Leaping Lizards - or -- The Life of a VA

And how sometimes support people get tangled up in the turning world. Support people are a wonderful resource. I prefer some with a sense of humor, who know what they are doing, who don't assume that I am making up my problem. This isn't a demand from me -- support people must have eternal patience. When we were first getting on the Internet, the frustration of getting a connection led almost everyone I knew, including ME to sessions of meltdown. I observed that when getting an Internet account, one had to fight, fight, fight, scream at the support people, weep, fight, fight, fight, then the thing would just work on its own without any clear understanding of what changed.
This week, I spend many hours on Monday with multiple support people on a popular contact management service. I was so tired and getting grumpy. When DH wanted to go visit some other people, I said I just wasn't up to it and stayed here in the office, calling Support. Fortunately, I did that and also I changed to a roam phone so I could pace the floor while talking to Support.
The dog, an eighty to ninety pound bundle of terrier intentions, experienced a broken collar which left him just having to run about checking things he ordinarily must leave be. Checking the areas around my small tomato plants in small pots awaiting the garden. Checking like getting ready to toss them from hell to breakfast.
While Support is doing his IT stuff, I am on the porch, snarling at the dog. " Come HERE! Duke! Stop That, Get out of there, Come HERE." Oh good, I caught him and can haul him into the house. Support is still sort of the edges of this call. Duke heads for his digs in the laundry room and releases the lizard he had caught around the plants. A lizard somewhat the worse for wear. Support cannot be left out of the scene now because I'm trying to get ahold of the lizard with a shopping bag glove to get rid of it. competing all the while with Duke who wants to chase that lizard. But, lizards have little claws and I'm goosey. I dropped it.
I just kept trying to kick it away from Duke, while I learn that nothing like this has ever happened to Support during a call! His question, after I told him how big the dog is, was is the lizard big too? Fortunately no.
I really like having the lizards in the hostas and didn't plan to harm this one. Duke has no judgment and no conscience. The lizard kind of came apart. Now, I'm thinking Support is going to have expanded experience of me throwing up because that tail squirming on the kitchen floor just grossed me OUT! I had to have the conversation take a break while I got my shopping bag glove lined up so I could get ahold of the pieces and toss them outside because it was just making me sick.
Support and I finished our testing, did not solve our problem and said good night. Just another day when you live in your office with big dogs and wildlife.. Lizards have a weird smell.

Virtual Assistance for You?

Why would you want to have a virtual assistant? Now you would have to go get your own coffee?

A virtual assistant is someone who operates an office to provide services for companies who choose to have duties performed off site. Some call this service outsourcing and I suppose that word, while gaining poor connotation in our society, does offer a clear description.

Virtual assistants are usually independent contractors who can actually save the company costs because the VA pays the employee expenses such as taxes, benefits and office space or equipment. The company can also avoid costs of training employees, substitutes for those employees or replacements when an employee quits or is terminated.

Virtual assistants strive to be specialists in the services they offer. The practical view of business prevents employers from having specialists for each and every office task. The possibility of finding the perfect employee who can skillfully perform all tasks is not encouraging. The VA you choose may be skilled in duties that you do not need; but VA's are often eager to expand their skills and recognize office services that can be of value to you. Services which you may not be familiar with, but the VA has had an opportunity to learn how to work new software in beta format or has worked with other clients to obtain expanded skill.

IVAA (International Virtual Assistants Association) is a networking organization of virtual assistants. IVAA members offer support for one another to make a brain trust of information. IVAA operates an extensive directory for potential clients to learn about members and services offered, plus a platform to post requests for proposals which members can access and use to connect with clients. At Bar JD, we also belong to several other VA support groups that extend our research skills phenomenally.

Please feel free to contact us about any other questions you may have about Virtual Assistants and our services. Check out the link to Bar JD Communications.