If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur. (Red Adair)
I read this on a blog last night while preparing my daughter’s assignments for next week. I really connected with it because so many clients try to find the cheapest rate instead of trying to find the best quality.
With experience comes knowledge and with knowledge comes expertise.
Yes, it’s true–an amateur can only become a professional through experience so they’d need to get jobs in order to build their expertise. But a true professional is someone who is brand new in a skill and you’d never know it. They show initiative in teaching themselves, and they have the wits about them to absorb the lessons and turn out great looking results.
An amateur is a “jack of all trades and the master of none.” A professional is skilled in many areas but has one or two areas where they have a high level of expertise and know-how, some call it their niche.
I’ve worked with all sorts of virtual assistants and other independent contractors over the years, and I’ve learned that you always get what you pay for, always.
I believe most people only see the cash flow relief a.k.a. instant gratification of a cheaper out-of-pocket expense. What they don’t take into account are the additional costs associated with having to fix a job done improperly or poorly. How do you make amends with a client for a mistake made due to the amateur’s lack of professionalism? Most times you can’t. Or the time it will take to train someone who is less skilled but cheaper. How do you reclaim the lost potential client who sat on hold for 20 minutes because your new assistant didn’t know how to work your phone system? Again, you probably won’t. These opportunity costs add up to more than just big bucks; they add up to a lot of your precious time wasted. And time really is our most valuable asset.
I’ve come to the conclusion that the clients who see this fact, that really appreciate the value a virtual assistant and outsourcing adds to their business, never hesitate to “hire” the professional over an amateur, even if the amateur charges $15 less an hour for their services.