As business operations and management become even more complex, entrepreneurs are looking towards outsourcing much of their productive capacity to freelancers known as virtual assistants. Indeed, as technology continues to evolve and the business landscape becomes saturated by big data and cloud computing, it has become a crucial strategy for entrepreneurs to consider outsourcing rather than building an in-house workforce.
One thing’s for sure, virtual assistants have become essential assets along the lines of improving productivity, streamlining workflow, and reducing overhead costs in marketing and administrative work. Other than that, new markets have opened up in regions in Asia and Europe, thereby allowing businesses to access affordable and high-quality services that fit their needs.
Along with the popularity of virtual assistants, it’s also worth noting that new technologies are improving the delivery and quality of work that virtual assistants handle on behalf of their clients. New trends are coming up, and no doubt, these will make an impact in this growing niche.
On that note, let’s take a look at the few trends that will shape the virtual assistant services sector in the foreseeable future.
1. Increased focus on cloud computing
Cloud computing has become one of the most important software-as-a-service that has become beneficial to businesses, especially those in the IT and financial services sectors. In the hands of virtual assistants, cloud-based platforms allow for real-time work and coordination with clients. Indeed, such services as Google (News - Alert) Suite and Dropbox streamline communication and workflow and, since 2017, these technologies have become even more sophisticated in providing virtual assistants and their clients with the utmost flexibility when it comes to handling specific projects and activities.
2. The rise of co-working spaces
Ever since the feelancing boom of the late 2000s, more and more people have become drawn into the virtual lifestyle that allows them to work from home and without much hassle. After all, there is a considerable number of young adults who work freelancing jobs as writers and, of course, as virtual assistants. This boom has, in effect, resulted in the establishment of the culture of co-working spaces, Indeed, according to Statista, there are about 4,043 co-working spaces in the United States offering environments that allow freelancers to work on their own terms. Such establishments as Novel Coworking are already making improvements along the lines of high-speed internet access and other technological amenities that can benefit virtual assistants and the work they do for their clients.
3. Continued relevance of automation
Whether virtual assistants handle voice-based activities along the lines of customer service, or deal with more technical marketing work for their clients, there's no doubt that automation will still be a driving force for productivity. For sure, platforms such as Salesforce and Hubspot continue to provide virtual assistants with a more convenient means of handling the marketing campaigns of their clients. After all, for businesses to thrive, there’s a need to adopt technologies that offer a better means for virtual assistants to improve competitiveness.
With technology continuing to advance, we will see more businesses consider virtual assistant services to meet their needs.
