent, let HOPLA do it for you. With HOPLA’s expertise in building remote teams, you can rest assured to flawlessly attract and retain the best and the brightest talents. Learn more by getting in touch with us.

Blogg source: https://hopla.online/blog/remote-recruitment-mistakes-to-avoid-the-horrors-of-hiring-a-mismatch/

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How a HOPLA Virtual Assistant Talent Looks Like

How a HOPLA virtual assistant talent looks like is energy in action, fueled by passion and sweetened by a very helpful customer-service orientation. HOPLA, if you are new to our site, is the name of our organization — a managed outsourcing company that provides companies with services from qualified outsourced talents like writers, designers, administrative assistants, and virtual assistants, just to name a few. Our company name is actually an acronym for Home-based Organised Professionals Leveraging Agility. If you want to hire a virtual assistant, we’re the right place to go to.

Virtual Assistant talent services like no other

You might have heard from well-meaning colleagues that it’s easy to find and hire one from the net. While there are freelancing sites that do allow you to contact individual talents who specialize in virtual assistance, HOPLA goes the extra mile for you by screening the candidates on our list to see whether they match your actual requirements. We also sit down with you to find out your needs and then ensure that our recommended remote staff fit your company culture and the way you do business. Of course, that goes without saying that they are qualified for the job.

That’s just one way that a HOPLA virtual assistant talent is different from the rest. While our talents are outsourced, our project management process does see to it that they always offer you something more in terms of value. It’s not just a matter of getting the job done. Our talents are very proactive, constantly learning about you and your brand and services, finding ways to improve the way they manage your account, and doing their best to make your customers happy. Our talents have been trained to think of themselves as your partner in success, keeping pace with you as your organization grows.

What sets a HOPLA virtual assistant talent apart:

In it to win

That means that a HOPLA virtual assistant talent always sets the bar higher for himself or herself. Unlike most other freelancers, he does not see your business as a gig, here today, and gone tomorrow. He wants to be with you for the long haul. That’s why he makes sure that his processes and performance are always optimal, not vulnerable to interruption or disruption. In a sense, his self-improvement and passion for learning makes him become a virtual assistant all the time, even though is already one, always evolving, never stagnating.

Free from distraction

Our virtual assistant talent has his own home office or remote working space which is essential to every remote professional’s productivity while working from home. This is something that every HOPLA project manager looks for whenever we look for a virtual assistant talent. Their own private office, whether situated at home or a professional co-working space, guarantees privacy and efficiency for him and for your business. There will be none of the superfluous background conversation or music that can be heard if a freelancer is working in a cafe, for example. That quiet cubicle or desk is devoted to business, and it’s location in an office building or a room that has been segregated from others helps the virtual assistant focus and concentrate.

Accountable (make that a double)

A HOPLA virtual assistant talent is accountable to a project manager. He may confer and interact with you as the client on a regular basis, but he is answerable to one of our team leaders. Call it double accountability, but HOPLA’s monitoring of his performance is both a check-and-balance, as well as a support system. The project manager and the virtual assistant talent work on a production calendar with deadlines that should be met. They both study where managing your account can be made easier and faster. They check if you are happy with the results—and if not, what can be done to improve the performance.

And if the virtual assistant talent needs help in terms of added resource, then the project manager provides it in such a way that it heightens the efficiency, with final results nothing short of ready to dazzle you.

Team Player

A HOPLA virtual assistant talent is a team player, and not a lone wolf. He is always collaborating with other members of his team like the graphic designer, the editor, or even your accountant. He is well aware that his performance impacts everyone else on the team; at the same time, he also knows that their functions and tasks affect his. Their communication is constant and collaborative, always to come up with the best result at the fastest possible time.

That’s how a HOPLA virtual assistant talent looks like. If you want to know more, contact us now.

Blog source: https://hopla.online/blog/how-a-hopla-virtual-assistant-talent-looks-like/

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What services can a virtual assistant offer?

A business is run not only by the proprietor; the assistance and work of other workers are also important. The assistant performs a number of jobs that enable the functioning of a business on a day-to-day basis. In the age of online businesses, their duties will extend up to the administrative, lead generation, and even social media management purposes. however, it is a known truth that to employ the assistants, the employer will also have to provide space and other amenities for them to work. They would be requiring tables, chairs, computer systems, clean and comfortable environments, and many other things. These amenities will require a fixed amount of overhead in the office budget too.

The utility of virtual assistants

Like said before, the smooth functioning of a business will depend on the small works managed by the assistant. However, as there are now options of online assistants to take over these jobs, the companies are mostly relying on the Personal Virtual Assistant Services. Especially the jobs that take away the most amount of time of a business; setting appointments, booking your flight and hotel, and lead generation, can now be handled by the virtual private assistants. Along with the need for no extra space, this method of performing the daily job also requires no other consumables. These costs add up to a significant amount after some time. The virtual personal assistant of a trusted company will take care of all the jobs.

What are the services they provide?

The core business duties must be attended by the proprietor, and for that reason, he or she must get rid of all the time-consuming yet important duties. The main facet of the chosen company for Personal Virtual Assistant Services is trustworthiness and involving a proficient and well-known company will be helpful in upholding the trust. The workers will keep track of all the necessary but repetitive works and take the necessary action related to the official necessity. The list of jobs the virtual assistants can do for you are;

·         Manage your routine and notify your meeting

·         Arrange flights and accommodation

·         Prepare documents, presentations, and spreadsheet for you

·         Input or transfer of data

·         Conduct market research

·         Set appointments

·         Sales call

·         Preparation of business proposals

·         Managing social media presence and websites, if any.

·         Moderation of content

·         Engagement with the audience in relevant product presence

·         Analysis of products and comparisons

·         Collection of data for new products

·         Analysis of competitor profiles and products

All of these and more jobs can be successfully arranged by the team of virtual assistants for your business; so that you can place your attention elsewhere where it is more urgently needed.

The business benefits

To properly run a business, these repetitive jobs are necessary and must be done without any error. As a business owner, it would not be possible for you to take responsibility for all of these jobs. With the help of the most expert provider of virtual assistants, you can give attention to where it’s needed the most; increasing the productivity of your business.

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Outsourcing Pros and Cons: Advice from the Experts

Without a workforce, a business is nothing. Not only do employees open unlimited doors to opportunities, but they also pave paths for a company to grow. However, hiring internally can be costly with expenses, including:

• Labor cost
• Employee insurance
• Office space rent
• Furniture (desks, chairs, etc.)
• Utilities (computers, office supplies, etc.)

The cost of internal recruitment encouraged companies to consider outsourcing jobs, such as data entry, content creation, customer service, and personal assistance. But employers should keep in mind that no matter how great outsourcing seems, there are still outsourcing pros and cons to evaluate.

Outsourcing Pros and Cons

For a company to enjoy the benefits of outsourcing effectively, they need to consider the following:

Pros of Outsourcing

“A large pool of highly motivated and well-educated people with world-class communications skills.”

-Dennis Ross, Convergys

1. World-class talents

Outsourcing services give companies access to “a large pool of highly motivated and well-educated people with world-class communications skills,” according to Dennis Ross of Convergys.

Yes, there are lots of skilled workers around, but do they possess the expertise that a company specifically needs? When outsourcing, businesses can easily connect with experts that offer a specialized type of help. Most of the time, outsourced talents can provide services that are not yet available in the area. Also, remote workers know the solutions to help businesses stay ahead of the game.

2. Reduce costs

Let’s face it: outsourcing is cheaper than in-house recruitment.

Outsourced experts are efficient with their time. In addition, they often offer considerably lower rates compared to in-house employees. With this combination, a business can enjoy fast results at their desired budget.

Also, outsourced partners usually have their own utilities. No need to worry about computer purchases, software subscriptions, and other overhead costs.

3. Focusing on what matters

A business is not all about strategies and planning. It also includes boring, menial, and repetitive tasks that can consume time and energy. These tasks usually include data entry, record keeping, transcription, and inventory management.

“Outsource functions that are time-consuming and can easily be performed by someone outside the organization.” Sara Slettebo, President, ReMilNet.

This helps businesses improve efficiency and increase productivity.

Multi-million companies, such as Skype, Google, and Alibaba, also outsource to minimize laborious tasks.

4. No Time Down

Most outsourced workers continue to provide services during holidays, weekends, or even their vacation breaks. These guarantees work continuation and availability even at the busiest days.

Cons of Outsourcing

The advantages of outsourcing are numerous, but it also has disadvantages to consider.

1. Lack of Control or Desired Management

“It’s critical to understand that outsourcing requires oversight.”

-Michael Beck, Head of Growth and Marketing, Earth Class Mail.

Although outsourced experts know what to do, there might be difficulty communicating what should happen. Also, some companies might find it challenging to maintain the kind of management they desire. In the worst cases, this can lead to decreased productivity and inaccurate results.

Most employers prevent this occurrence by utilizing time tracker and scheduling weekly meetings.

2. Privacy and Security Concerns

Outsourcing jobs can put a business’s privacy and security at risk.

“If something goes wrong, you’ll have no control over your product.”

-Mark Tuchscherer, Co-founder and President, Geeks Chicago.

It is inevitable to worry when trusting an outsourced expert to handle sensitive data and valuable information. Most of the time, they have access to a business’ database and other important files. At some cases, a virus from the contractor’s desktop can penetrate the company’s documents.

Maximizing the Pros and Eliminating the Cons with HOPLA

Are you looking for an outsourcing company to help you find the best talents? Here at HOPLA, we consider all outsourcing pros and cons to guarantee excellent results for your business. More than that, our team utilizes comprehensive recruitment systems and conducts rigorous screening processes to assist our clients in finding the perfect candidate.

Save time and reduce costs today. Reach out to HOPLA and get a free consultation.

Blog source: https://hopla.online/blog/outsourcing-pros-and-cons-advice-from-the-experts/

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Hire Filipino Virtual Assistants for Real Estate

The global property development sector is awakening to one important business realization: there is a need to hire Filipino virtual assistants for real estate businesses. The real estate agents, brokers, and other related professionals do need the help of an online sidekick. Someone to help them keep things in order, moving and organized. Filipinos, or citizens who live in the Philippine archipelago in Southeast Asia, are getting special notice because of their keen attention to detail, extraordinary ability to multitask, legendary patience in customer service, and sweet-talking, charming salesmanship.

The Property Forum gives one strong advice to those who want to make it big in the business. Once you gather five assets in your portfolio, that’s the time to hire Filipino virtual assistants. Do not wait to add another asset to make it sit in your portfolio. Those five assets alone will take a lot of your time — you’ll be showing prospective buyers the properties, haggling with the seller, doing all of the necessary paperwork, and continue to find more buyers to both you the seller, and the most likely buyer will be happy with the final deal. A virtual personal assistant will lighten your load.

3 Reasons to hire Filipino virtual assistants

While it is true that there are hundreds of CV’s of virtual assistants from a lot of countries floating on the net, HOPLA recommends that you hire Filipino virtual assistants. Our experience in managing remote teams of workers have given us an appreciation of what the different nationalities positioned in various jobs can bring to the table.

Filipino virtual assistants go the extra mile

First, you should hire Filipino virtual assistants because they are known to go the extra dozen miles for their clients — which can mean you and even your own client base of sellers and buyers. A lot of unexpected things happen in your daily routine. You think you’ve set your schedule and then something comes in to interrupt it. Your leads don’t pan out, and you have to find another. The property that looked good online was a disaster when you visited; now you have to find another home for your enthusiastic buyer. The virtual office assistant you hire must be able to keep step with you and respond quickly to these emergencies. The Filipino virtual assistant does not just think on his feet — but they are generous when it comes to their work and their time. They won’t log off, even though their shift is over because helping you solve your crisis is the top priority.

They think outside the box

Second, realtors hire Filipino virtual assistants for their ability to think out-of-the-box. Yes, they will manage your schedules, screen your calls, and organize the emails in your inbox. That’s expected when it comes to the job. However, Filipino virtual assistants will always be thinking of ways to perform tasks faster and more efficient. For instance, five meetings can be scheduled in a day instead of the usual four. If you can’t find a list of buyers, they will know which potential partner to approach a prospective database. This trait comes in handy in an industry that is very competitive; it can help you outmaneuver and outrun your rivals.

Patient and resilient

Finally, Filipino virtual assistants are well-known for their patience and resilience. Endurance to suffer and triumph over an ordeal is encoded in their DNA, probably because they live in a country that suffers dozens of storms every single year. Filipinos will hang on and stick with you through the toughest moments, whether it’s an angry client or a malfunctioning computer that won’t cough up your list of customers.

Your Filipino virtual assistant will even smile and cheer you through these dark hours. That’s why you should give it a try and hire Filipino virtual assistants. We have remote teams manned by these industrious, cheerful workers. Call us today so we can craft the best solution for your real estate business.

Blog source: https://hopla.online/blog/hire-filipino-virtual-assistants-for-real-estate/

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