Remote work is no longer a temporary shift—it’s a permanent part of the modern labor market. Companies are now balancing hybrid schedules, distributed teams, and evolving expectations around flexibility, productivity, and cost.

At Remote CoWorker, we compiled 25 essential remote work statistics, trends, and projections that show who works remotely, how often, and what it means for hiring, performance, retention, and business expenses.

Together, these statistics provide a clear snapshot of the state of remote work in 2026 and highlight the key patterns employers and job seekers need to understand moving forward.

Key Remote Work Statistics

1. 22.9% of the U.S. workforce works remotely

As of late 2025, nearly 23% of the U.S. workforce teleworked or worked from home, representing over 36.6 million Americans.

This includes 12.3% of U.S. workers who telework some hours and 10.7% of workers who telework all hours.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

2. About 75 million U.S. jobs are compatible with remote work

An estimated 75 million U.S. employees have jobs that could be done remotely. These workers represent 56% of the non-self-employed workforce.

These roles typically involve knowledge work, digital tools, and limited need for physical presence, making them ideal for remote staffing, outsourcing, and offshore support models.

Source: U.S. Career Institute.

3. Over 50% of workers telework at least 2.5 days per week

This shift toward hybrid and distributed work environments makes it easier for organizations to integrate remote contractors and offshore talent, as remote teams already depend on digital collaboration tools and asynchronous workflows.

Source: AOVUP.

Remote Work Statistics and Future Projections

4. About half of U.S. workers are projected to be remote by 2028

This growth is fueled by freelancers, contractors, and outsourced service roles, as companies increasingly rely on distributed teams in customer support, operations, and other functions. These work trends closely align with broader virtual assistant statistics, which show rising demand for remote support roles across industries.

Source: AOVUP.

5. Full-time remote work is declining even as overall telework rises

While the overall telework rate increased to 22.9% in Q1 2024, the share of teleworkers working all of their hours remotely fell sharply. Only 47.9% of teleworkers were fully remote, down 6.1 percentage points year over year, signaling a shift away from fully remote roles amid growing hybrid work adoption.

Source: BLS.

6. Hybrid and low-hour remote work arrangements are becoming more common

Remote work statistics show a clear move toward part-time telework and hybrid models. In Q1 2024, the share of teleworkers working 40+ hours from home dropped to 36.7%, while short-duration telework increased.

Workers teleworking 8 hours or fewer per week rose to 15.2%, and those working 9-16 hours remotely increased to 18.1%, reflecting broader return-to-office and hybrid scheduling trends.

Source: BLS.

Remote Work Statistics by Job Type and Education

7. Remote work rates quadruple from high school graduates (9.1%) to college graduates (39.7%)

Just 5.4% of workers without a high school diploma work remotely, increasing to 9.1% among high school graduates with no college.

However, the percentage more than doubles to 19.1% among workers with some college or an associate degree, and more than quadruples to 39.7% for workers with a four-year degree or higher.

That includes 38.2% of workers with a bachelor’s degree and 41.9% of workers with an advanced degree.

Source: BLS.

8. Management and professional roles are the most likely to be remote

In Q1 2024, 37.9% of workers in these roles teleworked at least part of the time, reflecting how knowledge-based work is best suited for remote environments.

Meanwhile, 24.9% of workers in sales and office occupations teleworked in the first quarter of 2024, making these the second most prevalent occupations for remote work.

Remote work remains rare in service occupations, which continue to have low levels of remote work despite modest growth year over year. Only 5.4% of service workers teleworked in Q1 2024.

Physical labor jobs have the lowest remote work rates, with just 3.2% workers across production, transportation, and material moving, as well as natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations working remotely in Q1 2024. 

Source: BLS.

9. Remote work growth is concentrated in white-collar occupations

Remote work statistics show that telework growth is overwhelmingly concentrated in management, professional, sales, and office roles, while blue-collar and hands-on occupations remain largely in-person due to the nature of the work.

Workers in management and professional roles are more than 10 times as likely to work remotely as those in construction, production, or transportation jobs, underscoring how access to remote work is shaped by job function rather than preference.

Source: BLS.

Remote Work Demographic Statistics - Age, Gender, Race, Family Status

10. Workers age 35 to 44 are most likely to work remotely, while the youngest workers are least likely

About 27.3% of U.S. workers between the ages of 35 and 44 work remotely at least part of the time—a higher percentage than any other age group. Nearly half of these, representing 12.8% of workers in that age group, work all hours remotely.

Meanwhile, only 7.1% of workers aged 16 to 24 do the same, with less than half of them, at 3.2% of all American workers, teleworking all hours.

Here’s the percentage of the American workforce that works remotely at least part of the time, broken down by age group:

• Ages 16 to 24: 7.1%
  
  • 16 to 19: 2.5%
  • 20 to 24: 8.7%
• Ages 25 to 54: 25.4%
  
  • 25 to 34: 22.3%
  • 35 to 44: 27.3%
  • 45 to 54: 26.7%
• Age 55+: 24.3%
  
  • 55 to 64: 24.5%
  • 65+: 23.9%

American workers aged 65 and older are the most likely age group to work fully remotely, with 13.3% of workers in the age group teleworking all hours.

Source: BLS.

11. Women Are More Likely Than Men to Work Remotely Across Age and Race

Across all workers aged 16 and older, 25.1% of women work remotely, compared to 21.1% of men—a gap of roughly four percentage points that holds steady across age brackets.

The difference is most pronounced during prime working years. Among workers aged 25 to 54, 27.9% of women work remotely, versus 23.2% of men, reinforcing the idea that remote work may disproportionately support women’s participation in the labor force during peak career and caregiving years.

The same pattern appears across racial and ethnic groups. Women consistently have higher remote work rates than men, except among Asian workers, where men lead by more than five points:

• Asian women: 29.4% vs Asian men: 35%
• White women: 25.6% vs. White men: 21.0%
• Black women: 19.4% vs. Black men: 13.3%
• Hispanic women: 16.3% vs. Hispanic men: 10.6%

Source: BLS.

12. Workers with children under 18 are significantly more likely to work remotely

About 27% of workers with children under 18 work remotely, with 14.6% of the workforce in this segment teleworking some hours and 12.4% teleworking all hours.

In contrast, 21.2% of workers without children work remotely, and only 10% of childless workers telework all hours.

The six-point gap indicates that remote work plays an important role in supporting caregiving responsibilities and work-life balance for parents.

Source: BLS.

13. Married workers are far more likely to work remotely than unmarried workers

About 28% of married workers work remotely at least part of the time, compared to 21.1% of widowed, divorced, or separated workers and 16.3% of never-married workers.

Never-married workers are also the least likely to be fully remote, with only 7.6% teleworking all of their working hours.

This gap suggests that remote work is more accessible to workers with established household and family responsibilities.

Source: BLS.

14. 32.3% of Asian workers in the U.S. work remotely, more than any other race

Asian workers stand out as the most remote-friendly demographic in the labor force, with nearly one-third teleworking or working from home for pay.

This percentage is significantly higher than White workers (23.1%), Black or African American workers (16.4%), and Hispanic or Latino workers (13.1%).

Source: BLS.

Remote Work Productivity Statistics

15. Remote workers are about 13% more productive than in-office workers

Fewer workplace distractions, reduced meetings, and flexible scheduling contribute to higher efficiency, reinforcing why businesses increasingly turn to remote staffing models and virtual assistant outsourcing to scale productivity.

Source: AOVUP.

16. Each 1% increase in remote work was associated with a 0.08% increase in productivity

The BLS found a statistically significant relationship between remote work and productivity. For each percentage-point increase in remote workers, they observed a 0.08 percentage-point increase in total factor productivity (TFP) across industries.

Source: BLS.

Remote Work Statistics - Employee Engagement, Retention, and Wellbeing

17. Fully remote workers have the highest engagement rate at 31%

Globally, more than three in 10 fully remote workers are engaged at work, making them the most engaged group in the workforce. This compares to 23% engagement among hybrid workers, 23% among on-site remote-capable workers, and 19% among on-site non-remote-capable workers.

Source: Gallup.

18. Only 38% of engaged, thriving fully remote workers are job hunting

This is the lowest job-seeking rate among fully remote employees and underscores a critical insight: sustainable performance comes from pairing engagement with wellbeing.

Source: Gallup.

19. 14% of remote employees say they would quit rather than return to the office

Additionally, 56% of survey respondents knew someone who has already quit—or plans to quit—due to an order to return to the office, highlighting the retention risks of inflexible work policies.

Source: U.S. Career Institute.

20. Fully remote workers report higher levels of loneliness and emotional strain

Fully remote employees are more likely to experience feelings of loneliness, sadness, and anger than both hybrid and on-site workers. This may be partially attributed to the loss of informal social interactions such as casual conversations, team meals, and spontaneous collaboration.

Source: Gallup.

Remote Work Statistics - Productivity and Cost Efficiency

21. Remote workers in the U.S. save an average of 55 minutes per day by not commuting

Globally, that number rises to 72 minutes per day, highlighting the substantial time savings remote work provides.

Notably, 40% of remote workers use the time they save to work a primary or secondary job, suggesting that remote work can increase labor availability and productivity—particularly relevant for flexible, outsourced roles.

Source: U.S. Career Institute.

22. Employees can save up to $12,000 per year by working remotely

Additionally, hybrid employees may save around $6,000 annually by working remotely. The largest savings come from reduced spending on transportation, office attire, lunches, and other work-related costs—making remote work financially appealing across income levels.

Source: U.S. Career Institute.

23. Companies can save up to $10,600 per employee by going remote

These per-year savings come from reduced expenses related to office rent, utilities, furniture, supplies, and on-site perks. For example, a company with 50 employees could save roughly $500,000 annually by operating remotely.

Source: U.S. Career Institute.

24. Remote work reduced office and nonlabor costs by up to 0.4% per 1% increase

One of the strongest findings was cost reduction. As remote work increased, unit nonlabor costs such as office space, utilities, materials, and services declined significantly.

Most notably, each percentage-point increase in remote workers was associated with a 0.4 percentage-point decrease in unit office building cost growth. Some industries reduced office-related costs by more than 20%, demonstrating why remote and outsourced staffing models are financially attractive for growing businesses.

Source: BLS.

25. Over 52% of remote-first businesses hire outsourced or contract talent, compared to 31% of non-remote businesses

This highlights how remote work enables flexible staffing models—such as contractors, virtual assistants, and outsourced teams—that help companies reduce fixed costs and scale more efficiently.

Source: U.S. Career Institute.

What These Remote Work Statistics Reveal

These remote work statistics paint a clear picture of how work is continuing to evolve beyond the pandemic—and what that means for employers, job seekers, and policymakers heading into 2026.

Key takeaways from the data:

• Remote work is now a permanent part of the U.S. work model. With 22.9% of workers participating in telework and 75 million jobs compatible with remote jobs, the state of remote work reflects structural change, not a temporary trend.
• Flexible work is replacing fully remote extremes. While full-time work from home (WFH) is declining, hybrid arrangement models and low-hour telework are rising, showing how companies are adapting mandates without fully reverting to pre-pandemic norms.
• Access to remote work is unequal. Remote work options are heavily concentrated among white-collar, highly educated workers, shaping who benefits most from the impact of remote work on income, flexibility, and job opportunities.
• Family status and gender matter. Married workers, parents, and women are more likely to work remotely, reinforcing how flexible work supports caregiving and labor force participation.
• Productivity gains coexist with higher stress levels. Remote workers are more productive and engaged, but also report greater loneliness and emotional strain, highlighting the need for better remote workforce support systems.
• Businesses are redesigning how they hire and scale. Cost savings, reduced real estate needs, and a broader talent pool are driving companies toward contractors, outsourced roles, and automation-friendly workflows.
• The future of work is hybrid, distributed, and competitive. As job postings increasingly reflect remote and hybrid roles, job seekers—especially Gen Z entering the workforce—will evaluate new job and work opportunities based on flexibility as much as pay.

Overall, the benefits of remote work are clear, but so are the trade-offs, making intentional design, not blanket policies, the defining challenge ahead.

How Remote CoWorker Can Support Your Team

Remote CoWorker helps businesses build and scale teams with skilled virtual assistants across customer support, bookkeeping, marketing, sales, and more.

We match you with remote professionals who fit your workflows and company culture, so they integrate smoothly and deliver consistent results. Whether you want to reduce costs, expand your talent pool, or grow without adding full-time staff, our flexible staffing solutions make it easy to scale with confidence.

Let’s build your team—find remote talent that can handle critical business processes while you focus on growth. Schedule a free strategy call today.

Virtual assistants have become a core part of modern business operations, helping companies streamline workflows, control price pressure, and scale faster without adding internal headcount.

From bookkeeping and project management to customer support and sales, hiring VAs is increasingly seen as a cost-effective way to improve efficiency across various industries. As remote work expands, businesses are rethinking how they handle daily business processes.

At Remote CoWorker, we’ve gathered 25 virtual assistant statistics that show how demand is growing, where adoption is strongest, and why organizations are turning to virtual assistants with specialized skills to support critical functions.

Key Virtual Assistant Statistics

1. The global human virtual assistant market is projected to reach $29.3 billion by 2031

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The global virtual assistant industry was worth approximately $8.7 billion in 2023, and it is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.4% during the forecast period.

This estimate includes the human VA market share only and does not include AI tools such as chatbots.

Source: Verified Market Research.

2. Job postings for virtual assistants increased 35% year over year

This increase from 2023 to 2024 signals rapid growth in demand for outsourced roles. This reflects a broader shift as more companies delegate administrative, customer support, marketing, and operational tasks to virtual assistants rather than expanding in-house teams.

Rising demand is being driven by remote work normalization, cost pressure, and the need for flexible staffing across multiple business functions.

Source: ai2people.

3. Approximately 70% of medium and large enterprises now use virtual assistants

This level of adoption shows that virtual assistants are no longer limited to solo entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses—they are now embedded in enterprise workflows as a scalable alternative to adding headcount.

Source: ai2people.

4. Nearly half of companies hiring virtual assistants have 1,000+ employees

Virtual assistants are not limited to small businesses. About 49% of companies using VAs employ more than 1,000 people, indicating strong adoption among mid-market and enterprise organizations.

Larger firms often use virtual assistants to extend internal teams, reduce support backlogs, and scale operations without increasing headcount.

Source: AOVUP.

5. About 67% of business owners have hired at least 1 virtual assistant

Approximately seven in 10 business owners reported hiring at least one virtual assistant, reflecting broad acceptance of remote support roles. Adoption has been strongest in functions like customer support, marketing operations, and sales—the most in-demand VA services.

Source: AOVUP.

6. Hiring a virtual assistant can cut labor and overhead costs by up to 78%

Eliminating office space, equipment, benefits, and non-billable downtime associated with in-house roles can dramatically reduce costs for a business. Additionally, outsourcing virtual assistants makes it possible to hire for specific skill sets without spending as much time and resources on onboarding and training.

Source: AOVUP.

Virtual Assistant Statistics by Industry and Use Case

7. Healthcare virtual assistant providers reported over 1,000% revenue growth from 2021 to 2024

Companies specializing in healthcare virtual assistants have seen explosive growth as medical practices increasingly outsource billing, insurance verification, appointment scheduling, and patient follow-ups.

This surge highlights how heavily regulated, admin-intensive industries are adopting virtual assistants to reduce overhead while maintaining service quality.

Source: ai2people.

8. Digital marketing agencies, ecommerce businesses, and customer support companies lead in VA adoption

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Among industries adopting virtual assistants for day-to-day operations, 40% of digital marketing agencies, 35% of ecommerce businesses, and 30% of customer support companies have implemented VAs in their workflows.

Source: ai2people.

9. 37.7% of businesses use virtual assistants for administrative work

Administrative support remains the most common use case for virtual assistants, with nearly four in 10 businesses employing VAs for back office support tasks such as scheduling, email management, data entry, and internal coordination.

Source: ai2people.

10. 20.5% of businesses use virtual assistants for marketing tasks

About one in five businesses now rely on marketing outsourcing for content scheduling, campaign coordination, performance tracking, and social media management.

This reflects a broader trend of VAs moving beyond basic admin into revenue-adjacent functions that support growth without requiring full-time in-house hires.

Source: ai2people.

11. 14% of businesses use virtual assistants for sales and prospecting

A growing segment of companies use virtual assistants for sales-related activities such as lead research, CRM updates, outreach support, and appointment setting.

This adoption shows that virtual assistants are increasingly trusted with front-of-funnel and pipeline-support work that directly impacts revenue generation.

Source: ai2people.

Virtual Assistant Workforce Statistics

12. The global human virtual assistant workforce was estimated at 3.9 million people

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Projections show continued growth into the mid-millions by the late 2020s. This excludes AI assistants and focuses on individuals providing remote administrative, customer support, marketing, and specialized services, highlighting the scale of the human VA labor market.

Source: ai2people.

13. The Philippines employs over 1.3 million virtual assistants—more than any other country

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The Philippines leads India (1 million), the United States (400,000), Canada (200,000), and Australia (150,000) to remain the world’s leading hub for virtual assistant talent. In fact, it’s the second-largest industry in the country.

English proficiency, cultural alignment with Western businesses, and a mature outsourcing infrastructure continue to make the country a leader in virtual assistant services.

Source: ai2people.

14. About 59% of virtual assistants work full-time, not just freelance

While virtual assistants are often associated with freelance work, nearly six in 10 virtual assistants are full-time employees. 

This highlights a growing interest in stable, dedicated remote roles in addition to ad-hoc task outsourcing. For businesses, long-term VA partnerships can offer continuity, process ownership, and deeper system familiarity.

Source: AOVUP.

15. Nearly 60% of virtual assistants are college graduates

Virtual assistant statistics reveal these workers are increasingly skilled, with nearly six in 10 having earned a college degree. Many now support functions beyond basic admin, including sales, marketing, real estate, and web development. This shows that outsourced virtual assistants can manage judgment-based and process-driven work, not just task execution.

Source: AOVUP.

Virtual Assistant Statistics - Remote Work and Productivity

16. About 50% of the U.S. workforce will be virtual by 2028

This shift is driven by freelancers, contractors, and remote service roles, reflecting structural changes in how companies staff customer support, operations, and other functions that can be outsourced to virtual assistants.

Source: AOVUP.

17. More than 50% of employees work remotely at least 2.5 days per week

This remote work statistic indicates an environment of remote collaboration that makes integrating outsourced virtual assistants easier, as teams already rely on shared tools, asynchronous communication, and distributed workflows.

Source: AOVUP.

18. Remote workers, including virtual assistants, are 13% more productive than in-office workers

Reduced interruptions, fewer meetings, and flexible scheduling contribute to higher output. Virtual assistant outsourcing provides businesses of all sizes access to skilled remote workers for a wide range of services.

Source: AOVUP.

Intelligent Virtual Assistant Statistics

19. The global IVA market is expected to triple over the next 5 years

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Valued at $19.6 billion in 2025, the global intelligent virtual assistant (IVA) market size is projected to reach $80.72 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 32.7%.

AI-based IVAs driving the AI global virtual assistant market include chatbots, smart speakers like Google Home and Amazon Alexa, and voice-based or text-based AI assistants.

The largest market is North America, while the fastest growing market is Asia-Pacific. Major players, in no particular order, are Amazon, Microsoft, Inbenta, IBM, and Apple.

Source: Mordor Intelligence.

20. Shifting support work to virtual assistants saves businesses up to $10 million annually

A global travel company reported $10 million in annual savings after launching a virtual assistant-led self-service channel. Although this example involves AI, the cost drivers apply directly to outsourced human virtual assistants: removing high-volume, repetitive work from in-house teams.

Savings come from lower labor costs, reduced overtime, and shifting internal staff to higher-value work. Most organizations use a hybrid model, combining human virtual assistants with automation to maintain efficiency without sacrificing service quality.

Key drivers include:

• Lower costs vs. in-house hiring
• Reduced support volume and backlog
• 24/7 coverage without burnout
• Faster handling of common requests

Source: Mordor Intelligence.

21. Early adopters report up to 40% productivity gains from chatbot and IVA deployments

Early adopters of chatbots and IVAs report productivity gains of up to 40%, largely by automating repetitive, high-volume interactions. These systems deflect routine requests before they reach human teams, reducing workload and speeding up responses.

For companies that outsource virtual assistants, these figures matter because chatbot-driven efficiency is typically paired with human virtual assistants who handle non-automatable work such as inbox management, CRM updates, scheduling, follow-ups, and exception handling.

The result is fewer interruptions, faster resolution of routine tasks, and higher output without adding headcount.

Source: Mordor Intelligence.

22. Up to 90% of routine requests can be resolved without involving in-house employees

Across industries, approximately 80-90% of routine customer inquiries can be resolved without involving on-site or full-time employees. In a hybrid model, automation can manage initial intake while human virtual assistants handle execution, follow-ups, and exceptions.

Common examples include order or account status requests, appointment scheduling, data entry and CRM updates, and basic FAQ responses.

Offloading this work to outsourced virtual assistants or IVAs allows internal teams to focus on complex, judgment-based interactions while maintaining fast, consistent support for high-volume requests.

Source: Mordor Intelligence.

Human vs AI Virtual Assistant Statistics

23. About 75% of customers still prefer to communicate with a human

Despite rapid advances in automation, three out of four customers would rather talk to a human than a chatbot, voice assistant, or other IVA.

This can be particularly true when the situation requires judgment or emotional nuance, or involves higher stakes, such as customer support, live chat, or tech support.

To improve customer satisfaction, many companies outsource virtual assistants rather than fully embracing artificial intelligence and automation.

Source: BusinessWire.

24. 8.4 billion voice-assistant-enabled devices are in use—exceeding the global population

While this figure relates to AI-powered assistants rather than human VAs, it illustrates how normalized “assistant-led” interactions have become for both consumers and businesses.

This widespread adoption has indirectly accelerated acceptance of human virtual assistants in professional settings.

Source: ai2people.

25. Privacy concerns remain a barrier, with over 45% of users hesitant to share sensitive data with assistants

Nearly half of users report discomfort sharing sensitive information with virtual assistants, particularly AI-driven systems.

This hesitation helps explain why many companies continue to favor outsourced human virtual assistants for customer support, live chat, and high-trust workflows where judgment and discretion are required.

Source: ai2people.

What These Virtual Assistant Statistics Reveal

Overall, these virtual assistant statistics point to a hybrid future where businesses combine technology and skilled remote professionals to scale efficiently and remain competitive. Here are some key takeaways:

• Virtual assistants are no longer a fringe outsourcing option; they are now a mainstream part of modern business operations across companies of all sizes and industries.
• Rapid market growth, rising job postings, and strong enterprise adoption show that hiring VAs is driven by long-term structural shifts—not short-term cost cutting.
• Businesses increasingly rely on virtual assistants to streamline administrative work, marketing, sales, and customer-facing processes while maintaining flexibility and controlling price and overhead.
• Adoption spans various industries, including healthcare, ecommerce, finance, insurance, legal, and hospitality, proving that virtual assistants are trusted beyond basic support roles.
• Explosive growth in healthcare outsourcing demonstrates that even regulated, complex environments rely on VAs for sensitive business processes like scheduling, billing, and patient follow-ups.
• Workforce data challenges outdated assumptions: most virtual assistants work full-time, many are college educated, and a growing number bring specialized skills.
• These specialized skills include bookkeeping, web development, sales support, and other revenue-adjacent functions.
• The rise of intelligent virtual assistants and smartphone-based tools shows how automation complements human talent rather than replacing it.
• While AI handles high-volume tasks, customer preference and privacy concerns continue to favor human virtual assistants for judgment-based and high-trust work.

How Remote CoWorker Can Help

Remote CoWorker makes it easy to build and scale your team with skilled virtual assistants across bookkeeping, customer support, marketing, sales, and more.

Our VAs bring specialized skills to help you streamline business operations, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. Whether you’re in healthcare, ecommerce, finance, or hospitality, or another industry, we match you with talent that fits your needs and company culture.

Let’s build your team—find remote talent that can handle critical business processes while you focus on growth. Schedule a free strategy call today.

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Outsourcing is powerful.

When done well, it relieves you of the burden of tasks that are currently slowing you down.

By doing so, outsourcing empowers you to boost productivity and focus more of your time, energy, and effort on the areas where you create unique value in your business. 

Outsourcing isn’t always easy. It takes skill and experience to find the right external partner for your needs.

Here’s a list of the top outsourcing problems and mistakes we often see companies make when hiring VAs or other contract help. 

Note: Need help finding an amazing VA or an outsourced resource? At Remote Coworker, we’re experts at helping you find professionally-trained virtual assistants!

1. Poor fit with company culture

“Culture fit is invisible — and often the biggest cause of employee frustration.” — Moe Carrick and Cammie Dunaway 

Describing a company’s culture isn’t easy. But everyone who works for you feels it. Make sure the people you choose as outsourcing partners won’t disrupt your company’s vibe.

That doesn’t mean your culture has to perfectly match your outsourcing partner’s culture. For example, if your company has a more relaxed attitude toward deadlines, but you need help with bookkeeping and payroll, you may look for an external resource that is very strict about deadlines.

That arrangement could give you a complementary fit for the outsourcing project, even though the internal cultures are different between the two partners. 

The reverse is also true. 

If you outsource a task or project that must be done on time, but your external partner doesn’t value timeliness, it’s very likely to cause frustration for your current in-house team — and fast.

2. Impact on existing employees

“Culture is not about words or what you talk about. Culture is about behaviors and actions.” — Daniel Coyle

Imagine you hire an outsourcing partner to supplement your development team’s bandwidth, but the external vendor you choose doesn’t value timeliness or communication, creating a culture mismatch like the one mentioned above.

Things go well for the first few weeks, but then the partner suddenly goes unresponsive, and the workload is in danger of not being completed.

Your internal team steps in to save the day — working long hours to complete the project.

These experiences can destroy morale for your current team. And it’s why it is essential to consider the potential impact on your existing employees before choosing an outsourcing partner. 

3. Outsourcing your core expertise

“Do what you do best and outsource the rest.” — Peter Drucker

Be careful outsourcing responsibilities in your core areas of expertise. 

Every company has a core set of capabilities that provide its competitive advantage. For example, let’s imagine you run an e-commerce startup that quickly becomes known for an innovative recommendation engine.

Your customer base is growing rapidly, putting the engineering team under tremendous pressure.

To speed up development, you decide to outsource the entire next iteration of its recommendation engine to an external development partner.

The partner’s team builds and delivers the version on time, but now you have a problem: The outsourced team is the only group that knows how the new system works. 

Now your company isn’t just outsourcing its code. It’s outsourcing its core competencies. 

Outsourcing can absolutely accelerate progress in core areas, but make sure you maintain control over direction, standards, and knowledge transfer. 

4. Lack of clear expectations

“Unspoken expectations are premeditated resentments.” — Neil Strauss

If it’s true with employees, it’s even more true with virtual assistants and outsourced partners — clear expectations are a prerequisite for success.

One mistake we see often is hiring a VA without knowing exactly what the VA will be doing. For example, an executive might feel overwhelmed by her schedule, so they seek out a VA “to help me get organized" rather than to take over a specific set of responsibilities.

That’s a recipe for frustration, waste, and outsourcing failure.  

5. Lack of training

“The only thing worse than training employees and losing them is not training them and keeping them.” — Zig Ziglar

Your VA might be a hard worker and skilled at a variety of general tasks, but that doesn’t mean you can neglect training. External partners still need to know how you do things.

Training doesn’t have to be days of instruction or require hours of your time.

Loom videos, checklists, and short collaboration calls can be a great help in the early days of your collaboration.  

6. Becoming too dependent on the outsourced partner

“Unless handled carefully, there is a danger that an outsourcing arrangement that delivers gains in the short term could, over time, create an unhealthy dependency, eroding competitive advantage and strategic options.” — Calin Buia, Christiaan Heyning, and Fiona Lander, in an article for McKinsey

Quality outsourcing services should help you increase velocity, not create a hidden risk that could cripple your business. 

What happens if you suddenly lose a VA? Will your business crumble while you scramble for a replacement?

Design your relationships intentionally to avoid becoming dependent on any one outsourced partner, including outsourcing companies. 

• Document your processes
• Create a backup outsourcing plan
• Cross-train internal staff

This way, if you do lose an external resource, it won’t destroy your business. Instead, you’ll be able to find someone new and get them up to speed quickly. 

7. Not having an outsourcing contract

“The beginning of wisdom is to define.” – Aristotle

A handshake agreement might feel good, but it’s a recipe for future outsourcing challenges. Consult an attorney for a thorough review of a contract of course, but a basic contract doesn’t need to be complicated.

The point is to document the fundamentals of the relationship, which often include:

• Scope of work
• Timelines
• Deliverables
• Cost
• Payment terms
• Ownership
• Confidentiality
• Exit strategy for the engagement if needed

By documenting the expectations — in print — both sides can get to work knowing what’s expected of them. 

8. Unrealistic deadlines

“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” — Douglas Adams

If you need a VA, we don’t recommend hiring people like famous author Douglas Adams. 😆 

At the same time, having unrealistic deadlines sets you and your VA up for failure. 

Here’s a best practice you can steal from us. Start with a small, well-scoped task your new VA can complete in a few hours if possible — a few days at the most.

This will give you and your VA a sense of what it’s like to work together, and how quickly you need them to deliver their work. You can both adjust your expectations from there as you get used to working together. 

9. Scope creep

“There is no such thing as scope creep, only scope gallop.” – Cornelius Fichtner, Project Management Trainer & Author

Scope creep is one of the most common causes of conflict between clients and an outsourced partner. 

Scope creep rarely happens all at once. It’s usually “just a quick revision” or “could you also help with this?” But those one-off tasks that weren't in the original agreement add up fast.

Contractors want to be helpful. Internal stakeholders want momentum. But asking “can you do this one extra thing?” too often is a fast way to create resentment, and your new VA may soon be looking for work elsewhere. 

10. Unexpected costs

"Price is what you pay. Cost is what you spend. Value is what you get." – Alan Weiss

Additional rounds of revision, expanded scope, change requests, additional tools, extra onboarding time, project management hours — they all add up.

The solution isn’t to prohibit your partner from doing what you need them to do. It’s to establish transparency from the beginning of the relationship. 

If needed, get itemized pricing. Clarify what gets billed and what doesn’t. Ask how they handle revisions.

Doing so will help you prevent surprise expenses on your next invoice.

11. Poor communication (both ways!)

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw

Most breakdowns in the workplace come down to failed communications. It’s no different for outsourced contractors.

We recommend creating a clear cadence of communications.

Some clients like receiving a brief summary of work completed each day. Others look for updates weekly or on some other regular cadence.

Shared dashboards, project management tools, and working documents also make it much easier for everyone involved to keep track of what’s happening.

12. Security risk

“Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.” — Warren Buffett

Any time you give an external partner access to systems, tools, or data, you introduce data security concerns.

That doesn’t mean you can’t outsource while maintaining cybersecurity. It means you need an organized system of what gets shared and how that information gets transferred.

Create limited access logins for the tools you’ll be sharing with your VA. Create shared folders and unique logins that limit access to data and data management tools. And whatever you do — don’t share passwords to critical systems.

Most data breaches happen due to a weakness in human security — not a weakness in digital infrastructure. 

13. Language barriers

“I have never been lost, but I will admit to being confused for several weeks.” — Daniel Boone

Even when both parties speak the same language, communication nuances between people who live in different parts of the world are common.

Culture-specific turns of phrase, in particular, create significant challenges.

“Moving the goalposts,” makes perfect sense in the U.S., for example. But for someone who has no knowledge of U.S. football, the phrase may be completely nonsensical.

Do what you can to speak directly and clearly. And encourage clarifying questions. That little bit of upfront work can save you all kinds of headaches.

14. Cultural barriers

“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” ― Aldous Huxley

It’s not just language barriers that cause confusion across cultures.

Customs and traditions in different parts of the world vary wildly. When you outsource work, you are likely to run into these differences in everything from how feedback is delivered to how quickly people speak up when they have a problem.

Build cultural literacy into your relationship from the start. Learn how your new partner approaches their work, when they’re available, and how they prefer to work (collaborative, individually, etc.).

If your outsourced partner will be working with customers through systems such as live chat or email, take the time to train them on cultural norms for your customers.

There will always be unintended friction. But respecting each other’s differences will go a long way toward creating the goodwill you need for a successful relationship.

15. Time zones

“Better three hours too soon than a minute too late” — William Shakespeare

Clear communication is the difference between success and failure when working across time zones. 

If you are someone who wants your VA to always be around to “jump on a call and talk it through,” then we don’t recommend hiring a VA from halfway around the world.

But if you communicate well in writing and the work you need can be completed independently, outsourcing to other time zones can be a major advantage.

In many situations, you can create a 24-hour production cycle where work moves forward while you sleep. 

A pro tip from us?

Many outsourcing relationships benefit from having a few hours of overlap where the parties can communicate in real time (or near real time) each day. 

This eliminates the need to wait half a day to get an answer to a question or get aligned about a project plan.

16. Juggling multiple vendors

“Let us ask our suppliers to come and help us to solve our problems.” — W. Edwards Deming

Beware the complexity that comes from working with too many outsourced partners.

Before you know it, a good chunk of your day is spent writing emails, responding to Slack threads, or jumping on calls with your VA team. And you’re not getting the time you need to do the work that only you can do. 

Whenever possible, increase the scope of an existing vendor (or vendor company) before looking to bring on an additional resource.

17. Turnover among outsourced staff

“Great people are hard to find, so make sure you think about how to keep them.” — Ray Dalio

Outsourcing doesn't eliminate turnover risk. It just moves the risk from your internal team to your external contractors.

With outsourced partners, there are more reasons than “I found a new job” that might lead to turnover. These include:

• Agencies shuffle talent
• Freelancers adjust their client load
• Offshore teams rotate their staff

We strongly recommend asking about continuity up front when choosing an outsourcing partner. 

• Do they document work?
• Do they train backups?
• Do you get a say in staffing changes?

A stable partner will have a plan to continue supporting you even if they lose or move someone you’re working with today.

18. Turnover on your staff

“People leave managers, not companies.” — Marcus Buckingham

We’ve seen internal employees who feel threatened, sidelined, or overburdened by the integration of an external team.

When that happens, resentment builds. And resentment often leads to turnover in your workforce.

Internal communication is critical. Explain why outsourcing is happening, involve your team in the selection process, and make sure they know their role is safe even as you’re bringing on external resources.

19. Locked in processes (rather than continuous innovation)

“If you don't innovate, you die.” — Robert Iger

Stagnation is a business killer. 

Sometimes, businesses that outsource a task inadvertently lock in a workflow for years without having a process for continuous improvement.

“That’s how the vendor does it,” becomes an excuse for complacency, even if those processes have become antiquated.

Build innovation into the process whenever you hire an external resource. Review your workflows on a regular basis. Talk about what could be improved.

The best external partners are constantly innovating, then sharing their learnings across clients so everyone benefits. 

20. Legal and compliance headaches

“If you think compliance is expensive, try non-compliance” — former US Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty

Depending on your industry, outsourcing can introduce complex compliance obligations. To name just a few:

• Data loss
• Privacy laws
• Employment regulations
• Industry standards
• Export controls

If a partner mishandles sensitive information, for example, the liability could fall on you. 

Talk to your lawyer to ensure you remain compliant. And make sure you have a strong understanding of the relevant regulations and that your partner can also demonstrate compliance. 

21. Brand reputation risk

“Even a great brand needs investment and caring.” — Steve Jobs

If an external partner gives your customer a poor experience, that reflects poorly on you, not just them. 

This is a common problem with outsourcing efforts, especially with tasks such as customer service or sales. 

It can also be a problem with more technical projects like software outsourcing. If outsourced developers fail to grasp the goals of your project, you might end up with software that delivers an inconsistent experience across different areas.

For all these reasons, the training, transparency, and communication standards we discussed above are vital to the success of your project. Without them, outsourcing mistakes can be a much bigger risk for your brand’s reputation.

Outsourcing for success!

Outsourcing is a tool, not a magic wand.

To help you avoid the above outsourcing pitfalls, we recommend that you:

• Define a clear onboarding process for VAs
• Document your processes
• Align often on expectations 
• Communicate clearly and often
• Work with outsourcing experts to help you make the best choice for your situation

Get those elements right and outsourcing becomes a competitive advantage that can (finally!) free you up to spend more time on the things that matter most. 

Note: Considering an outsourcing provider but not sure where to start? Remote Coworker can help! Our plans start at $7.99 per hour.

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Is your e-commerce business growing? Do you find yourself with an endless to-do list? How about constantly pushing tasks off? Transitioning to an outsourced workforce can seem daunting, with entrepreneurs facing common challenges like language barriers, security issues, and time zone differences.

However, done correctly, outsourcing can improve productivity, cut costs, and bolster customer satisfaction. This makes it no surprise that recent studies uncovered that 70% of global businesses are leveraging outsourcing.

In this article, we’ll explore e-commerce outsourcing, including which tasks to outsource, how to choose the right outsourcing partner, beneficial resources, and how to avoid common mistakes.

What Tasks Can E-Commerce Owners Outsource?
Outsourcing will look different for every e-commerce business, especially depending on your company size and strategic needs. Here are a few of the main tasks to consider outsourcing in your e-commerce company:

• Customer Service & Support – Live chats, email support, and social media are top outsourced e-commerce tasks.
• Order Processing & Fulfillment Coordination – Monitoring the flow of goods, inventory levels, and shipping data are great tasks for an outsourced partner.
• Product Listing & Optimization – Product listing and optimization, such as updating listings for product changes, ensuring descriptions are SEO-friendly, and adding high-quality images, can be passed off to an outsourced professional.
• Digital Marketing – E-commerce businesses rely on digital marketing to sell products, which is why managing social media ads, creating marketing content, and tracking advertising KPIs can be assigned to an outsourced individual or company.
• Data Entry & Inventory Management – Outsourced talent can closely watch inventory levels, re-order low quantities, enter inventory orders, and track which products are selling best.
• Bookkeeping & Financial Tasks – Letting your bookkeeping function fall behind can cause serious problems, such as higher risks of fraud, late filings, and unclear margins, which is why outsourcing bookkeeping and finance professionals are so valuable.

The most successful e-commerce businesses leverage outsourced talent in many of the above areas. Think about where your business falls short. Is it keeping up with bookkeeping tasks? How about constantly running out of inventory? Identifying the shortcomings in your e-commerce business can help you pinpoint which outsourced services you need.

How to Choose the Right Virtual Assistant or Outsourcing Partner

With the business process outsourcing market projected to grow at a rate of 9.6% by 2030, it’s important to select the right virtual assistant or outsourcing provider. There are two main types of outsourced talent: freelancers and outsourcing agencies. Freelancers work independently, while an outsourcing agency is comprised of numerous professionals.

Freelancers specialize in small, one-time projects, while outsourcing agencies can take on large and complex projects. Freelancers can also provide a more personal feel; however, turnover can lead to costly business disruptions. On the other hand, outsourcing agencies have a team of professionals, allowing your business to scale with ease, avoid business disruptions, and have more structure in outsourcing.

Regardless of whether you are choosing a freelancer or outsourcing agency, there are a few key qualifications and skills to look for, including:

• Adequate security protocols
• Industry expertise
• Strong communication skills
• Scalability potential
• Compliance safeguards
• Availability
• Reasonable cost

When evaluating potential candidates, be sure the value they provide matches the cost. For example, if an outsourcing agency can help your business scale, you might decide to pay more for their expertise.

Cost Savings & ROI: Why Outsourcing is a Smart Investment

Too often, e-commerce business owners focus only on the hourly rate of outsourced talent. When considering outsourcing, it’s important to calculate the true cost savings and return on investment by evaluating both quantitative and qualitative benefits. For one, outsourced talent is considered independent contractors, meaning you don’t have to offer benefits or pay employer payroll taxes on wages.

Additionally, outsourced talent works on your time. If you don’t have enough work, your outsourced talent won’t be racking up a bill. This isn’t the case for an in-house employee, who gets paid regardless of whether there is work to be done. Other benefits include stronger compliance, added revenue growth, better cost controls, improved efficiency, and a higher scalability potential.

Tools & Software to Streamline Outsourcing

Unlike an in-house employee, you can’t just stop by and talk to your outsourced professional. Instead, you will need to leverage different tools and software to streamline the outsourcing process and open communication lines. Here are some of the top tools and software programs for outsourcing teams:

• Project Management Tools – Platforms like Trello, Asana, and ClickUp are great options for overall project management.
• Communication Platforms – Communication hubs, such as Slack, Zoom, and WhatsApp, keep everyone on your team informed and on the same page.
• Automation Tools – Shopify, OpenCart, and WooCommerce integrations are essential for e-commerce businesses to reduce operational silos.

These tools can be great starting points for small outsourced teams. However, as your business begins to grow, consider switching to an outsourcing company, like Remote CoWorker, that offers built-in e-commerce management tools for your outsourced talent.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Outsourcing

hen you onboard outsourced talent, there are bound to be challenges and hurdles to overcome. Here are three common mistakes and how to avoid them:

1. Poor Onboarding and Training – Outsourced talent is an extension of your team, meaning they need the same onboarding and training as a regular employee. Taking the time to train on your processes and expectations can reduce mistakes and allow for fluid workflows.
2. Unclear KPIs and Goals – Like in-house staff, outsourced talent needs benchmarks and goals to work toward. Defining your KPIs and goals keeps your outsourced professionals engaged and adds clarity to your expectations.
3. Prioritizing Cost Over Quality – The cheapest option isn’t always the best choice for your e-commerce business. Before choosing an outsourced agency or freelancer, evaluate the value they will provide to your company. If paying a few dollars more an hour allows your business to grow 10% in one year, it might be worth the added cost.

Keep these common pitfalls in mind as you start your search for outsourced agencies and freelancers.

Conclusion

E-commerce outsourcing doesn’t have to be daunting. In fact, when used correctly, it can help your business scale, improve efficiency, and unlock greater accuracy and insights. If you’re thinking about outsourcing, the first step is determining your business needs. Then, search for the perfect freelancer or outsourcing agency.

s your law firm beginning to grow? Do you feel like there’s not enough time in the day to complete everything? As your law firm starts to grow, it doesn’t make sense for you to be handling every task.

This is where streamlining your operations with outsourced assistants comes into play. An outsourced assistant can take over simple and mundane tasks in your law firm, allowing you to focus on other value-added items.

In this article, we’ll cover the basics of an outsourced assistant, including the roles and responsibilities they generally take on and how they can help you streamline operations in your law firm.

What is an Outsourced Assistant?

There are a few different types of outsourced professionals that your law firm can bring on. First is an intake assistant. An intake assistant is at the front of client interactions, handling new client inquiries, responding to general questions, and prioritizing the workflow. Intake assistants are indispensable if you don’t have the time to answer phone calls, set up meetings, or manage your schedule.

Another type of outsourced assistant is a legal secretary. A legal secretary might have an expanded legal background compared to your intake assistant, helping you sift through electronic documents and properly categorize legal forms. Your legal secretary can also help you prepare basic documents and communicate with clients about information requests and signatures.

How Do Outsourced Assistants Streamline Law Firms?

Outsourced assistants, whether they are considered legal secretaries or intake assistants, automate repetitive tasks, such as data entry, appointment scheduling, and email management. By handling the backend work, you can focus on high-value tasks, like customer outreach, preparing for client meetings, and handling other legal tasks.

Furthermore, outsourced law firm assistants manage the flow of information coming into your business. This could be a potential client submitting an inquiry through your website or an existing customer sending a follow-up email. Managing all of these items on your own opens the door to less efficiency and poor customer service.

With an outsourced assistant on the frontline, handling all incoming communication, you are positioning your firm for a positive customer experience and streamlining the flow of information, allowing you to prioritize responses and stay on top of your to-do list.

Next Steps

Does it sound like an outsourced assistant is what your law firm needs to streamline operations? If so, it’s important that you determine which type of outsourced assistant your company needs. Are you looking for someone who can handle basic legal work in addition to data entry and responding to customer inquiries? If so, a legal secretary will be the best fit for your law firm.

On the contrary, if you just need help with general tasks, like answering phone calls, organizing inquiry queues, and scheduling meetings, an intake assistant might be the right outsourced professional for your law firm.

The good news is that Remote CoWorker offers both types of professionals, giving you the ability to leverage the outsourced help your business truly needs. Reach out to a team member today to schedule your free consultation.

The healthcare sector is finally starting to return to pre-pandemic staff and revenue levels, with the number of people employed 2.2% higher in June 2023 compared to February 2020. Moving out of survival mode opens the door to new opportunities, especially in innovation, efficiency, and cost-saving initiatives.

Business process outsourcing (BPO) has traditionally been reserved for tasks and roles that don’t require in-person interaction. However, with new technological advancements, the medical industry has begun leveraging outsourcing capabilities.

In this article, we’ll cover the basics of medical industry outsourcing, including common tasks being sent overseas, the advantages, and countries that present prime opportunities for BPO. If you have any questions on what medical industry outsourcing looks like for your team, schedule your free consultation with Remote CoWorker right away.

What Tasks are Being Outsourced?

Although it can be difficult, if not impossible, to outsource all healthcare tasks, there are certain roles that can easily be moved to remote positions. Here are a few tasks to consider outsourcing:

Billing

Medical billing can be complex and time-intensive. Each service complete or product used needs to be billed on its own line, with a specific code. Proper treatment and bill creation generally require medical professionals that are familiar with the terminology.

However, learning the terminology and billing codes doesn’t require a formal U.S.-based education. In fact, there are books, software, and other resources that overseas professionals utilize to complete accurate U.S. healthcare billing.

Outsourcing this task not only frees up time in your team’s busy schedule, but it can also lead to quicker billing and receivable collections.

Claims Processing

The medical industry works closely with different insurance providers to piece together insurance coverage. This often involves multiple back-and-forth correspondence. Without the proper back-office support, the claims your medical practice bills out might be incomplete or incorrect, dragging on the claims process.

Outsourcing this task to an individual or team that has the availability, knowledge, and back-office support to properly handle claims processing is beneficial. From quicker verifications to complete claims, outsourced firms can process claims quicker.

Transcription

Audio transcription is a tedious but vital task in the medical industry. It can take hours to get through a doctor’s day of audio files. Assigning one of your office staff or a nurse to sift through these files isn’t producing value for your company.

Instead, outsourcing medical transcription to a third party results in less time constraints on your internal staff while still ensuring you are keeping the proper documentation and paper trail of audio files.

Healthcare Support

It’s not uncommon for medical practices to receive dozens, if not hundreds, of calls per day. Passing this burden off to one or two staff might not cut it, leading to higher dissatisfaction rates. Providing your patients with around-the-clock support from an outsourced team for any and all questions can bolster patients’ experiences and lead to positive reviews.

What are the Advantages of Medical Industry Outsourcing?

Why is the medical industry gravitating towards outsourcing? There are numerous advantages of outsourcing certain roles in your organization. Let’s take a closer look.

Lower Costs

Outsourcing your back-office functions can result in significant cost savings, with the ability to reduce up to 25% of your costs. Not only can you avoid employer payroll taxes, but certain countries also offer lower average wage rates.

Moreover, you don’t need to worry about regularly replacing office equipment or paying for facility fees when you outsource. This furthers your cost-saving initiatives.

24/7 Operational Capacity

Domestic contact centers generally only run during normal business hours. This isn’t ideal, as your patients could hold jobs or be busy during this timeframe. Outsourcing your contact centers allows you to appeal to all patients.

In addition, you can see increases in your operational capacity, as your outsourced team doesn’t need to stick to a 9-5 schedule. The ability to send bills quicker or process insurance claims on the same day opens the door to stronger cash flow and efficiency.

Stronger Back-Office Technology

Outsourcing firms prioritize the latest technology and security measures. This means that outsourcing firms might naturally have better technology than your internal infrastructure. These solutions include state-of-the-art customer relationship management software, comprehensive data management resources, and more.

HIPAA Compliance

The medical industry would be hesitant to work with outsourced firms if the proper HIPAA compliance controls were not in place. Most medical outsourced companies understand the stringent regulations of HIPPA, working compliance into daily tasks. When you trust your records with an outsourced team, you might see a higher level of due care and responsibility compared to an overworked internal team.

Which Countries Are Best for Medical Industry Outsourcing?

When looking for a country to outsource your medical administrative tasks to, there are a few different considerations. First, you need to evaluate the infrastructure. What controls are in place for security? What is the process for BPO?

Another factor you need to consider is communication. What are the popular work times in that country? Are there language barriers? Keep in mind that you can find domestic medical outsourcing firms, but they might be more expensive compared to overseas options. Cost, availability, cultural differences, and qualifications are other integral components to consider before outsourcing.

Keeping all of these factors in mind, there are a few countries that are up-and-coming in the medical outsourcing industry. The Philippines is an ideal country for BPO services because of the highly skilled talent pool and advanced English proficiency. The Philippines Government also has favorable tax laws to attract outsourcing businesses.

Other contenders include India, Asia, and Thailand. These countries also demonstrate proficiency in medical billing at lower prices compared to hiring in-house. Be sure you evaluate all of the applicable criteria before making your selection.

Getting Started

Are you ready to hop on medical industry outsourcing trends? If so, it’s important that you find the right team for your operations. At Remote CoWorker, you can find a plethora of Filipino VAs that can help you with your medical administrative burdens. Reach out to one of our team members today to get started.

Sources

How has Health Care Employment Changed Since the Pandemic?

In today’s highly competitive business landscape, customer feedback is an essential tool for any company that wants to be successful. By collecting and utilizing customer feedback, companies can gain valuable insights into their customers’ needs, preferences, and experiences, and use this information to improve their products, services, and overall customer experience.

Customer feedback strategies are methods in which companies can gather information and data from customers during, or after, a transaction or interaction. Including surveys (CSATs), focus groups, quality monitoring and more, there are many different ways companies can gain this crucial feedback.

In this article, we will explore the reasons why customer feedback matters and provide strategies for collecting and utilizing it effectively.

Why Customer Feedback Matters

The customer is number one. For any business to succeed the customer has to be happy and willing to pay, so gathering feedback from customers who have had interactions with your business is the best way to learn so that practices and policies can be developed that keep the customer’s experience at heart.

Identifying Customer Needs and Preferences

Collecting feedback from customers is one of the most effective ways to identify their needs and preferences. By listening to what your customers are saying, you can gain a better understanding of their pain points, what they like and dislike about your products and services, and what improvements they would like to see. Armed with this information, you can make informed decisions about how to improve your offerings to meet the changing needs of your customers.

Improving Customer Experience

One of the main benefits of collecting customer feedback is that it allows you to improve your customer experience. When customers feel heard and valued, they are more likely to have a positive experience with your brand, which can lead to increased loyalty, repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth referrals. By addressing customer complaints and suggestions promptly, you can show your customers that you value their opinions and are committed to providing them with the best possible experience.

Increasing Customer Retention

Collecting and utilizing customer feedback is also an effective way to increase customer retention. When you take the time to listen to your customers and address their concerns, you show them that you care about their satisfaction and are willing to go above and beyond to ensure they are happy. This can help to build a sense of loyalty and trust, which can encourage customers to continue doing business with you.

Identifying Areas for Improvement

Customer feedback can also help you identify areas for improvement within your business. By analyzing customer feedback, you can identify trends and patterns that indicate where your business is falling short. This can help you to make data-driven decisions about how to improve your operations, products, and services to better meet the needs of your customers.

Strategies for Collecting Customer Feedback

There’s nothing like asking a simple question at the end of a customer interaction that says ‘How have you found my service today?’. Short and straight to the point, this question is a useful way for employees to get immediate feedback. However, there are now many different ways this feedback can be gathered.

Surveys

One of the most common ways to collect customer feedback is through surveys. Surveys can be conducted online, in person, or through the mail, and can be used to gather information about a wide range of topics, from customer satisfaction and loyalty to product features and pricing. To maximize response rates, it’s important to keep surveys short, simple, and easy to complete.

Focus Groups

Focus groups are another effective way to collect customer feedback, and are particularly useful if you’re developing something new in your business. Focus groups typically involve bringing together a small group of customers to discuss their experiences, opinions, and preferences in a structured setting. They can be conducted in person or online, and are often used to gather more detailed and nuanced feedback than surveys can provide.

Social Media Monitoring

Social media is a powerful tool for collecting customer feedback in real-time. By monitoring social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, you can gain insights into what customers are saying about your brand, products, and services, and use this information to inform your marketing and customer service strategies. Social media monitoring can also help you identify and address customer complaints and issues before they escalate.

Customer Service Interactions

Every interaction a customer has with your business is an opportunity to collect feedback. By training your customer service representatives to ask for feedback and to listen actively to customer concerns and complaints, you can gain valuable insights into what customers like and dislike about your products and services. You can also use these interactions to show your customers that you value their opinions and are committed to making improvements.

Website/Product Analytics Tools

Companies like Hotjar give you feedback that would be difficult to do manually – through heatmapping your site and giving you invaluable information about where your customers go on their journey with you.

When you can understand more about your customer’s behavior, you can adjust your site to better cater to their needs and, most importantly, get them to the final stage of purchasing as effortlessly as possible.

How To Use This Feedback

It’s all well and good gathering the data and information, but if you don’t do anything with it, it’s useless. Developing robust methods of analyzing the data and feeding this back to the employees, as well as back to the business, is imperative to effectively make the best use of the information given.

Customer feedback doesn’t always relate only to the experience with a specific customer service representative. Often, the feedback will include points about certain processes or procedures that aren’t benefiting the customer, and these pieces of information must be fed back to the relevant internal departments so that improvements can be made.

Are you trying to scale your CPA firm? Scaling your accounting practice involves more factors than just client outreach. In fact, scaling doesn’t always mean taking on new customers. It could be improving margins to generate more profit.

Whatever your growth goals are, it’s important that you use the right strategies to get you there. Here are five ways to scale your CPA firm.

#1: Leverage Technology

Technology has come a long way in the past decade. Almost all of an accountant’s tasks are completed digitally. If you don’t have the proper technology and IT team working in the background, your firm might be met with low productivity margins.

Data estimates that CPA firms should spend between 5% and 8% of their gross revenue on software. This means that for every $100,000 you make, $8,000 should be allocated to your IT department.

Go through your current software programs and devices used. Are there software subscriptions that are unused that you can cancel? How about a laptop that could use updating? Deploying your money in an efficient way can help you add capacity to your firm and generate more profit.

#2: Track KPIs

Most accountants like to work with numbers, meaning KPIs should not be a foreign concept. Odds are you compute KPIs for your clients on a regular basis, but what about for your own firm? How can you expect to know where change is needed if you don’t have tangible data to base your decision on?

Implement a combination of qualitative and quantitative KPIs into your monthly procedures. Tracking progress between periods can help you implement actionable change to reach your scalability goals.

#3: Utilize Outsourced Talent

The advancements in technology make it easy to outsource mundane tasks that you might not have the time for. If your firm is operating at capacity, you should utilize outsourced talent. This prevents you from turning down a new client because you lack manpower. Developing an outsourced team gives you the opportunity to reduce bottlenecks and scale your practice.

Think of tasks that you or your staff might be completed on a regular basis. This could be monthly bookkeeping or general customer service. Can some of these bookkeeping tasks be outsourced? Outsourcing a portion of your workload can also result in hidden benefits, like lower employee turnover, and higher productivity. Each of these items can help you scale your CPA practice.

#4: Create Meaningful Advertising Campaigns

The methods of effective advertising have dramatically changed in the past few years. What once were ads in the newspaper have turned into social media. To grow your practice and generate more traffic, you need to understand who your target market is. Are you looking to bring on clients that are small business owners or millennials?

Keep in mind that you may have to break out of the clients you generally retain to grow your practice. For example, maybe you find that your firm is an up-and-coming area with millennials and gen z taxpayers. Are you targeting that customer base? Moreover, consider your geographic location and the services you currently offer to target the right consumer base.

After you’ve identified your target market, you will need to complete due diligence on where these consumers get their information. Are they on Tik Tok or Facebook? Finding the right advertising platforms ensures you aren’t paying for ineffective campaigns. If you notice that you aren’t gaining as much traction as you hoped, reevaluate your target market and marketing campaigns to uncover where to make changes.

#5: Offer New Services

Scaling your business relies on expanding your reach. If you only offer in-person, consider offering remote services using outsourced labor or implementing new technology. Make a list of your current services and jot down a few additional services you can reasonably offer. You don’t want to offer clients a service that you don’t have the qualifications for, as this can lead to bad reviews.

Once you’ve identified services you want to add, create meaningful advertising campaigns, identify what team members will be on these new projects, and develop a pricing structure. Working out the fine details before you add new services promotes a smooth transition in your scalability process.

Summary

Every CPA firm should have the goal to scale. Growing your practice can yield additional profit, improve financial health, and contribute to creating a generational business. Remember that your time is valuable. Is your time more valuable completing a QuickBooks bank reconciliation or meeting with new clients?

This is where outsourcing should be infused into your business, giving you the flexibility to leverage more valuable tasks. For help finding the right outsourced partner, reach out to one of our team members at Remote CoWorker. We can pair you up with the professional that fits your business needs.  

The art of communication is a vital skill in all aspects of life, but it is especially important in the field of customer support. In the tech industry, where customers can become frustrated and overwhelmed with technical issues, effective communication can make the difference between a satisfied customer and a dissatisfied one.

Improving customer interaction in tech support requires a combination of technical expertise and soft skills. Technical knowledge is necessary to resolve specific issues, but soft skills are equally important to effectively communicate with customers and provide exceptional service.

In this article, we will look at the ways communication can be improved when dealing with technical inquiries, with people who perhaps aren’t naturally gifted at creating rapport and relationships with people.

Why Is Communication Important?

Customers need to feel understood in order to leave feeling as though they’ve had a good customer experience, and good levels of communication is key to this. If an agent is unable to effectively communicate the issue to the customer, advise on an easy-to-understand and reasonable solution, and build rapport with the customer, it will be difficult to create a good customer relationship.

Out of the resolution, the emotion/relationship, and the effort required to fix an issue, it is the emotion within an experience that is the determining factor to the overall impression of said experience. In other words, even if the issue is resolved and it’s really easy for the customer, if there hasn’t been any connection formed with the agent, they will leave feeling either neutral or dissatisfied, rather than happy.

How Can Communication Be Improved?

There are many ways that you can begin to improve the communication between your team and the customer, and the below suggestions will help increase customer satisfaction through empathetic, authentic service.

Active Listening

Active listening is an essential aspect of effective communication in tech support. It is important to listen carefully to customers and ask questions to fully understand their issues. Customers want to feel heard and understood, so it is important to show empathy and acknowledge their frustrations. By actively listening and acknowledging their concerns, you can build trust with customers and create a positive customer experience.

Patience

Another key aspect of effective communication in tech support is patience. Technical issues can be frustrating for customers, and it is important to remain calm and patient throughout the interaction. It is important to avoid getting defensive or dismissive, even if the customer is angry or upset. By remaining calm and patient, you can de-escalate the situation and focus on finding a solution.

Part of patience is also remembering that the customer may not understand all of the technical jargon involved in the issue, so it’s important to use plain language in order to ensure the customer is clear on what’s happening. Using analogies or metaphors can be an effective way to explain technical concepts in simpler terms. Additionally, it is important to avoid using acronyms or abbreviations that customers may not be familiar with. Clear communication helps customers feel confident in the solution you provide and can prevent misunderstandings.

Proactive Communication

It is also important to communicate proactively in tech support. This means providing customers with updates and progress reports throughout the resolution process. Customers want to be kept informed and updated on the status of their issue, so it’s important to communicate regularly and provide realistic timelines for resolution. Additionally, following up with customers after the issue has been resolved can help to ensure their satisfaction and provide an opportunity for feedback.

Positive, Empathetic Language

Incorporating positive language into customer interactions can also improve communication. Positive language involves using words and phrases that convey a helpful and solution-oriented attitude. For example, using phrases like “I can help you with that” or “Let’s work together to find a solution” can convey a positive attitude and show customers that you are committed to helping them.

Practical Ways To Improve Communication

Be available when your customer wants help

Chatbots that are able to suggest relevant articles or help center information is great to have on hand if you don’t run a 24 hour contact center.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way businesses interact with their customers. These modern technologies are enabling companies to provide personalized and efficient customer experiences, improve customer interactions, and provide tailored solutions to each customer.

AI is improving the customer experience by allowing businesses to be consistent, always-available, and uniquely tailored to each individual customer through real-time analysis of a customer’s history, loyalty and needs.

In this article, we’ll explore five real-world examples of how AI is revolutionizing the customer experience and share some predictions for the future of customer services.

How Can AI Help Deliver Customer Service?

There are many different ways that AI is currently, and will continue to, help to deliver exceptional customer service that is personal, quick and available 24-hours a day.

Chatbots

Chatbots are AI-powered conversational agents that can simulate human conversations with customers. These bots can handle customer queries and provide real-time assistance, improving customer satisfaction and reducing response times. Chatbots are used by companies such as H&M, Pizza Hut, and Mastercard to provide quick and efficient customer service.

Whereas chatbots up until now have sometimes left customers more frustrated than if they’d spoken to an agent, chatbots powered by AI – that are capable of learning and improving, rather than simply relying on pre-existing articles and FAQs – will transform the CS landscape and, likely, reduce the need for call centers with hundreds of staff.

Personalized Recommendations

AI algorithms can analyze customer data, such as purchase history and browsing behavior, to provide personalized product recommendations. This approach is used by companies like Amazon and Netflix to provide tailored suggestions to customers based on their viewing or purchasing history. With AI, companies can provide a more personalized experience to their customers, increasing the likelihood of repeat business.

Predictive Analytics

AI-powered predictive analytics can analyze customer data and identify patterns, predicting future behavior and preferences. This approach can help companies provide tailored recommendations to customers and anticipate customer needs, improving the customer experience. For example, predictive analytics can help companies anticipate customer complaints and take proactive steps to prevent them.

Voice Assistants

Voice assistants, such as Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant, use natural language processing (NLP) to understand and respond to customer queries. Starbucks has recently  introduced its app My Barista, which lets customers place and pay for their orders simply through voice-communication. The texting generation has been, and now it’s back to voice as it allows companies to provide a seamless and efficient customer experience.

Image Recognition

Image recognition is a type of AI technology that can analyze images and identify objects, people, and other visual elements, which provides a more immersive and interactive customer experience.

This approach can be used by companies such as IKEA to provide customers with augmented reality (AR) experiences, allowing them to visualize furniture in their homes before making a purchase.

Microsoft Teams Premium AI Powered Productivity

Microsoft Teams Premium is a new service which offers several features that can help revolutionize customer service with AI, including:

AI-Powered Chatbots

With the help of AI-powered chatbots, customer service teams can automate the process of handling frequently asked questions and provide instant answers to customers. These chatbots can also assist in the triage process by gathering information from customers and routing them to the appropriate team member for further assistance.

Real-Time Resolutions

As well as this, AI will soon be able to resolve issues while a customer is on the phone to an agent by ‘listening in’ to the conversation, understanding the needs of the customer and finding, and completing, the processes required to fix them. All of this will be done while the customer is chatting to the customer service agent, meaning increased