Helena was working as an Executive Assistant for a Cambridge based company when she first came across Bay Tree VA via the Cambridge Network. When she was made redundant during the pandemic, she contacted Jane.
“I was looking for a role with flexibility. My husband works away, and we have a young family. Rather than finding a job that would use just some of my skills and experience, I liked the idea of working with multiple clients that could draw upon all my skills, when they needed them.”
Helena’s skill set is very much in the tech when it comes to operational support. She is a Certified Microsoft Office Trainer and has been a Microsoft Office Master for 8 years. Part of her role is to maximise the Microsoft 365 subscription and currently to integrate Copilot with Teams, Loop and Planner not only for clients but also for Bay Tree itself; it’s a step change that is already proving to be beneficial to the team.
Getting your operations working before you consider growth is key and Helena likens disorganised and clunky administration to a messy cupboard where you can’t find anything without hunting for ages. “Let’s get everything out of that cupboard, see what still works, find some better alternatives and then put everything back in a systematic place where it is easy to find.”
Making sure you have the right tech for the job is one of the many ways Helena can make a difference to a business. If a client needs to invest in new tech, maybe for a CRM system or data management, Helena will help scope the project and trial and test different options. Then it’s a case of setting up the new system and getting it embedded into the business. One example is the JustGo software for membership organisations. Helena, and some of the other Bay Tree team, recognised the capability and benefit of the software and added it to the growing list of tech we can support clients with.
Some advice from Helena “Fresh eyes can make the world of difference and the phrase ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’ is so true. Operations today is all about the tech and how software and apps integrate. New projects, particularly investments in technology and new systems can be costly, disruptive and complex. Scoping a project properly and having a clear understanding of what you are trying to achieve will save you money in the long run. Take a leap of faith with the research and discovery stages and keep the faith when you commit but progress seems slow. Take the time to get things set up right at the outset.”
If you have an ‘operations cupboard’ that needs a spring clean the Bay Tree VA team can help. Email standingby@baytreeva.co.uk or contact us using Calendly
« Outsourced but integrated – How the Bay Tree team work with their clients | The Recruitment Reset »
Join our growing network.
Sign up to receive updates, news and tips & tricks from Bay Tree VA to work smarter.
Join our growing network.
Sign up to receive updates, news and tips & tricks from Bay Tree VA to work smarter.
