FAQs
What made you set up Busy Lives?
I wanted to help people who are in a similar position to what I used to be in my former career. I understand the pressures you can have at certain times of the year or deadlines that must be met. I have always had high expectations of myself and a work ethic which resulted in extremely long hours and at times heavy workload pressures.
Being a Head Teacher meant I needed an extremely wide skill set, especially when it came down to managing people, finances, buildings and strategically planning and driving the schools forward. This background means I can respond to a wide variety of tasks and quickly adapt, calmly, to help you when a ‘curve ball’ comes your way.
What do you mean by ‘Bespoke?’
The Busy Lives! website lists a whole variety of different services but that doesn’t mean that I am not capable of anything else! Everyone, just like their personalities is different and will struggle with different things at times which doesn’t fall into a ‘neat package.’ The key for me, is that I will always carefully listen to what your precise needs are to solve your problem. I will always be honest and upfront if it is something I am not able to do and where possible point you to a business connection that excels in that area.
How do I know I can trust you with my paperwork and data protection?
This is all set out in my Freelance Contract and Terms & Conditions document which you receive in advance of any work taking place. I am also registered with the ICO and fully insured.
I want to use your services but don’t want others to know how chaotic everything is!
I will always adhere to confidentiality when requested by a client. This is the reason there are not more case studies for some of my work home organisational work I have performed. Clients often are embarrassed or apologise about the mess they are in. To be honest, the more chaotic and messier, the more fun and job satisfaction I gain for making a real difference to someone.
What do you charge for your services?
The majority of my services start from £33.00 an hour upwards. This is roughly the average charge as competitors without my background can charge up to £50.00+ in certain areas of the Country.
How do you charge for your minute taking service?
This is charged by the amount of time worked at my hourly rate. This includes the duration on your site taking the minutes which I do electronically, followed by any editing and formatting to ensure a high standard document afterwards remotely. Please note, a word for word transcribe of a meeting is a much more detailed task that will take a much longer period to achieve the final document.
Do you have set hours that you work?
My hours are flexible to suit your needs and I am happy to work the hours that suit you’re your business as required. I would describe myself as more of a ‘lark’ than an ‘owl’ and will often be working away remotely as early as 6:00 a.m. during the winter months waiting for daybreak to take my dogs out!
It’s the end of the financial year and I have receipts all over the place, could you help here?
No problem. Put them all in a box or bag and hand them over to me. I will sort and file them into months and also record expenditure electronically if you wish. I am happy to do this at your business or remotely.
How long does it take to organise a business or home office?
This depends on the client and the office! It usually ranges from half a day to three days depending on the amount that needs both sorting and organising.
Do you label and organise all your clients offices the same?
No. It is important to create an office environment that will work for you. Some people prefer filing cabinets others concertina files or folders.
I’m worried if you sort out the files on my computer you may lose everything?
I always ask clients to make a copy of the files that they wish me work upon so that they always have a backup. I send over a secure folder from ‘Office 365 One Drive’ for them to put the copy in and then work from that. Busy Lives! also has the IASME Cyber Essentials certification which demonstrates the security measures I have put in place for my computer.
I’m worried about you throwing away papers that may be important and need to be kept!
With the majority of papers it is obvious if they need to be kept. Any which I am unsure about I will always put to one side and give you final say and opportunity to check before it is recycled. I follow the gov.uk guidance on the length of time papers should be kept for.
Is Busy Lives! like a VA?
The term ‘VA’ (Virtual Assistant) has become a very generic term for a large workforce who work remotely on a wide range of different tasks, with different areas of expertise. Part of the services I offer do fit that term. Take a look at my Remote Business Support page for details of what I offer here.
How do I book your services?
Either give me a call on 07 565 722 031 or complete the contact me details on this website and I will be in touch. Once we have discussed your needs, I will book you in the first available slot I have. Once a client is booked into a slot all other work for that date is declined. I can do last minute bookings but would strongly advise you book a month in advance if possible if it is a specific date with no flexibility.
Do you mind how far you travel?
I don’t mind travelling any distance but please note if this is over a forty mile radius from where I live a petrol fee would be applied. This is set out clearly within my terms and conditions including arrangements where accommodation is required.
