As the trend of remote work continues to escalate, a growing number of businesses are casting a wider net in their search for talent.
No longer hampered by the confines of geography, they have expanded their search to other cities, other states — and ultimately, other countries.
Enter Wing Assistant.
The Los Angeles-based company’s online platform is designed to connect business owners and busy professionals with a wealth of available talent, or “assistants,” from around the world.
Launched in 2020, Wing Assistant has provided more than 1,000 small- and medium-sized businesses with “a well-vetted, more affordable labor pool for work,” according to company founder Roland Polzin. Its reach covers everything from research, data entry and social media management, to marketing assistance, sales assistance and executive assistance.
“A bunch of tech startups are using our service, and we’ve also connected with marketing agencies, lawyers and real estate agents,” he said. “Our technology platform eases existing pain points when it comes to the challenges of employing offshore labor and outsourcing.”
How it works
The process is simple.
Clients schedule a 15-minute exploratory call to outline their goals and business needs and then connect with a Wing Assistant manager who will begin delegating their first tasks.
Customers set up a Wing account that allows them to access the company’s free software, which includes communication features to stay in touch with their remote employee. The software also has a workflow management tool and a secure password-sharing tool.
Once all of that’s in place, clients can leverage their new worker to take on the various tasks that need to be handled — from data entry or filing, to sales and executive assistance.
Tiered pricing
Wing operates as a subscription service. Businesses are charged a monthly fee that covers the cost of the assistant and the use of Wing’s proprietary software suite.
The services are offered at three levels. The Limited plan is $499 a month
The monthly cost for general assistance, such as data entry or other menial skills, is $499 for 20 hours a week and $799 for 40 hours a week. Both plans include one dedicated assistant.
The rate for businesses seeking more specialized help for jobs involving real estate or sales expertise, for example, is $849 for 20 hours a week and $1,299 for a full work week. Those plans come with two dedicated assistants.
Mike Rich, who is in the midst of launching podcastchannel.com, is a Wing Assistant client. Using Wing’s service, he secured a remote worker from India who is still attending college but is motivated to help him coordinate the various tasks he needs to get done.
“She has a long-term vision and is really excited about the potential for this company,” he said.
Podcastchannel.com will help podcasters define their program topics and will book and confirm guests, in addition to creating teasers to promote the shows and editing the finished production.
Rich has had experience using online assistants through other providers, said there are some things to keep in mind when enlisting help from far-flung regions.
“There are cultural differences,” he said. “In the Philippines, for example, Christmas is celebrated for much longer than here. You also have to be aware of the time differences, and you won’t be talking about what’s on HBO because they don’t have that.”
Gaining traction
The option to work at home was already gaining traction before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, but temporary business closures and safety protocols associated with the health crisis accelerated that option.
The pandemic-related closures also prompted scores of workers to abandon their previous jobs and find work elsewhere. Many businesses are still struggling to fill all of their openings as a result.
Polzin said Wing Assistant is focused on fundamentally changing the labor market by connecting international markets.
“Our technology platform eases existing pain points when it comes to the challenges of employing offshore labor and outsourcing,” he said. “The platform very effectively leverages today’s high interest in hiring remote workers as a way to deal with the challenge of ‘The Great Resignation.’”