ROffice with Andrew Evans | E119

How to leverage virtual assistants in your business.

In this episode, Jason Pereira discusses the world of virtual assistants for financial advisors, featuring insights from Andrew Evans, Founder of ROffice. Through their conversation, listeners gain valuable knowledge on how virtual assistants can revolutionize the way financial advisors operate, ensuring efficiency and effective client service. This episode is a deep dive into outsourcing certain business operations to optimize service delivery and business growth.

Episode Highlights:

  • 00:07 - Jason Pereira welcomes listeners to the podcast, setting the context for the episode's focus on leveraging virtual assistants in the financial advisory sector. He mentions his sabbatical and the changes that have prompted a revisit of several topics, suggesting a critical analysis of operational efficiency in financial planning.

  • 00:37 - Introduction of Andrew Evans and the background to the discussion on virtual assistants. Jason outlines the problem of operational efficiency and how virtual assistants could be the solution for financial advisors, facing staffing issues due to fluctuating workloads or regulatory demands.

  • 01:24 - Andrew Evans discusses the founding principles behind ROffice, emphasizing the common staffing challenges within regulated firms and how virtual assistants can help right-size personnel needs. This segment highlights the innovative approach ROffice takes, likening their service to an "Airbnb" for professional capacity, allowing flexibility for businesses to scale up or down as needed.

  • 02:47 - The conversation shifts to the specific benefits for the financial advisory industry, although Andrew asserts the general applicability of virtual assistants to various business types. This exchange sheds light on how outsourcing mundane or routine tasks allows advisors to focus on more critical, revenue-generating activities.

  • 04:16 - Andrew explains how advisors can identify the right time to engage a virtual assistant, using an example involving annual client outreach. This moment in the podcast emphasizes the operational pain points that could be alleviated by outsourcing specific tasks.

  • 06:16 - The discussion delves into how businesses often overlook the potential of virtual assistants in optimizing workload management, focusing on the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of such arrangements.

  • 11:01 - Andrew and Jason discuss how ROffice functions as a marketplace to connect advisors with virtual assistants, including how they manage security and compliance concerns. This part of the conversation is crucial for understanding the operational and security framework that encapsulates the virtual assistant offering.

  • 19:51 - Advice for advisors contemplating the use of virtual assistants, with Andrew suggesting a methodical approach to identifying tasks suitable for outsourcing. This advice is aimed at easing concerns and encouraging listeners to consider how virtual assistants could fit into their business model.

Key Takeaways:

  • Virtual assistants can significantly enhance operational efficiency for financial advisors, allowing them to focus on core activities and client engagement.

  • Identifying tasks that do not require physical presence in the office is the first step toward integrating virtual assistants into your business operations.

  • Working with a service like ROffice offers flexibility and cost-effectiveness, providing a scalable solution to staffing challenges while ensuring compliance and security.

  • The decision to employ a virtual assistant should be preceded by a careful analysis of business needs and potential tasks for outsourcing, ensuring a strategic approach to capacity management.

Tweetable Quotes:

  • "Leverage virtual assistants to right-size your personnel needs and focus on what truly matters in your business." - Andrew

  • "Virtual assistants are the middle ground that allows advisors to scale up efficiently without the commitment of full-time hires." - Jason

Resources Mentioned:

FPCBOJason PereiraFinancial Planning