CT Virtual Office Services: Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

Woman Unleash Your Potential Summit

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Sharing a special opportunity:

“Sometimes, reaching out and taking someone's hand is the beginning of a journey.

At other times, it is allowing another to take yours.”

― Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration

Now on its 3^rd year, Placida Acheru, Founder of Coaching 4 Excellence and Unleashed Women’s Network brings the Woman Unleash YourPotential Summit from July 9^th to the 20^th, 2013. This online event offers an impressive line-up of 21 carefully selected inspirational women entrepreneurs known for their extraordinary work, and their impact on the lives of other business women.

The speakers, coming from diverse fields, will be sharing a wealth of knowledge that includes:

Uncovering, Owning, and Communicating Your Irresistible Brand That Attracts Your Ideal High Paying Clients

Solving the Profit Puzzle: How Women Business Owners Can Multiply Their Revenue by Cracking the Code on Corporate Contracts

Six Selling Online Principles every woman In business must know

Speaking to Attract, Market and Close New Business

Learning to Be the News and “Wowing” your audience

Leading With Your Soul: Claiming Your Innate Brilliance

5 (and a half) Steps To Launch your Own Personally Branded Web TV Show and so much MORE!

The event is FREE; plus you will have access to a wide array of useful tools and information that the speakers will be giving away as GIFTS.

This type of online event does not come every day (imagine the work of pooling all these speakers together!). It’s clearly a labor of love from women whose passions and goals include helping and motivating other women create the life they desire.

Learn more about the event and REGISTER for FREE through this link: http://womanunleashyourpotential.com/

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

Email: ctvoservices@gmail.com

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In Appreciation of Personal Assistants

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Mon, 13 May 2013 09:46:00 +0000

Behind every successful business executive oftentimes is a Personal Assistant or an Executive Assistant. While the role has transcended into the virtual world as well, it is but interesting to note that there are certain basic skills that are expected of a PA|EA|VA regardless of the working milieu.

In the following video, Karren Brady; an English sporting executive, television broadcaster, newspaper columnist, author and novelist; appreciatively extols the following skills in fond reference to her own PA:

Honest

Reliable

Hard-Working

Enthusiastic

Conscientious

Productive and

Personable

Discover more on what she has to say on these skills in this video:

Video Length: 5:10

Video Source: YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHC_PFly9U8&feature=youtu.be

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

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What is a Virtual Assistant?

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Too Busy?

Virtual assistants are usually tagged as modern day secretaries who work remotely and use modern technological tools to carry out services to clients. Though more than your regular office secretary, VA’s as they are known in the virtual business place – have transcended the stereotype as they become more appropriately labeled as entrepreneurs and business partners by business owners who see the value of hiring them a strategic move for their businesses.

How strategic could VA’s be?

VA’s come from a variety of occupational backgrounds, and most have several years of work experience earned in the real business world as administrative or executive assistant, secretary, legal and paralegal assistant, office or customer service professionals, to name a few. Therefore, hiring one on board the business is putting a new member with a wealth of experience in its back.

As most virtual assistants are involved with a number of administrative duties such as appointment setting, travel planning, e-mail handling, researching and business correspondence, it is worthy to note that in recent times, more diverse skills has been added to the list of outsource services. With more professionals coming on board, specialized services such as sales and marketing, graphic and web design and management, IT support, creative and technical services, translations and academic instructions have become more accessible to many types of business. This accessibility to specialized skills with relatively low-cost impact to businesses should be one of the best business practices to date.

Hire a VA

Virtual assistants are the specialist professionals who, albeit clandestinely, could propel the daily grind of the business – and this management strategy allows business owners to attend to the more important aspect of growing their business. As most can profess, running a business can quickly eat up a lot of time--- more so if the business is growing. Once family or personal time is factored in, sooner or later something has to give. Having a VA around to delegate work to is like having an extra hand (and mind!) who proactively supports in the achievement of goals and targets. Having a VA opens up time and creates extra energy that can be used to attend to other personal or business agendas.

So who hires virtual assistants? Practically everyone who seeks a good work-life balance --- big or small businesses, entrepreneurs, life coaches, business coaches, speakers, writers, consultants or simply those busy people who can benefit from this arrangement.

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

Email: ctvoservices@gmail.com

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Being and Becoming in the Internet Age

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 23:00:00 +0000

“Like the printing press, the telephone, electricity or the automobile, the Internet is a revolutionary technology that is transforming our world”. – Bill Gates, 2000

Being the visionary that he is, Bill Gates had indeed captured and aptly described how the internet would have come to revolutionize how we live our lives and conduct our businesses. This technology has continuously broken down trade and knowledge barriers by providing individuals and businesses seamless access to vast resources and opportunities. As Gates said from over a decade ago, we are on that phase where large companies have their most efficient systems in place for their employees, customers and suppliers anywhere in the world, while smaller businesses have the chance to find and build customers all over the world. The internet has indeed shrunk the world and unlocked boundless opportunities.

Taking a hint into this opportunity, it is the best of times for us and our businesses to be “online” - that is to be seen and felt in the internet. The norm of the times is that businesses and individuals that are easy to find online have the greater edge. And we are not wanting of the means that we can tap to get ourselves and our businesses on board. Several social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, to name a few, have been seen to have contributed enormously to the business strategies of top companies and industry leaders. According to experts, being in these media is no longer just a choice for most businesses, but is seen as a competitive advantage, a true value that can be capitalized in and is expected, ultimately to bring a difference for you or your company.

Contrary to the unfounded fear that online interactions have made business transactions less personal, the internet-based platforms have, in fact, allowed individuals and businesses to engage with their customers on a more personal level by reaching out and providing customized solutions that customers immediately connect to. Real, dynamic working relationships are constantly being developed and nurtured in these business platforms. Putting ourselves and our businesses out of obscurity could be the best strategy we can employ to be where we want to be – on TOP.

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

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Let’s Skype, Let’s Work

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Without doubt, Skype is one business tool that has spurred the growth of virtual work in the planet. Latest reports have shown that there are approximately 42 million Skype users online each day. While not all are using it solely for business purposes, suffice it to say that a considerable percentage of this figure covers parties who are online for business-related reasons.

Skype is a voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) service and software application. The software is available for free download from the Skype’s home page. Skype allows users to communicate online with text chats (or instant messaging as others are apt to call it), voice calls and video calls --- all for free. It has also grown more popular because of additional features that have consequently been integrated to the system like easy file transfer, voice or video conferencing and screen sharing. Again all basically for free.

Video Conference through Skype

Phone calls to landlines and mobiles, as well as text messages are also possible with Skype but this time it comes with a fee. The rates, however, are very reasonable and there are subscription packages to choose from that come laden with extra benefits.

With a growing number of people doing business online, utilizing Skype’s full potential, is proving to be hugely beneficial for business enterprises mainly because of the following reasons:

• Cost Benefit – Since it’s basic VOIP services are free, this provides for savings in international phone calls and even domestic toll charges. Skype calls are amazingly stable and clear. As it is an internet application though, stability and clarity will be relative to the quality of internet connection users have. Furthermore, it allows for multi-party conferencing even from different locations. Thus, collaborations and consultations among remote business associates can be arranged quite easily.

Screen Sharing through Skype

• Ease of Use - Skype has a very friendly user interface. One can easily install it unto a computer and navigate through its functions in no time. Its privacy features can also be tweaked easily to settings that suit the user best.

• Valuable Features – Skype’s video calling and screen sharing features are one of the strongest in the market today. Through screen sharing, business associates can actually show a particular presentation or walk the other party through a process quite easily. Note however that group video calling is also available but is a paid service.

Instant Messaging through Skype

• Potential to Enhance Business – Skype can help improve a company’s customer service particularly businesses that are on an international scale. Providing clients with your Skype ID allows them to reach you and lets them know when you are available online. This is also a good way to build contacts.

While there are a lot of softwares nowadays that are of the same nature, Skype has remained one of the more popular systems. It has evolved from being a communication tool to a platform for collaboration as well. Having been recently acquired by Microsoft in May 2011, Skype has since then been incorporated as one of its division. At this point, whether this new structure will bring Skype to new heights still remains to be seen. In the meantime, let’s take a deep breath.

Want to get Skype? Click HERE

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

Email: ctvoservices@gmail.com

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On Being Successful

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 06:53:00 +0000

The concept of success is relative. What may be successful to you may not be the same to some. Perhaps the most important aspect of the term is the measure we have for it in our own lives. Often, we tend to think that we will be successful when… While it is good to set goals for such, a certain life coach taught me to look at this differently. Instead of waiting for that moment, why not take stock of what you are successful in your life right NOW. When you look closer, you will discover that you are successful more than you ever thought you were.

The following poem attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson just about sums it up:

“Success”

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.

(attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson)

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

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Working with Tag Clouds

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 08:01:00 +0000

Image Created in Wordle

Ever wondered what this kind of visuals are called? Up to a few months ago I had the same question in mind too. A tag cloud, also known as a word cloud or a weighted list in visual design, is a visual representation for text data. Tags are usually single words, and the importance of each tag is shown with font size or color. Through this format one can quickly perceive the most prominent terms in a set of text. In principle, the font size of a tag in a tag cloud is determined by its incidence. Thus, tags that occur in higher frequency appear with larger fonts in the cloud.

The use of tag clouds has evolved since its conception. Aside from providing visual analysis, they are also used in advertising and in certain creative endeavors. Today there are a number of tag cloud generators available online mostly free. You will be amazed on the many ways you can tweak a presentation using different fonts, layouts, font sizes and color.

The image you see above is actually the result of running the whole text of the Gettysburg Address in Wordle (one of the popular tag cloud generators). You will note from the sizes of the fonts that foremost in the speech writer’s mind was the nation, people and dedication. There are limitless approaches one can use this tool for. The only limit I can think of is one’s imagination.

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

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On Starting Your Online Presence

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 03:00:00 +0000

Ain’t it true – everything that you ever wanted to know can indeed be found between Google and YouTube. You can learn almost anything you want by diving into the internet; all for free!

I came across this YouTube video from Marie Forleo’s site and found it quite engaging. Marie Forleo is a best-selling American author, speaker, web TV host, and trainer in personal development, entrepreneurship and marketing – and a fabulous woman at that. I just love the touch of humor that she has injected to this video.

Hope you’ll enjoy watching the video (length = 05:04). Ever came across a free resource in your foray between Google and YouTube? Do share it with us in the comments below.

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/user/marieforleo)

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

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Learning the Art of Tweeting

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 03:39:00 +0000

Twitter is definitely one of the more popular online social networking services nowadays. It was ingeniously set-up as a micro blogging service that enables users to send and read text-based messages of up to 140 characters known as "tweets".

Have you just joined the Twitter world? Here are 5 tips that we have picked-up as we continue to learn the finer points of this service:

The most basic rule when tweeting is not to annoy those around you with irritating tweets. The great thing about Twitter is that you can use it in any manner that serves you best. It can be a personal narrative, a marketing tool or a way to keep in touch with friends, or get updates on events and favorite personalities. No matter which way you play it, the adage of thinking before you leap; in this case tweet very much applies.
Don’t tweet mundane and irrelevant details. Personally, I don’t feel it is right to give a play-by-play account of your life. Nobody really needs to know that you are having a headache, or just drank this or ate this. Try to make your tweets informative and interesting to others.
Don’t flood feeds. If you really have so much stuff to say then perhaps Twitter is not the right stage for you. You might want to consider creating your own blog instead. Sending dozens of tweets a day will most likely get you unfollowed.
Correct Attribution. More often than not you will come across interesting Tweets. Share it with your followers by using the Retweet (RT) function or you may choose to paraphrase it but still acknowledge the source with a “via”.
Establish Meaningful Connections. Follow those that are really of interest to you. This goes full circle to the intention of striving to send informative and interesting tweets as this will help you gain more followers.

These are but 5 basic rules that keep us going in the Twitter game. Would you like to share one of yours too? We can all learn a thing or two from each other. Just leave it in the comment space below. Please share your Twitter account too.

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

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Quoting Zig Ziglar

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 02:09:00 +0000

Hilary Hinton "Zig" Ziglar was a famous American author, salesman and motivational speaker. When he passed away back in November 28, 2012, an outpouring of emotions and tribute flooded the net. It is comforting to know that his legacy will remain with various websites keeping his quotes and other life works for future generations to visit and refer to hereon.

Here are our top 3 favorite business quotes of his. What’s yours? Please share by leaving a comment below.

You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great. ~ Zig Ziglar

Image Source: http://bit.ly/XZ37u2

There are no traffic jams on the extra mile. ~ Zig Ziglar

Image Source: http://bit.ly/10sCi2V

When you throw dirt at people, you're not doing a thing but losing ground. ~ Zig Ziglar

Image Source: http://bit.ly/11uUBA7

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

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General Transcription - Not Just About Typing Speed

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:39:00 +0000

Is transcription really just about accurate typing speed?

While the ability to type as much as 70 wpm, 80 wpm and even 90 wpm and beyond is a skill in itself, there has been a growing awareness of how essential the ability to really listen and comprehend what the speaker wants to convey in their piece is.

In these changing times, the new breed of transcribers need to cultivate and incorporate within their work the following skills:

Comprehension of the gist of the message

An innate sense to re-listen or replay parts of the audio if they think what they typed did not make sense

Good grammar skills and the common sense to run their completed transcription through a spelling and grammar checker if they are in doubt of their own skills and

The down-to-earth common sense to get into the speaker’s head and truly understand what they meant to say.

Transcripts that are provided as part of a course, a teleseminar or a webinar are provided to the client's audience as a PDF file. These are consequently saved to their computers, printed out or viewed online. An effective transcriber should keep this in mind to ensure that all the elements within the transcript are in order and makes sense. The overall purpose of the transcription is really fulfillment of the client's expectations, the sincerest intention to be true to the intended message and longevity.

The above skills often come before typing skills. This is something of course that can't be taught overnight. However, they can be cultivated if one is just willing to learn and expand their outlook in life. While it takes time and some effort, it will result to a more rewarding experience for both the transcriber and the client.

As is said, typing speed comes with practice; the really important common sense stuff is something that is individually imbibe at will. In the end, the quality of the end product will definitely show the difference.

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

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Our Services (as of April-2013)

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 04:11:00 +0000

"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another."

- Charles Dickens

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

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Musings of a Hesitant Online Soul - Influence

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 23:00:00 +0000

A series...

Blessed is the influence of one true, loving human soul on another. – George Elliot

I have many men and women in my life that influenced me but there was one that left a profound, indelible mark in me, whose life, struggles and values I draw inspiration from. She was my first teacher on the intricacies of growing up, of finding love, of independence, of facing life’s battles.

She has lived her life so ahead of her times and I was and I still am at awe at her strong will and independence as a woman who survived manmade and natural disasters to head her family of old parents and brothers. She lived to raise her children on her own because she chose not to marry a man who can’t live monogamously. She was enterprising on her own ways and settled to live by her own means, albeit simply.

She’s definitely an epitome of a determined woman and I am grateful to have been brood under her wings for the most significant years of my adulthood. She taught me lessons in life which I strive to live by – to find beauty in simplicity, to not be ashamed of dirty and callous hands because it means one is capable of tending for her own self, to not be afraid of love and yet to not rush in the matters of the heart because there is so much in the world to explore.

She lived to an amazing hundred years old and in her passing, I didn't have the emotional strength to pay her tribute. But, I vowed to tell her tale to my children and their children; that there was once a woman whom I watched my first movie with.

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

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Musings of a Hesitant Online Soul - Connections

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 02:23:00 +0000

A series...

I love everything that’s old – old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wine. – Oliver Goldsmith

In this highly commercial world where there’s insatiable quest for something new, it is easy to get lost by all the materialism and fleeting encounters. It’s so ironic how we have so much more in our times than ever before the generation before us had, in terms of possessions and relationships but feels downright more empty handed, unfulfilled and wanting.

This is why I strive to stay connected to my past, to keep my relationships with the people who were part of my journey alive. These people and the experiences we had together make me appreciate where I have been, how I came to be now, of how much has come my way. It is always bliss to get reconnected to old friends, old classmates, old family relations who oftentimes are the ones I easily severe ties with. For me, there’s no other thing as nurturing for my being than a trip back to a childhood home.

I have come to realize that every moment, every relationship, every experience in my life makes me whole. When I ran off from any of those that I once had, whether it’s a friendship or an intimate relationship, or a memory - it’s a chip off my fulfillment. It’s not about holding on to the past but of accepting what was and making it an integral part of what I am and will still be in this life. Keeping my connection to the people that touched me in certain ways is truly living in the present.

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

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Musings of a Hesitant Online Soul - Life As I Know It

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 02:21:00 +0000

A series...

As I begin my journey into a new phase in my personal and professional life, I’m recalling and reliving the snippets of learning that life threw my way so far.

My pursuit for happiness is never equated with self centeredness. Allowing myself to be happy ultimately allows me to bring out and cause happiness to the important people in my life.

Everything in this world will come to pass. I have learned to easily accept pain, loss and failure as I know the feeling will soon pass and the only mark to remember by are the valuable lessons and experiences gained. I appreciate and enjoy what I have while I have them, and is grateful for all there is, so that when these things pass, I can honestly say I was done and over with them.

Though I strive to be the best of what I can be, I know we all have a place in this world to take and the role I will take doesn’t make me any greater or lesser than the next person. But in life’s stature, I contend myself that there will always be someone greater and lesser than myself and keeping this in mind makes me grounded and humbled.

I believe there is always something for everyone. I always cultivate an attitude of abundance, where sharing what I have and what I know will never mean that I will have less in my bucket.

Finish the game. This is a special anecdote which I hold close to my heart. It inspires me no end to never stop striving, to always finish whatever endeavor I am at. Winning or losing is secondary; the driving force is taking on the challenge to the finish.

So my journey to life's next learning begins.

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

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Musings of a Hesitant Online Soul - Big Leaps

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 03:12:00 +0000

A series...

“Man is free at the moment he wishes to be” – Voltaire, French Writer

I couldn’t agree more on this fitting statement as I face what I personally declared a good year of big changes. As I entered the Year of the Water Snake, it was all big changes unfolding for all the people close to me and myself as well. These changes resonate to the fact that we all effected these changes when we exercised our innate freedom to do what we really wished and desired.

I was free at that moment I knew I was ready to leave the doldrums of the constant rush and seemingly endless concerns of the corporate world. It was a big decision to make but it was more than liberating to truly hold together the more important facets in my life – of being truly present to my children on their growing years, of being able to support my husband with his own challenges.

From changing your career midway in your life to pursuing your interest, to accepting new challenges, to capping your career, to leaving your place of comfort to journey into a new one – these are the freedoms that we have been seeking all our lives. We are free to embrace what we truly desire, to live it, to enjoy it and to be in that moment – we only have to know that we are free to do so at the moment we wished for it. To take the big leap is to begin again.

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

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Musings of a Hesitant Online Soul - Transitions and Integrity

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 17:55:00 +0000

First of a series...

Telecommuting was not new to me having worked for over a decade on a remote work set-up for a corporation. Transitioning to freelance work after leaving the corporate world was especially different as it now involved multiple clients with varied needs of expertise and services. The only striking similarity between the two is that both operate in a fast paced working environment.

It caught me by surprise though as I learned after several applications later that contrary to what I initially thought, it was not that easy to get your first break in online work. It felt like starting on a clean slate no matter how meaty your credential is. Finding the best fit for your skills from a pool of job postings was the first hurdle I had to face. Getting clients to notice your profile amidst a sea of contractors was just as challenging. In the virtual world, the earliest challenge is to rise above obscurity and receive the gift of a first successful client interaction. Afterwards, you work your way to be identified as credible virtual professional.

One of my earliest realizations too in the virtual world is that it operates on sheer integrity. I find it to be highly remarkable and believe it is one of the highest forms of integrity at work; when you never see each other personally yet trade services, entrust confidential information and process payments much like in the real world. In retrospect, being honest with myself, expanding my capabilities and performing with a sincere desire to be of service to my clients, are what I truly believe are keys to building my continued presence online. This is my reality now.

CT Virtual Office Services

Quality and Reliability in the Virtual World

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Thriving In The Virtual Workplace

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 04:52:00 +0000

Telecommuting, undoubtedly, is one of the major underlying benefits of the technological advances we have had in recent years. It has shifted the paradigm of the boxed office place to the reality of completing a given task from a borderless station anywhere in the world. Employers never had as much access to a diverse pool of skills and talents; while employees never had as much opportunity to gain work-life balance and flexibility.

Aptly as we tackle on a new year and as more warm bodies shift to the virtual workplace - it would be a fitting chance to venture into telecommuting in the right footing. As often said, essentially knowing what one is threading on is the best way to ensure one’s success. Here are a few salient points to consider in embarking on a telecommuting career.

The first essential is choosing your physical place of work – a clearly envisioned comfortable space for productivity. This could be your study or kitchen table or a corner table in an internet cafe where you can guarantee less distraction through your working time. Defining the working space, especially at home, signals the household that your focus and attention is on your work.

Your tools of the trade – computer, hardware, software, internet connection – are the lifeblood of your work. Take time to consider the investment on these components to propel your productivity. Ensure you have the right tool to efficiently meet your clients’ goals.

Though telecommuting’s main benefit is flexibility of working time, it is as important to set your fixed working schedule. Arrange and commit your working schedule to your clients much like a full time job that requires regular time logs. Setting the time boundaries ensure that you have enough time to attend to household and personal chores as well.

Communication is elemental in the virtual workplace. Ensure you communicate clearly and as often with your clients and coworkers. Insists on clear goals and output expectations and check in on the progress of your tasks with your clients.

Keep tab of your work-related expenses and apportion an overhead expense for the conduct of your official work. As you are an entrepreneur yourself managing your own virtual business, it is best practice to account for your income and expenses to manage and strategize your work plans.

As an adage in the corporate world says – never stop improving. The virtual workplace is as dynamic and as swift as the advancement in technology, take time to seek and learn new techniques to continuously improve on your skills and build your credentials. There’s a huge virtual world of learning opportunity you can endlessly tap.

Lastly, make every interaction with your client or co-worker an occasion to showcase your true value and quality. Your own brand of service will spell the difference and sets you apart from any other virtual professional.

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Telecommuting: Revolutionizing the Workforce

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 02:28:00 +0000

Technology has continued to improve in leaps and bounds. As it continues to do so, walls continue to be taken down. Without doubt it has promoted efficiency in the work area. It has also given rise to telecommuting. Telecommuting is a continuing trend these days in the work force. A corporate term, it refers to a work arrangement where an employee works remotely from the office either from home or from other locations like coffee shops. Telecommuting eliminates the daily grind of commute to and from work. Advocates of this work arrangement believe that it brings benefits to the employer, the employee and the environment.

Employers who are open to telecommuting arrangements are progressive thinkers. Management of telecommuters requires a shift from the traditional managing style of observing workers in a central work area to one relinquishing control and extending a considerable amount of trust and managing for results instead. Telecommuting arrangements will generally cut down on overhead costs. It will also reduce the risk of virus spread. Most importantly it promotes resilience in the workforce as employees are able to strike a good work-life balance.

On the other side of the coin, employees generally benefit from telecommuting because of the good work-life balance it brings. They are also able to save a great deal of time and convert them to more productive work. The usual 1 to 2 hours of commute is used for work instead.

The environment stands to gain from this arrangement too. Imagine the reduce pressure of public transport that impacts directly on the emission of green house gases, traffic congestion and energy conservation.

Telecommunication tools continue to upgrade its features in video conferencing, VOIP and online chatting programs that enables interface and monitoring easier. These tools lessen the impersonal nature that the employer-employee relations in a telecommute arrangement sometimes fall to.

A popular telecommuting motto say: “Work is something you do, not something you travel to.” Now doesn’t that make a lot of sense?

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Finding The Right Outsource Provider

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 06:22:00 +0000

Your outsourcing success depends on how well you manage the process before and after signing in a contractor. While technology has made it much easier to find dependable outsource providers, the selection process has remained to be the most important step. Whether the contractor will be on board for a month or a year, take the time to make sure the person can do the work and the partner relationship would be satisfying. Here are some insights in finding the best fit:

• You may start the search in your own network. Ask you business associates if they can recommend a provider offering the services that you need. A good recommendation from your network usually is the quickest way of securing potential candidates. Though referrals are helpful, nonetheless, you have to consider that what worked for others, might not necessarily work for you.

• List the Jobs in the Right Places. A number of online services such as oDesk, Freelance and eLance serve as virtual marketplaces for contractors and business owners to connect and embark on working relationships. These sites provide full statistics, test and competency scores which allows clients to sort and filter for certain skill sets of the contractors that list with them.

• Interview prospective contractors by asking questions to determine if they know your business. Consider the contractor’s or service company's knowledge of the entirety of your business, its willingness to customize service, and its compatibility with your firm's business culture.

• Test Capabilities. You have got to know what they can do and not do for you. Ask for work samples to help you understand if your prospect matches your expectations. This would give you an indication on their expertise and the quality of their output.

• Check References. Pay most attention to feedbacks received from other employers. Outsourcing sites usually allow you to see how previous clients rated prospective vendors' work, as well as detailed profiles of the contractors. This doesn’t mean though that new service providers are off the pool. Remember, all seasoned providers were once starters who successfully delivered.

• Check for post development support. It will help foster long term partner relationships if the contractor can commit to resolve any issues that you might have after the task has been completed.

The decision to engage in outsourcing effectively extends your availability, therefore your choice of outsource partner should work as an extension of you. At the end of the selection process, you will have to settle for the person whom you believe will feel the same sense of pride and ownership in the work as you do.

CT Virtual Office Services

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10 Most Outsourced Jobs

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 03:12:00 +0000

Outsourcing has definitely reshaped the work landscape. The continued advancement of technology as well has spurred the growth of this alternative work arrangement by providing avenues that promote faster and efficient communication even among remote parties. Simply defined, outsourcing is the process of contracting a task or a specific business function to a third party. It has been acknowledged as an effective business strategy for companies to cut costs yet benefit from the skills and expertise of an external labor pool without having to hire additional full time employees.

Though an effective strategy, not all jobs however are suitable for outsourcing. There are certain functions that are best kept within an in-house structure and there are also those that can yield better results if outsourced. Corporate decision makers, small time business owners and entrepreneurs have been known to contract third party service providers for the following most outsourced jobs (arranged in no particular order):

1. Data Entry – Data entry jobs do not have stringent skill set requirements. Data entry workers essentially must have good typing skills, good listening skills, good grammar and must be detail oriented. Data entry jobs are needed by a wide range of industries. Jobs that require proofreading and copying of records can also be classified in this category.

2. Security – Most institutions, if not all, routinely engage the services of a private security firm to handle their security requirement, i.e. security guards and bodyguards. Doing so allow them to reduce liability and training expenses than if they had full time security staffs in their payroll.

3. Manufacturing – A growing number of companies have been setting up production facilities offshore because of cheaper production costs in other countries. Some companies, on the other hand, have opted to outsource manufacturing or assembly of a certain part of their product only keeping the rest of the business in their home shores. Suffice it to say that gone are the days when a company’s production facility is attached to their main office.

4. Accounting – Tax preparation, bookkeeping, payroll, benefits and bills processing are financial jobs that are often outsourced to an individual or a corporation. This has remained feasible because these jobs have basically 2 requirements: data from clients and knowledge of existing laws and regulations that govern these structures.

5. Web Programming and Web Designing - These jobs are oftentimes outsourced because of the temporary and sporadic nature of their work. In launching a company website for example, web programmers and web designers are intensely involved in the conceptualization and construction stage. Once the site is launched however, there is minimal requirement for their services.

6. Human Resources – Small businesses and start-up businesses these days choose to focus on their core business functions leaving management of rank and file employees to an outsource manning agency. This way, they do away with time consuming tasks relating to hiring, performance monitoring, payroll, benefits management and the likes and instead focus their resources more in the development of their core strengths and implementation of their business strategies.

7. Technical Support – Companies like Microsoft and Apple have large customer bases that tend to create a great amount of traffic online or through phone wanting technical support. Outsourcing technical support staff has proven to be a viable solution in addressing their customer concerns. Outsourced staffs are trained to analyze and troubleshoot a variety of technical questions and are often aided by a pre-set list of questions.

8. Customer Service – Similar to technical support functions, customer service jobs are also often outsourced as the skills required to maintain and dispense of such functions can easily be trained and monitored. Outsourced customer service staffs mostly handle customer questions and complaints, and note data on a feedback mechanism. Call centers fall into this category.

9. Virtual Assistance – Virtual assistants are the modern day secretaries. Business owners, corporate managers and business executives who are busy and are always on the go have discovered the efficiency and convenience of having a virtual assistant. These VA’s come with good organizational skills, exceptional oral and written communication skills and have good typing skills. Most VA’s are involved with a number of administrative duties, i.e. appointment setting, travel planning, email handling, research and simple business correspondence that executives are best off delegating.

10. Writing/Web Content Writing – Writing is an invaluable skill. There is also a veritable pool of writing talent online that one can tap on. Web content articles, e-books, blogs, press releases, speeches and newsletter production are often contracted to freelancers without compromising quality and timeliness.

On a retrospect, the jobs that made it on this list are those that fall into extreme categories --- those that require minimal skills and those that require highly skilled manpower. Also these jobs are those that do not impact greatly on the core functions of a business organization when outsourced. It is essential to consider these factors as outsourcing jobs involve a relegation of control over the functions. Some jobs are also sporadic and seasonal and are thus more cost-effective if outsourced. One thing is for certain though; each business organization faces its own set of challenges. Keeping an open mind to outsourcing as a strategic option could spell a huge difference on the bottom line. After all, someone somewhere can most probably do it better --- cost included.

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Why Outsource?

noreply@blogger.com (ctvoservices) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 09:19:00 +0000

Simply defined, outsourcing is the process of contracting the services of an organization or individual to perform a particular function. Work arrangements under “Third Party” agreements also fall into this category --- the outside firm or individual being the third party or the service providers. To date, outsourcing as a term has grown popular for this particular business model and has been widely used in the business community.

Outsourcing has proven to be a viable business strategy these days. With the continued advancement of technology, global communication has become faster and more convenient. These days, business communications are mostly done through e-mails and instant messaging services that provide platforms for chats, voice calls and video conferencing. In addition, there are also numerous tools available that facilitate easier monitoring and online collaboration thereby producing more efficient results. These advancements have contributed greatly to the spurt of the outsource industry.

Why outsource? Studies have shown that companies, small businesses and entrepreneurs outsource mainly for the following reasons:

1. To cut costs/to save money - Outsourcing narrow functions in the business organization, i.e. payroll, billing and data entry allows companies to harness competencies of outside service providers without incurring additional overhead costs that a full time employee would entail. This is even carried out to a larger scale where an entire business operation is outsourced to a different country, i.e. call centers and other BPOs.

2. Focus on Core Strengths – Outsourcing non-core functions allows companies to re-align and maximize their manpower to attend to more important business activities that have longer and more favorable impact on the business. Yet they are still assured that back-office functions are still running efficiently. Small businesses and entrepreneurs also outsource tasks like writing, web design, link-building, marketing and others to expert service providers thereby giving them more time to focus on other aspects of their business strategies and personal goals.

3. Operations Improvement – In cases where a certain division is swamped by projects causing internal staff to spread themselves thinly and creating a pile of pending tasks, yet operating over the budget --- outsourcing specific functions in the work cycle to expert service providers is often the solution.

4. Staffing Flexibility – There are functions in a business organization that have seasonal or cyclical demands for extra manpower, i.e. gift specialty businesses during the Christmas season, an accounting department during tax or audit periods and the likes. Outsourcing additional manpower during these times ensures that additional demands are still met and satisfied.

5. Development of Internal Staff or Infusion of New Knowledge – There are occasions that call for upgrading of staff skills and competencies to meet demands of an upcoming important project. Outsourcing the services of experts to work onsite and train internal staff on needed skills allow for easier knowledge-transfer and promotes staff development as well.

There are probably more reasons out there --- feel free to share. One thing looks definite though, as long as there are businesses or business endeavors --- outsourcing will continue to be a viable option.

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