VTA Services
Virtual Admin & Video Services
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Case Studies
Real businesses. Practical problems. Admin that made a difference
Every business works differently, which means the admin support they need is different too.
These case studies show some of the problems clients came to me with, what I put in place and how it helped their businesses day to day.
Start-Up App Company
Creating the systems for a growing start-up
THE CHALLENGE
A start-up developing an innovative app was preparing for launch and needed an efficient way to keep its growing amount of admin organised.
The founders needed systems that would support the business without taking their attention away from developing and launching the app
WHAT I PUT IN PLACE
Google Drive Organisation
Created a clear Google Drive file structure with tailored permissions, making documents easier for the team to find and manage.
Streamlined Processes
Introduced practical processes for day-to-day operations to improve organisation and collaboration across the team.
Xero & Financial Reporting
Set up Xero and created custom monthly dashboards, giving the founders a clearer view of the company's finances.
PA Support
Provided ongoing personal assistant support, taking care of administrative tasks so the founders could concentrate on strategy and the launch.
Due Diligence Structure
Created a dedicated file structure for Due Diligence, which later became the foundation for the company's fundraising documentation.
THE DIFFERENCE IT MADE
With the administrative systems in place, the founders could concentrate on launching their app without being distracted by the day-to-day admin.
The organised document structure made collaboration easier, while Xero and the monthly dashboards gave them better visibility of their finances.
The Due Diligence structure also proved valuable when the business moved into fundraising, giving them an organised foundation for the documents they needed.
“Sue integrated into our business in less than an hour and brought so much to the running of our administration in less than two weeks. I was highly reliant upon Sue and would happily work with her again.”
David King | Co-Founder | Toucan Operations Ltd
Commercial Building Surveyor & New Business Owner
Building the admin foundations for setting up a new business
THE CHALLENGE
A commercial building surveyor starting a new business needed professional templates for surveys and reports.
With a busy schedule and the pressure of building his new business, he came to me for admin support.
WHAT I PUT IN PLACE
Professional Templates
Created professional, consistent templates for reports and surveys.
VBA Automation
Built automation into templates to insert photographs into tables and resize them automatically.
Trello Workflow
Introduced Trello as a central place to track progress, store documents and communicate without digging through emails.
Audio Typing
Set up an audio typing service so site notes could be dictated and turned into polished reports.
Website Support
Helped plan the website and continue to update it with new images and information.
THE DIFFERENCE IT MADE
With professional templates, a clear workflow and easier communication in place, the client could focus on securing clients without getting bogged down in admin.
Trello made the day-to-day tasks easier to manage and to find information in one place, audio typing saved hours of time, and the professional website helped build credibility from the start.
The result was a smoother, more efficient setup that continues to support the business today.
“Sue has been a godsend. She set up the required templates and provides continuous support. Sue is invaluable in supporting what I do.”
Tony Hodge | Founder & Chartered Building Surveyor | Harbour Property Consultants
Independent Industrial Belting Consultant
From paperwork to a practical digital workflow
THE CHALLENGE
An independent consultant in the industrial belting industry was managing a growing workload using a manual, paper-based system.
As demand increased, carrying paperwork while travelling became impractical, and finding the right documents quickly was becoming increasingly difficult.
WHAT I PUT IN PLACE
Workflow Review
Mapped the existing paper-based workflow to understand how the client worked and identify the best way to move it online without losing the processes they were comfortable with.
Microsoft OneNote
Chose OneNote as the digital platform because it worked with the Microsoft tools the client was already familiar with.
Digital Filing Structure
Recreated the existing paper system digitally, keeping the structure familiar and straightforward to use.
Organised Information
Set up dedicated notebooks for orders, client notes and emails, making information easier to find and reducing unnecessary duplication.
Access Anywhere
Created a system that could be accessed from different devices, whether the client was in the office, on-site or travelling.
THE DIFFERENCE IT MADE
Moving to OneNote removed the need to carry large amounts of paperwork and made important information much quicker to find.
The client could respond to enquiries faster, access the information needed while away from the office and manage day-to-day operations more efficiently.
The new digital workflow also reduced paper use while retaining a way of working that felt familiar rather than forcing the client into a completely different system.
“I can now access everything I need wherever I am, giving me more control to manage my business effectively. It was the best investment and saved me months of working on it myself and getting frustrated. A brilliant step up from paper shuffling!”
C Westwater | Business Owner | CMW Solutions Ltd
Chartered Surveyor & Valuer
Building a workflow that keeps every job moving
THE CHALLENGE
A Chartered Surveyor was managing his enquiries, emails, quotes and survey bookings himself, alongside carrying out surveys and writing reports.
His inbox contained thousands of unsorted emails mixed with spam, unanswered messages and an existing filing system that wasn't working. Jobs were largely being tracked through emails and from memory, making it difficult to see what needed attention and increasing the risk of things being missed.
The time spent managing the admin was also taking him away from billable survey work.
WHAT I PUT IN PLACE
Inbox Cleanse & Organisation
Started with a major inbox cleanse, sorting historic emails by year and creating a structure that makes older correspondence easier to find.
Priority-Based Email Management
Created categories including Action Today, Action by Friday, Waiting for Others, Accounts & Finance, Reading and No Action Required. I now review the inbox twice a day, categorise incoming emails and archive them so he can immediately see what needs his attention.
Automated Trello Workflow
Built a Trello system where every enquiry has its own card containing the job information and communication in one place, removing the need to search through emails.
Quotes & Survey Bookings
I prepare and send quotes, monitor when they're accepted, contact estate agents to arrange access and book the survey appointments.
Client & Financial Administration
I update Surventrix so clients are kept informed of progress and create invoices in Xero so clients have a receipt for their payment.
Automated Job Tracking
Trello checklists and automations move jobs through each stage of the process and notify us when statuses change. Once a survey is booked, the job moves to Waiting Survey Report, giving Richard a clear to-do list for the reports he needs to complete.
THE DIFFERENCE IT MADE
He no longer has to manage the administrative journey of every job alongside carrying out his surveying work.
His inbox is organised by priority, each job has one central place for its information and communication, and the workflow keeps quotes, bookings and client updates moving without him having to remember every next step.
This has freed up more of his time for billable surveys and report writing, while giving him the reassurance that the admin basics are being handled and his clients are being looked after.
“I now have more time to spend working on the business with the knowledge that the admin basics are being taken care of and clients are being looked after.”
Richard Ballam | Business Owner & Director | Rickards Oliver Limited, Chartered Surveyors & Valuers