Service outsourcing resources are great for assistants to utilize on occasion to provide maximum effectiveness.
Quite often we work alone and do not have any team members that we can recruit during instances when extra help is needed. In addition, sometimes an extra set of hands are needed, such as during a move you are overseeing, so in-person help is needed. Whatever the reason, it’s helpful to have a list of resources handy for these unique occasions.
Here are some top service outsourcing apps and websites to add to your toolbox for such times:
In-Person:
Care.com is best known for childcare services but they actually feature an errand runner section on their site as well.
Chime helps you to find an amazing babysitter in your neighborhood. They boast only providing top babysitters (they look for glowing reviews and check references) and meet every single sitter in person.
Service people also post ads on this site, however they have not undergone any kind of background checks.
Popular service for food deliveries, but they can pick up items at any store as well. The runners are quick and send texts to keep you posted on the status.
Get fast delivery of everyday essentials from stores like Costco, Walgreens, Toys"R"Us and Petsmart.
Schedule cleaning or handyman services as soon as the next day.
This is a great service for having your grocery shopping done for you. There are options to have groceries delivered in one hour or you can schedule a delivery a few days out. It's a great workaround if you would like groceries from a membership warehouse club but you do not have a membership.
Get any product delivered in less than one hour.
Great website for finding the right "tasker" to take care of needs around your home. Sometimes it can take a few hours or days to get the tasker scheduled, so this site is great for items that can be booked out in advance.
This resource helps to find a dog walker or dog sitter near you.
Get over 500 car repair services at your home or office.
This website allows you to hire local, handpicked home services for short tasks and errands. What sets this company apart is that the businesses on their website have been interviewed to ensure they provide quality work and great customer service.
Virtual:
This service is an interesting approach based on the idea of separating a job into pieces for different people to work on.
Formally eaHELP, this website features top-notch virtual assistants as well as bookkeepers and more. When it comes to their VAs, they boast a rigorous selection process. This is an option for ongoing support only.
This company charges a reasonable monthly fee for their service. You do not have a dedicated virtual assistant, but the upside is that you will always get a response quickly. I mainly have used them for research and received decent results. If you google "virtual assistant services" you will find there are many companies like this one'; it just is the only one I have personally used in the past.
This is an online marketplace offering tasks and services. The gigs range over a wide array of topics; some examples are "I will perfectly handle your research” to "I will be your virtual assistant.”
Great website for project based work and smaller jobs. It's similar to Upwork.
Hire highly educated subject matter experts for specific project-based work.
Helps you hire top local freelancers for a wide array of projects. There's a lot of virtual help, but they do include some in person as well. A few examples of how their freelancers can help are through data entry, research assistance and event coordination.
Magic is a special phone number you can text to get on-demand personal assistance services. Some examples of services are finding a mobile dentist, rescheduling meetings and booking flights.
This app acts as your personal shopping bot, assistant and concierge.
Operator helps people shop for exactly what they want at any time with a simple text. It’s designed to feel personal; a person on the other end presents you with the best options based on what you are looking for and completes the purchase after you make a decision.
This service gives you a U.S.-based Virtual Assistant. The cost is an hourly rate for completed tasks, so it’s great for getting your money’s worth.
This website helps you find top-rated virtual assistants for freelance help. The site also includes services from freelancers in other sectors, such as writing, accounting and more.
This company allows you to hire top-notch dedicated virtual assistants. This is a monthly service, though, so it’s only worth it if there are at least 12 hours per month of assistance needed.
Is there a great resource you recommend that I haven’t listed? Please let me know and I will add it to the master list on the websites and apps page. You may reach out to me through my contact page.
