There are only so many hours in the day. Business owners working in the trades know this better than anyone. It always seems like there’s more to be done than you could possibly fit into 24 hours, which means certain things have to be delegated or else they wind up neglected.

Ideally, business owners will spend time on tasks that directly add value to their business — things that only they can do, like developing a strategy for growth, training new employees and delighting customers. Meanwhile, simple and repeatable tasks like payroll or dispatch are better farmed out to others.

One way business owners can ensure these simple and repeatable tasks are done well is to outsource them to a virtual contractor. Virtual contractor services essentially function as the back-end, administrative wing of your business. They help you with such tasks as payroll, scheduling, dispatch, answering the phone, bookkeeping, and beyond, freeing your time and attention for those value-adding tasks mentioned above.

Virtual contractors offer real expertise

In addition to this timesaving potential, there are other reasons to hire a virtual contractor. One is that they bring genuine knowledge.

When you operate a trade company like a septic pumping operation, you’ve spent many years developing your technical skill set and attaining the necessary certifications. But you can’t be an expert in everything, so it’s no slight on business owners to say that many of them simply haven’t had time to master things like accounting and cash-flow management.

But virtual contractors have put in the time and the training to master those skill sets, meaning they can offer expert guidance, leaving you to focus on the things you’re proficient in.

An alternative to full-time employees

Another important way to look at virtual contractors is to note that they can prevent you from needing to hire new team members. For instance, hiring a full-time receptionist to answer your phones means paying a full-time salary in addition to health care benefits and vacation time.

Alternatively, you can entrust a virtual contractor with your customer service functions. While this is obviously not a free service, it’s more affordable than paying that full-time salary and benefits.

As such, a virtual contractor can add value to your company in more ways than one — not only providing you with a cost-effective solution for certain administrative obstacles you face, but also leaving you with more time and resources to grow your business.

Not all virtual contractors are created equal

Now, a couple of words of caution are in order. One, virtual contractor services don’t come prepackaged. They’re generally tailored to meet the needs of the client. You may be looking for someone to provide robust bookkeeping and accounting help, or you may just need someone to handle dispatch. You’ll need to find the virtual contracting solution that can accommodate your specific needs.

Additionally, note that different virtual contractor companies will offer different levels of service and expertise, so it’s important to do your due diligence in finding the right virtual contractor for you.

When you do so, though, it can open up a lot of time and money for you to run your company more effectively than ever.

About the author: Amanda Clark is president and editor-in-chief of Grammar Chic, a full-service professional writing company. She is a published ghostwriter and editor, and she's currently under contract with literary agencies in Malibu, California and Dublin. Since founding Grammar Chic in 2008, Clark, along with her team of skilled professional writers, has offered expertise to clients in the creative, business and academic fields. The company accepts a wide range of projects; often engages in content and social media marketing; and drafts resumes, press releases, web content, marketing materials and ghostwritten creative pieces. Contact Clark at www.grammarchic.net.