Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Virtual Assistant Software: Breaking Open a VA’s Toolbox

Batman has his utility belt. Green Lantern’s got his uh, green lantern power rings. Heck, Superman's got his underpants. Thing is, everyone needs tools - even fictional superheroes.

Although Batman's utility
belt looks much cooler.
Source: Wikipedia Commons
If you don’t agree with me, try to imagine living without tools. Imagine having to eat raw food every day. Imagine having to walk to your destination every single day. Imagine people all around you wearing no clothes.

Don’t imagine that last one. Still, you get what I mean, right? People can’t live without tools. In this generation, it’s near impossible to survive without them.

Just like Batman, virtual assistants have their own utility belts (figuratively).

We have an array of softwares that helps us do our tasks:

Word Processing

We need this. I mean, really need this. Notepad just won’t make the cut. Word processing softwares are essential tools for us because writing is almost always a part of our tasks. Whether it’s for sending emails, writing articles or for documentation, it’s undeniable that word processing software is important. If you can't afford Microsoft Word, there's always Google Docs or OpenOffice.Org Writer. The important thing is you have one.

Project Management/Task Tracking

These software are like gifts from God. Really! They're like Batman's Bat Signal. Without it, Batman wouldn't know if Gotham City needs him. Without PM software, virtual assistants wouldn't know what their tasks are and when to do them. They'd be stuck in their seats, clueless and waiting. If you can't have PM software, then a Sticky Note app would do. Or even real Sticky notes. As long as you've got something to remind you if you still got work to do.

e-Mail/Instant Messaging

Imagine if Batman didn't have a walkie-talkie (or a wireless headset) and couldn't call Alfred for help. He'd be ____. Communication is important regardless of occupation. Virtual assistants NEED to communicate with their clients to ensure that they do exactly what is requested of them. In emergency situations/tasks, instant messaging softwares like Skype are awesome.

Web Browser

Since virtual assistants need the Internet, web browsers are a no-brainer to be able to surf the web. Besides surfing, lots of web apps can provide useful service to virtual assistants, such as Google Docs, which can be used for collaborative work.

Others

There’s a lot of other virtual assistant that virtual assistants use depending on their tasks. For example, web development virtual assistants could use Firebug, an extension for Firefox that assists in debugging web pages. Just like Batman's utility belt, you'll never know what's in a virtual assistant's toolbox unless he or she starts using it.

Please watch this video for more information about  Virtual Assistant Services

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