Everywhere Assistant is a virtual assistant company that has just launched. Sadie Clark, the founder and sole worker of the company, is the sole proprietor. The company was founded and will serve diverse customer segments.

The Market

Everywhere Assistant has identified three distinct market segments which will be targeted. Companies of different sizes are the first segment. There has been a lot of corporate downsizing in the current economic climate. Everywhere Assistant finds this beneficial because people who are still employed within the company will be more busy than ever. Typical in a downsizing climate there is the outsourcing of projects/jobs that the current staff cannot handle. Everywhere Assistant believes that companies will account for the bulk of their sales, relative to other customer segments.

Individuals make up the second customer segment. This is an attractive segment because as our daily lives become busier and busier we have less and less free time. A virtual assistant (VA), is one way to have more time or to avoid doing tasks we don’t like. It is expected that services provided to individuals may be less useful than services provided for companies.

Non-profit companies are the last customer segment. These organizations, in large part due to their status as a not for profit do not have excess capital. As a consequence, they have tried to maximize employee’s tasks and responsibilities as much as possible. Most employees are very busy. The company may not have the right employee to handle a random task. This is good for VA’s who can quickly and seamlessly take over tasks. This allows the company to save money as they only pay for the labor necessary to complete the task.

Services

Everywhere Assistant offers many services. Most of the services offered are administrative in nature. These include data entry and mailing list updates. These services will be billed at the lower end, between $25 and $45 The most expensive services are those that require more advanced skills, such as marketing, accounting, and graphic design. The middle is where you will find services such as concierge and travel arrangements that offer a wide variety of services. These services are things the customer doesn’t have time for, or they don’t want to do.

Competitive Edge

Most VA services require secretarial skills. These are jobs an administrative assistant can perform. Everywhere Assistant will make the most of their diverse skills and competitive edge. Everywhere Assistant will be able to assist clients with more technical tasks than just the tedious ones. Everywhere Assistant has the ability to provide clients with a variety of skills including proficiency with QuickBooks Pro, PageMaker and Photoshop, as well as marketing and research skills. This competitive advantage gives clients the opportunity to keep using their VAs, provided they are satisfied with the work product and the level of service they provide. The problem occurs when the client is happy with the VA but needs work on a project that the VA does not have skills in, consequently, the client must look elsewhere. An advantage is created when the VA (Everywhere Assistant) has a wider and more complex range of skills, they are then able to offer more value to the client.

Everywhere Assistant is a fun application of the virtual assistant concept. This allows customers to access a wide variety of services from anywhere, using the Internet. This business model works well and Sadie will have a good income. She also has the ability to manage the jobs however and whenever she likes. The revenue forecast predicts that revenues will rise in year two and three, with the corresponding increases in net profit.

1.1 Keys for Success

• Offer a wide range of services allowing Everywhere Assistant to handle any type of task.
• Keep your schedule flexible so that last-minute projects can be completed.
• Make sure you get accurate billing.

1.2 Mission

Everywhere Assistant is committed to providing the highest quality administrative assistant services, even from remote locations. Everywhere Assistant will be able to handle a wide range of tasks with a level of professionalism and trust that is hard to come by in today’s world. Everywhere Assistant will meet or exceed the customer’s expectations.

1.3 Objectives

• To generate over $35,000 in the first year.
• To make enough money to be able to work full-time.
• You will be able reduce your marketing costs after a few years if you have enough word-of-mouth projects.