Keep Swimming!

Saturday was a very proud moment for us.  When Elize asked to take part in Swimathon 2012 I wasn't sure about it but once we'd signed up, we were really looking forward to the challenge.

As the time to actually take part got closer, Elize started to have second thoughts and I was beginning to worry that Andrew and I would be swimming the 200 lenths between us!  However, she really came up trumps at the weekend.  She was a little swimming star and we were very proud of her.

I was really quite emotional watching her getting ready to take on the first part of our challenge and I realised at that point how much my little girl was growing up.  She swam 40 lengths in just under 32 minutes and you could tell that she was very proud of herself when she got out of the pool.

As a team, we swam the 200 lengths in 2 hours, 11 minutes and 5 seconds and we have raised £660 so far for Marie Curie, which is what it was all about.  The sponsorship channels are still open so if you would like to donate then please follow this link to our team page.  We'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us during our challenge, it has meant a lot to us and we really appreciate it.

I wonder what Swimathon 2013 will bring!!

Crack open the Champagne!

Yes indeed, cake and champagne all round!  Why?

Well, The Admin Doctor is 5 years old today!  I really can't believe where the time has gone, it really has flown by.  A lot has changed since I opened my doors on the 1st May 2007 and I've loved every minute of it.  Mind you, it hasn't been without its challenges but who doesn't love a challenge, hey?!!

I remember my very first networking event.  I remember people looking at me as though I'd lost the plot when I told them I was a Virtual Assistant, because back then the term 'Virtual Assistant' was relatively unheard of in the North East.  Back then, people thought a VA was someone who just answered people's calls.

Nowadays though, that has definitely changed and business owners are far more switched on to outsourcing to VAs, because they appreciate the many benefits a VA can bring to their business.  Here is a link to a testimonial from one of my clients about the value I bring to his business.

I absolutely love being a VA.  I have a fantastic bunch of clients and they are a real pleasure to work with.

I wonder what the next 5 years will have in store for me?  Watch this space!

Mistakes Happen

At home, we refer to them as accidents.  In the business world, we refer to them as mistakes.  At the end of the day, we are all human and sometimes mistakes happen.  But it's what you do about that mistake that makes all the difference.

We recently had new flooring put into our bathroom and ensuite at home.  The guy who fitted it did a great job and I was really pleased with the end result.  Until my husband came home and noticed that in the process of fitting the new flooring, the fitter had burnt our bedroom carpet.  The bedroom carpet was only a few months old, so you can imagine we weren't best pleased.

So, the next day, my husband contacted the shop owner and arranged for him to come out and inspect the damage.  When he arrived, we showed him the burn mark and immediately he said he would replace the carpet free of charge, no quibble whatsoever.

Now, this could have gone either way.  At the end of the day the shop owner could have refused to do anything about it and argued that the burn mark was already there.  But he didn't and that for me, is the difference between good customer service and great customer service.  It also means that when we require any flooring in the future, we will go back to that shop first.

From time to time, we do make mistakes.  But the important thing is to take it on the chin and deal with it professionally for the sake of good client relationships.  Hold your hands up, deal with it and move on.  I hate making mistakes.  But I always learn from them and vow that I'll never make that mistake twice.

The Swimathon Weekend is upon us

Well, weve got one more sleep to go before our big 5k Swimathon team challenge.  No more training allowed to make sure our bodies are fresh for tomorrow, so we've done all we can.

I'm preparing a pasta meal tonight to give our bodies the right fuel for the challenge.  I think it will be beans on toast for breakfast tomorrow and then a light pasta meal late morning, as our swim-off starts at 1pm.

I am delighted to say that we have raised £360 so far for Marie Curie but we would really love to raise more.  If you can spare a few pounds we would really appreciate your support, simply click on our team challenge link to donate safely online.

We are excited and nervous for the challenge.  It's for a great cause and we're proud to be involved.

Best wishes

Angela, Andrew & Elize
Team Dawson

Four more sleeps to the Swimathon Weekend

Well, we're in the final stages of training in preparation for our Swimathon 5k Team Challenge on Saturday 28th April at Dunston Swimming Pool.  We've received some advice from the Swimathon organisers on what foods to eat prior to the event and also about taking on the right amount of fluids before and after.

We are banking on Elize doing 40 lengths and Andrew and I doing 80 lengths each to make up the 200 lengths.  We are only allowed to get out of the pool once for a toilet break and the clock keeps ticking whilst you're out of the pool - mind you Iwe're not bothered about how long it takes to swim the challenge, we just want to finish it!

I am delighted to say that we've exceeded our sponsorship target and we'd like to thank everyone who's sponsored us.  However, in the words of Tesco every little helps so if you can spare a few pounds to support Marie Curie, then we'd really appreciate it.

We will of course, let you know how we got on with the challenge.

Thank you very much for your support, it really means a lot to us.

Best wishes
Team Dawson

Outstanding VA Reaches Finalist Position in UK’s Industry Awards

PRESS RELEASE

Angela Dawson, The Admin Doctor, reached the finalist position in the search for the UK’s Outstanding Virtual Assistant of 2012 (over 2.5 years in business category).

This is the only national awards scheme of its kind for VAs in the UK and Europe and Angela Dawson of The Admin Doctor, Blyth, Northumberland, UK wass one of 11 in the running for one of two prestigious awards. “I launched the inaugural National VA Conference and Awards in April 2007, as part of my nationwide campaign to promote and boost awareness of the VA industry as well as in my quest to find the most outstanding VA” states Founder, Carmen MacDougall, of The VA Coaching and Training Company.

VAs support their clients, from around the globe, providing PA and business support, working from their own office, communicating with clients via the internet.  The Admin Doctor supports business owners in the People Development Profession.

“I am very excited and proud to have reached the finalist position”, says Angela Dawson “and believe this will demonstrate to my clients and prospective clients my professionalism, commitment and approach to providing an outstanding service as well as my support to fellow VAs.”

It is hoped the awards scheme, in association with The International Association of Virtual Assistants (www.iava.org.uk) and The Virtual Assistant Coaching and Training Company (www.vact.co.uk), will promote a wider understanding of the rapidly developing industry.  Judges include Bemyva.com, Reed Learning, Mums the Business, The International Association of Virtual Assistants and Executive Secretary Magazine.

The UK VA Conference took place in the Midlands on the 14th April.

For further information on this event and also the 2013 event visit www.vaconference.co.uk or contact Carmen MacDougall on 07967 332915 or carmen@vact.co.uk.

To contact The Admin Doctor:
07855 746777
angela@theadmindoc.co.uk
www.theadmindoc.co.uk

Play to your strengths

If your central heating breaks down, do you try to fix it yourself or do you call in the experts?

Well, you might try to fix it yourself but unless you know what you're doing then chances are you'll end up having to call in the experts to solve the problem anyway and all you'll have done is wasted your precious time trying to shortcut the problem.

The same goes for your admin. Yes, you CAN do all of your business admin, but SHOULD you be the one doing your admin?

Your clients pay you to do what you do best and our clients pay us to do what we do best....making them look super-duper efficient!  We support clients with services that are applicable to their business.  Myself, as The Admin Doctor, will always have a consultation with a potential new client to diagnose the problems in their business that are causing them pain.

Because The Admin Doctor specialises in supporting the People Development Profession, a lot of what we do for clients is diary management, travel arrangements, hotel accommodation, PowerPoint presentations, report/note typing, event management and delegate liaison.  However, we also provide other added-value services but each client's requirements are different therefore we avoid a one-size-fits-all approach.

When it comes to your business dealings it makes sense to play to your strengths. Concentrate on the fee earning elements of your business that will make you prosper and outsource your non-fee-earning tasks to The Admin Doctor.

Look at it this way.  How much is an hour of your time worth?  So, for example, if your charge-out rate is £100 an hour, for every hour you spend on your admin, you've cost your business £100.

Do you even know how much time you spend on your admin?  As an example, let's say you spend 5 hours a month on your admin-related tasks, e.g. making appointments, chasing outstanding invoice payments, travel arrangements, sourcing venues for training courses, delegate handout packs, etc.  That's £500 each month in lost revenue, because you're not out there fee-earning or prospecting.  Take that over a 12 month period, that's £6,000 in lost revenue.  Can you really afford to be losing that kind of money year in, year out?  Imagine what you could do with that extra cash in your business. 

By working with The Admin Doctor, we can cure you of your admin headaches and free up your valuable time, so that you can make your business more profitable.  Pick up the phone and ring me on 07855 746777 to book your complimentary consultation.

Remember - just because you can do your admin, doesn't mean you should do your admin!