Purpose, people, and links – these are the three main aspects of a virtual team. Purpose, being the most critical aspect among the three, is what links the virtual team together. This purpose is defined by individual tasks that result to a common goal.
The number of organizations and businesses that choose to work with virtual teams is growing. This is primarily because virtual teams defy time and geography, providing continued productivity across multiple markets and varying time zones.
If you’re considering hiring a virtual team for your business, this series of posts will walk you through the whats, whys, and hows of making your virtual team work effectively for you.
WHAT is a Virtual Team
A virtual team, or what some call a GDT (geographically dispersed team), is a set of people working on the same project but not in the same physical location at the same time. With many companies going global and doing business in multiple locations and time zones all at the same time, setting up virtual teams is fast becoming a reliable way of ensuring that projects get done in a timely and efficient manner.
WHY work with a Virtual Team
Put simply, the main benefit of setting up a virtual team is increased productivity with the use of expert skills at a cost lower than having a physical work force.
Benefits of a virtual team to your business
- Increased productivity – with a virtual team, work on the project is not limited to the traditional 9-5 work day schedule. In fact, your business will never have an off hour because the team member on the other side of the globe can simply pick up where the other team member left off. You are assured of round-the-clock coverage by team members working across different time zones. This translates to faster time to market for new products and services of your business.
- Extended market opportunity – with work teams located in different parts of the globe, your business is able to directly access different market opportunities in a wider scale. Your business will be able to establish worldwide presence to customers and markets. For small business owners, this is added competitiveness on a global scale, without being limited to a particular customer base.
- Knowledge transfer – a virtual team is a pool of skills and talents from around the globe. You are able to choose and work with the best talents and skills you need regardless of your business’s physical location. With uninterrupted communication and online interaction, each member provides easy access to a virtual pool of knowledge. Members from the west can benefit from what the easterners have to say. Definitely, each member of the team brings along with him or her all the competencies and know-how from his or her part of the world.
- Lower overhead costs – You cut down on office overhead costs when team members work from their own locations. With a virtual team, you need not invest on office space, rent, utilities, equipment, and even the usual employee compensation and benefits. Additionally, you have the benefit of cost effective and flexible resource scheduling – you can scale up or down depending on what your business needs.
Having a virtual team that you can rely on allows you to focus on the more important aspects of your business’ development. Of course, this only holds true if you can work with your virtual team effectively. We’ll tackle this in the next post in the Pepper Virtual Teams Series. Stay tuned!
Check out the other posts in our Virtual Teams Series:
- How to Effectively Work with a Virtual Team
- Online Collaboration Tools for Virtual Teams
- Identify yourself: don’t make it hard to figure out who’s behind your site
- Show me around: make it easy to navigate your site
- Say it, and say it well: make sure you get your message across
About Pepper Virtual Assistants
Pepper Virtual Assistant Services is a business solutions firm that specializes on administrative assistance, customer support, CRM, copywriting, and personal virtual assistance. We take pride in our reliable service and responsive client handling which embodies our team’s optimal performance.
It’s always an advantage to have a team.
the great thing about having a virtual team is that it widens your market since other members of your team is in a different geographical location thus generating more ideas and concept from other side of the word therefore giving you great results in your product. also by having a virtual team the working hours will not be only limited to your time zone thus it generates and maximize working hours even your taking you time off. but what really can go wrong in having a virtual team?
definitely, being in a virtual team makes your job more convenient because with this job it broadens your market plans providing increased productivity to work and faster time to market by not in physical workforce thus, generating your time efficiently. so, the best thing about having a virtual team, it is more easier for you to transfer information and communicate with other clients around the globe because you can use the internet to interact with them and to attend with their needs and concerns. thus, ensuring that all concerns of the client is being taken cared of because above all, our clients is the more important.
This article really informs the readers about what really is a virtual team. From its definition up to its benefits in a business, all points and ideas were clearly explained. Indeed, having a virtual team in operating a business saves one’s time, money and effort. But what do think are the some problems that may arise in having a virtual team?
Be part of the team and live a very convenient life. 24 hours a day is not enough to do everything you want – having a team makes impossible things possible. You can be productive and own your time. Having a virtual team, gives you great business opportunity since it does not limit to 9-5 work days schedule, give your clients easy access to connect with you and broadens your market. Two heads is better than one, having a team, you will have group of skilled people that will help you promote or introduce your business globally at a very low cost. In this generation we learning and adopting new and different strategy is a must to be successful.
I would like to know more about the virtual team. When it said that are work all over the globe this include virtual teams. What kind of work and professions it offers and how can I apply if I am interesting in it. Please explain it better.
Working as a team will help you achieve the same goal and it will benefit the interest of everyone.
Virtual Teams Series: What is a Virtual Team? Pepper Virtual Assistants – just great!
Virtual Teams Series: What is a Virtual Team? Pepper Virtual Assistants – just great!
Having a virtual team is like having offices in different countries at any given time, literally. This gives sense to the saying 2 heads are better than 1. Since most people nowadays do 2 to 3 jobs and businesses just to compensate their living cost. By having a virtual assistant you can actually have time and spend time with your family knowing that virtual assistants are there to help you with your job or business.
Thank you for this blog, now I am able to know more about Virtual Team. It is indeed a very convenient way of assisting clients because it is GDT. More people nowadays are doing work online and it is an easy way to make teams online because you can communicate well moreover, you can assist your clients efficiently.
Thanks for elaborating the word – Virtual Team! It not just a team of virtual assistance, but a family! Each member of the family is important. This is a Virtual team. Great post.