Good day all!

My business partner and I are developing a new business model and would like some feed back on it.

For a small start-up fee and monthly membership, we are planning to provide complete back of office support to small and medium sized business looking to improve workflow and consolidate tasking to allow the business owners to focus on growth rather than the paperwork.

We are working with a developer to create web based cross platform compatible software for a contracted virtual assistant to manage all aspects of one's business. Here is a quick list of items that this software will handle for our clients.

-Accounting
-Payroll
-Scheduling
-Human Resources
-Inventory
-Invoicing
-Shipping and recieving
-email
-Call handling

During normal business hours the virtual assistant (VA) will take calls through an IVR (interactive voice response) phone system and complete any tasks assigned for that day. Communication between client and (VA) will be by phone or email. The client will be provided with a "smartphone" with multiple lines with calls being prescreened and forwarded via the VA. The VA will also have a computer supplied by us and linked to multiple redundant servers via VPN to access the web based application for the maximum of 8 clients that the VA will handle.

Furthermore, we will provide a 24/7 answering service via contracted call center to support our clients incoming business calls during non-business hours.

Our contracted VA's will be paid a generous flat rate to handle the work load of 8 clients. The beauty of this is the VA's will still be their own independent business and we plan on contracting them year by year.

We'd love to get some feed back on this! We can't wait to hear your responses.

I think this sounds like a very much needed service and a great idea especially if you are able to make it affordable. I look forward to seeing what you come up with as your final product.

I hire VAs regularly for different jobs. So, I think this is a great idea.

Let me know when you're ready to launch, I network with several VAs who are very respected and might be interested in offering their services to you.

T

Tina Brooks, VP Marketing
Brooks Pepperfire Foods, Inc.
Makers of Peppermaster Hot Sauces
http://www.peppermaster.com

Eat more peppers!

Cost is definitely an issue. We're looking at a $5000 initial setup fee to get the client set up with their own custom tailored IVR phone system to give their business a "fortune 500" feel. This fee will cover all hardware expenses for the client and training for their VA. The monthly maintenance fee of $1250 will cover paying the VA for that month, "smartphone" minutes up to a certain amount, and the monthly license fee for our software.

Now, as a small to medium sized business owner hiring a full time on location assistant, setting up and maintaining IVR phone system, cel phone bill can cost annually upwards of 60,000, not to mention the time it takes for business owners to do all the administrative tasks of running your own business... it really comes down to how much your time is worth.

Continuous feedback is always appreciated!

>Cost is definitely an issue. We're looking at a $5000
>initial setup fee to get the client set up with their own
>custom tailored IVR phone system to give their business a
>"fortune 500" feel. This fee will cover all
>hardware expenses for the client and training for their VA.
>The monthly maintenance fee of $1250 will cover paying the VA
>for that month, "smartphone" minutes up to a certain
>amount, and the monthly license fee for our software.
>
>Now, as a small to medium sized business owner hiring a full
>time on location assistant, setting up and maintaining IVR
>phone system, cel phone bill can cost annually upwards of
>60,000, not to mention the time it takes for business owners
>to do all the administrative tasks of running your own
>business... it really comes down to how much your time is
>worth.
>
>Continuous feedback is always appreciated!

Let me get this right...

You'd charge a company $5000 setup and then 1250 a month to have a VA running their business.

Now I'm questioning it...

I can hire a VA for $30 an hour without paying a "setup fee", why do you think small businesses will absorb your $5000 setup... or rather, I question HOW you think they will.

Perhaps I misunderstood?

Tina Brooks, VP Marketing
Brooks Pepperfire Foods, Inc.
Makers of Peppermaster Hot Sauces
http://www.peppermaster.com

Eat more peppers!