Online Business Manager or Virtual Assistant: What do I really need as a business owner?
- Lady S. Monreal
- Jul 24, 2017
- 3 min read
In today’s modern society where almost anything can be made feasible using technology and internet, even more professional services are availed distantly. A lot of entrepreneurs connect to their clients, reach out to them and market their products and services online to widen their scope and presence. As effective it has shown, these people are now availing freelance services offered by millions of freelancers worldwide. Just like in any kind of situation, getting the right people who perfectly fit the position will make the business achieve desired results.
For business owners who vary with their specific interests and goals, it is essential to know who between an online business manager and a virtual assistant should they hire to support them achieve their business’ needs.
Simply thought, an online business manager can be compared with an office manager in a corporate setting. Meanwhile, a virtual assistant can be regarded as an administrative assistant.
It will be helpful to initially recognize on which phase does a business owner is currently at to better address the necessity.
During start-ups, where there are few clients and limited budget, having a virtual assistant can be sufficient to support the owner in performing the daily basic tasks. However, if growth has come to the business, an online business manager can fulfill the role in managing day-to-day operations and activities. Hence, the owner can dedicate more time and focus on how to bring the business to a higher level.
Online Business Manager
Online Business Manager, as defined by Tina Forsyth, is a virtually based support professional who manages online based businesses, including day-to-day management of projects, operations, team members and metrics. He / she is managing the work and keeping an eye for the big picture.
In substance, he/she will take responsibility for the following:
1. Project Management – through the application of skills, tools, knowledge and experience, ensuring that all projects are done on time and on budget
2. Operations Management – keeping the daily operations on track to maintain efficiency across the organization
3. Metrics Management – tracking the statistics to gauge which will be useful for the business or not
4. People Management – managing the team members performance, their development and activities
Virtual Assistant
According to Wikipedia, a virtual assistant is generally self-employed and provides professional administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients remotely from a home office. He / she is actually the one doing the work.
Duties may differ depending on the client which can include, but not limited to the following:
1. Executive assistance
2. Making reports
3. Email handling
4. File and calendar management
5. Booking appointments and scheduling
6. Social media account management
7. Content writing
and many more!
Difference between Online Business Manager and Virtual Assistant
To thoroughly compare, Tina Forsyth, explained in detail and placed in chart the difference between these two roles.
The comparison was based on the specified elements: focus, measure of success, level of responsibility, number of clients, compensation and future responsibilities.
Read this reference sheet to get an analysis of how each position varies.
Upon better understanding of these functions, owners can now determine who they actually need to employ in their business. Surely, having the right freelancer as a support can make any business achieve its objective.
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If you need the services of a virtual assistant and soon an online business manager, please feel free to reach out to me at ladysmonreal@gmail.com.
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