VIRTUALLY YOURS, VIRTUALLY ANYWHERE!

I moved my life and my business to see if I could truly be a Virtual Assistant, Virtually Anywhere, eight years ago, to live the dream in the South West of France.

What's the Secret?

It's bought heartache and tears (you've seen the TV programmes!), but also happiness and inspiration, and one of my Virtual sources of income is through digital transcription, but if it was not for the internet, I would not be in business in France.

Many years ago as a PA Secretary, I used an analogue transcribing machine. My boss used a Dictaphone to record his dictation on and the recording was stored on a mini or micro cassette tape. I'd then pop the tape into the transcription machine and away I'd type with the help of my foot pedal and headphones.

So, how have times changed and what does it take to work as a Virtual Assistant, Virtually Anywhere. Well, I still have my analogue transcription machine, headphones and foot pedal, but I also have a the latest digital transcription technology...

So, what do you need to work Virtually?

There are many ways to skin a cat, and just as many different digital recorders for my clients to use to record their property surveys, witness statements or management meetings.

I personally specialise in dictation transcription, enjoying the one-to-one client relationship that results from working with small businesses.

Different digital recorders however create different audio file formats, all of which have their own advantages and disadvantages. One of my favourites is the DSS (Digital Standard Speech) audio file format, a compressed audio file developed by Olympus which does not suffer loss of quality, but is still easily transferable via the internet.

Olympus supplies their own DSS Player software which transcribes DSS, WAV (larger file size, excellent quality) and WMA (lesser quality) digital file formats.

There is also a range of free transcription software available, ranging from the DSS Player Lite to Express Scribe, which plays the excellent quality MP3 or MPEG formats usually associated with music, as well as a host of other audio formats.

I don't want my email blocked up with digital audio files!

So, how do I ensure that my clients get their files to me without blocking my email software as an email attachment; well, there are internet companies out there that, for free, allow you to upload and download files to their internet servers. They not only compress your files during the file transfer for faster access, but they also encrypt them for a totally secure transfer. What could be better, small and secure audio files?

Check out 'SendThisFile' http://www.sendthisfile.com for a highly recommended service.

Time to earn your money - playing the audio files?

Having downloaded the digital transcription software of your choice, import the audio file sent by your client.

Plug in your headphones and foot pedal (highly recommended for a speedier transcription, so much quicker than using the keyboard to rewind, play and fast forward).

Open your Microsoft Word document (your client may even have sent you a template to work with so that you follow their typing format), press the pedal and type! Remember always to proof read and spell check your document.

Yours Virtually...

So when you return your client's work and sign off your email, remember to say 'Yours Virtually', your Virtual Assistant, and yes it can be Virtually Anywhere!

In the old world of work, the personal relationship between the PA and the boss was crucial. The PA would learn to read moods, understand what’s going on away from the office and even choose birthday gifts and cards for the family.

Well, times have moved on… the computer has created a whole new breed of office assistant who doesn’t even have to live in the same country as the boss, let alone meet that person face to face. Welcome to the world of the ‘Virtual Assistant’ or ‘VA’.

© Copyright Caroline Whittle 2011