Speaker 1 0:00

Music. Welcome to the aim podcast, where we bring you actionable insights on AI and how to best apply it in your business, across marketing, sales, customer service and more, hosted by helpflow.com this is your guide to staying ahead in the world of AI for business. And just to blow your mind a little bit, our hosts are literally AIS talking to each other. Enjoy the show.

Speaker 2 0:30

Hey everyone, welcome back. We all know time is precious, right? You're here because you want the need to know info, the stuff that actually makes a difference. Exactly,

Speaker 3 0:38

cutting through the noise, getting straight to the point, that's what

Speaker 2 0:42

we're all about here on the deep dive today, we're diving deep into a topic that we know is on a lot of your minds. How can businesses, specifically in E commerce, real estate and coaching really maximize the ROI of virtual assistants.

Speaker 3 0:56

Well, we found this super insightful article. It really gets into the strategic ways you can use VAs to boost these businesses,

Speaker 2 1:03

right? And by the end of this deep dive, we really want you to walk away with solid, actionable strategies and maybe

Speaker 3 1:09

some surprising insights you hadn't thought about before. Because honestly, using VA strategically can lead to some serious cost savings. Oh, yeah,

Speaker 2 1:17

absolutely. And productivity gains too, not to mention it can really help your business scale more effectively. And

Speaker 3 1:24

one of the things this article brings up that I thought was really fascinating is this idea of a smart staff. It's basically human VAs who are using AI tools to amp up their effectiveness. Intriguing.

Speaker 2 1:34

Okay, so let's jump right in. First up e commerce. It's a fast paced world out there. Online retail. Speed and consistency are key for

Speaker 3: 1:44

sure, and that's where a really well placed VA can make a huge difference. Think about it. There are so many tasks that are just part of running an E commerce business, like inventory updates, keeping track of all the orders, dealing with customer inquiries. It's endless constant, yeah, but a VA can take all of that off your plate. They can automate it, which frees up your core team to focus on the big picture stuff. That's

Speaker 2 2:07

a great point. And actually, this article we're looking at highlights a statistic from a chat bot report that really caught my eye. It said AI powered chat bots can handle something like 80% of those routine customer service questions. 80% that's massive. It is think of all the time and resources that could be freed up. But it does make you wonder, what about that other 20% what types of customer service interactions still need a human touch? That's

Speaker 3 2:31

a really important question, because while AI is great for a lot of things, it can't handle everything. There are always going to be complex issues that need a human to step in, right,

Speaker 2 2:41

someone with empathy, who can really problem solve exactly, and

Speaker 3 2:45

that's where that smart staff approach we were talking about comes in a human VA backed up by AI. Can be that perfect blend. They can see when a customer needs something more than a chat bot can offer. And there's another cool thing they can do. The article talks about using AI powered analytics to figure out which customers are buying certain products together. And then the VA can actually send out targeted email offers.

Speaker 2 3:09

Oh, so like, if someone buys a camera, they get an email suggesting a lens or a case exactly,

Speaker 3 3:13

and you know what the article says, this actually leads to a measurable increase in the average order value. Wow.

Speaker 2 3:19

So that's a really concrete way to see how a VA can boost ROI. Okay,

Speaker 3 3:23

so we've talked about customer service, yeah, but what about all the behind the scenes stuff like keeping your CRM in sync with all your different e commerce platforms? That's got to be a huge time suck, right? It is, and it's vital, because if your data is all over the place, that's going to

Speaker 2 3:38

lead to mistakes, yeah, shipping errors, angry customers, and

Speaker 3 3:41

that's the last thing you want. A va who's really good with details can be amazing for this. They can make sure all your systems are talking to each other, so your orders are updated in real time, and your follow up communications are all automated, so everything just flows smoothly, exactly, consistent customer experience from start to finish. Okay, so

Speaker 2 3:59

to sum it up for E commerce businesses, it sounds like optimized VAs can not only handle those repetitive tasks, but also contribute directly to a better customer experience and higher sales,

Speaker 3 4:10

exactly, faster response times, proactive problem solving, spotting up selling opportunities, all of that leads to happy, loyal customers. How more money in your pocket? Exactly. It's an investment that pays off in multiple ways. Okay,

Speaker 2 4:23

let's switch ears. Now. Let's talk real estate, another industry where speed and efficiency are super important. You know, in the world of real estate, getting to a lead quickly can be the difference between closing a deal and missing out

Speaker 3 4:35

Absolutely. And real estate agents have a ton of administrative stuff to deal with, managing property listings, scheduling showings, trying to keep track of what all their different buyers are looking for. It's a lot, it really is, and all of that takes time away from actually meeting with clients, building relationships, and ultimately closing those deals,

Speaker 2 4:53

so a VA could step in and manage those tasks, freeing up the agent to focus on the high value. These stuff

Speaker 3 5:00

exactly. And the article points out a really smart way that AI can help here too. You can use AI driven reminders and personalized messaging, all managed by the VA to follow up with leads automatically.

Speaker 2 5:13

So it's not just a generic checking in email. It's actually tailored to where that lead is in the buying process Exactly.

Speaker 3 5:19

It keeps the agent top of mind and makes them look really organized and on top of things.

Speaker 2 5:24

So what kind of personalized messaging are we talking about specifically? Well, the article

Speaker 3 5:29

gives the example of segmenting leads based on what they've shown interest in. So let's say someone was looking at a certain type of property online, or maybe they went to an open house the VA using AI, can see that and then send them follow up messages about similar properties, or even just information about that neighborhood.

Speaker 2 5:48

So it feels way more personal and relevant to that particular lead exactly,

Speaker 3 5:52

and it's way more effective than just sending out a mass email to everyone. And I love this idea. The article mentions where the VA actually maintains a really structured client database. So instead of having leads scattered all over the place, they can be organized into categories like hot, warm, cold, so

Speaker 2 6:09

the agent knows exactly who to focus on first. Yes, that kind

Speaker 3 6:13

of organization can have a huge impact on how many leads actually turn into clients

Speaker 2 6:18

and for buyers who are looking for information fast, a VA can quickly pull together property research and local market data, right?

Speaker 3 6:25

Imagine being able to hand your client exactly what they're looking for right when they ask for it, without having to spend hours digging through websites and reports. Game

Speaker 2 6:33

Changer. So it sounds like in the real estate world, VAs aren't just about getting help with admin tasks. It's really about strategically freeing up the agents time so they can focus on the things that really matter exactly,

Speaker 3 6:45

building relationships, providing expert advice, and closing those Hey there. Before we continue with our discussion, we we thought you might be interested in a resource that addresses something I think a lot of entrepreneurs face, and that's getting the most out of working with virtual assistants?

Speaker 2 7:05

Yeah, absolutely. It's a challenge we hear about all the time, right? And we've got a deep dive prepped for you, based on help flows, AI empowered virtual assistant guide. Oh, very cool. This guide really dives deep into common VA challenges, how they impact businesses, and a fascinating solution, and that's using AI to boost VA productivity.

Speaker 3 7:26

I love that idea, because it's not about replacing that human connection, right? It's about making it even better with smart tools. You know what? I mean, totally. It's like giving them superpowers. Yeah, exactly. So if this sounds intriguing, we're gonna hit some of the highlights today, but you can grab the full guide for free at HELP flow.com, forward slash, s, p, I empower dash virtual assistant guide, and

Speaker 2 7:44

honestly, it's one of those guides that really gets you thinking about the future of delegation. Oh, yeah, like if we can train AI to handle those routine tasks the worst, what kind of creative and strategic work will this free humans up to do? That

Speaker 3 7:57

is a great point to ponder. I would love to hear what our listeners think about that, and remember you can download the full AI empowered virtual assistant guide for free@helpflow.com

Speaker 2 8:11

packed with even more insights and actionable steps to leverage AI with your

Speaker 3 8:14

VA. So until next time, happy delegating.

Speaker 2 8:18

Okay, let's move on to our final Industry Focus coaching services. This is one where the coach's time and expertise are really the most valuable asset. Every minute spent on admin work is a minute taken away from actually helping clients. That's

Speaker 3 8:33

so true. Coaches are constantly juggling so many things, and yeah, those administrative tasks like scheduling appointments, sending invoices, reminding people about sessions, they can really eat up a lot of time,

Speaker 2 8:45

and that's time they could be spending creating new content, building programs, or, most importantly, connecting with their clients

Speaker 3 8:51

absolutely and delegating those tasks to a VA can free up a significant chunk of their week. The article

Speaker 2 8:57

also mentions that AI tools managed by a VA can be used to track things like client goals, progress and engagement. Can you tell me more about how that can benefit the coaching process? Well,

Speaker 3 9:07

think of it like this. By tracking all of those things, the VA is essentially giving the coach super valuable data about each client's journey,

Speaker 2 9:16

so they can tailor their approach to each individual client exactly,

Speaker 3 9:19

and they can see where someone might be struggling and offer extra support. It's all about making sure the client is moving towards their goals. And there's this other really interesting idea the article talks about, which is using a VA to create a platform where clients have 2047, access to resources.

Speaker 2 9:37

Oh, like downloadable materials, FAQs, a way to schedule a session

Speaker 3 9:40

Exactly. It just makes the whole coaching experience more accessible and more impactful. So

Speaker 2 9:45

for coaches, having that virtual support system in place not only frees up their time, but also lets them offer a more comprehensive, data driven service Exactly.

Speaker 3 9:55

And that leads to better results for clients, and it allows the coaching business to. Grow in a sustainable way without the coach getting burned out, which is so important, so many coaches end up sacrificing their own well being because they're trying to do everything themselves, right?

Speaker 2 10:08

Okay, so we've explored how VAs can really make a difference in E commerce, real estate and coaching, but let's zoom out a bit and talk about some overall key takeaways. What are your top tips for optimizing a VA strategy no matter what industry you're in. Well,

Speaker 3 10:23

I think the biggest thing is to really shift your perspective on what a VA is. They're not just an administrative assistant. They're a strategic asset, right? They're an investment, exactly. And when you start thinking of them that way, you can be much more intentional about the tasks you delegate to them. You want to pick things that are going to free up your time and energy so you can focus on the things that only you can do,

Speaker 2 10:45

the things that really move the needle for your business, exactly. And I think the

Speaker 3 10:49

article really nails it with this simple formula. Smarter delegation leads to better efficiency, which leads to bigger results. It's not just about handing off busy work. It's about being strategic, absolutely.

Speaker 2 11:01

And speaking of being strategic, I want to circle back to that concept of a smart staff that we talked about earlier, the idea of human VAs using AI tools to be even more effective,

Speaker 3 11:12

right? And the article specifically mentions guide layer AI as an example. This combination of human intelligence and AI power seems like it could really take things to a whole new level. And

Speaker 2 11:22

if anyone listening is curious to see how this all works in practice, the article suggests checking out some AI demos. You can actually see how this technology can boost efficiency. Definitely worth

Speaker 3 11:33

exploring. The bottom line is whether you're running an E commerce store selling real estate or building a coaching practice, a well thought out VA strategy can give you a serious edge.

Speaker 2 11:44

It's all about working smarter, not harder. Okay, so as we wrap up today's deep dive, I want to leave you with a thought given all the amazing ways VAs can contribute across these different industries, what tasks are you currently doing that could be delegated? What opportunities are you missing to boost your own productivity and growth? That's a

Speaker 3 12:04

great question. I encourage everyone listening to take some time to think about that, really analyze your current processes and see where a VA could make a difference. Thanks

Speaker 1 12:16

Thanks for listening to the aim podcast. If you found today's episode impactful. Be sure to check out help flow.com. Where we help businesses maximize AI across marketing, sales, customer service and more. Visit help flow.com. Today you.

‍