Step 1: Match with the right support

FYXER's support service is not homogenous. From light-touch virtual assistants to hands-on teams of doers, routine clerical work to in-depth market analysis, ad-hoc assistance to monthly contracts, there is near-endless scope to the type of support provided. As such, it’s important to work out what you need from the outset, which can be tough if this is your first time hiring external support. 

At FYXER, we match executive teams with bespoke support. After analysing your industry, workload and specific requirements, we create an external support team that is perfectly-suited to your needs by following this simple process:

• Discovery call - We have a relaxed conversation about your business, current bottlenecks, goals and the team which needs support. 
• Team-building - We put together a team from our talent pool of EAs (known as Fyxers) that matches your particular needs and working preferences, including a designated Fyxer (leads day-to-day delivery) and Account Manager (your daily point of contact). 
• Proposal - We put forward a proposal, highlighting the team and expected monthly hours, as well as KPIs and targets. 
• Deployment - We deploy your bespoke team of Fyxers within 24-72 hours of contract signing. The first month is risk-free (you don’t pay anything if you don’t see the value).
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Step 2: Establish operating procedures

Email or telephone? Daily updates or weekly meetings? To make the most out of our service, it’s crucial to set up clear operating procedures and processes at the start. While these can develop over time, having an initial basis sets the foundations for a successful partnership. These are the three core procedures to agree.

• Communication - When and how? FYXER’s external support teams can adapt to your current comms channel preferences, such as using Slack, Whatsapp or email, but it’s important to devise regular catch-ups (e.g. Monday morning briefings). At the start, we advise speaking to your designated Fyxer on a daily basis to go through tasks for that day. This helps cultivate familiarity and gives the Fyxer the best chance to spot time-saving opportunities during your day-to-day. 
• Rules - To ensure clarity and consistency for both your team and external support, you should co-create some simple-to-follow working rules with your designated Fyxer. These might include: who has the responsibility to respond to emails? Which communications are ‘urgent’ and the process for alerting the required person? What are your brand guidelines regarding documents, fonts and format?
• Management system - Set-up a two-way system for delegating and responding to tasks. Some companies use platforms like Trello or Asana (FYXER teams are adept at most systems and can learn others), while others might prefer email-based updates. As a basic, the system should include specific instructions, deadlines and the possibility to ask for more information, as well as the ability to flag red lines and assign task priorities. 

Agreeing procedures and sticking to them is vital, but so is regularly reviewing them to ensure they’re fit for purpose and whether improvements can be made.

Step 3: Delegate low-hanging fruit

As every manager knows, delegation is a nuanced skill. From the ‘what’ and ‘when’ to the ‘how’ and ‘who’, effective delegation is an art form that is learnt over time. For some business leaders and managers, it can be hard to let go, especially for those that have never worked with external support before. It can also be difficult knowing what tasks to share and what is covered by their remit. At the beginning of the relationship, the key is speaking to your external support, understanding the possibilities and delegating simple tasks for an immediate impact.

• Categorise common tasks - Create a list of the tasks you frequently perform ranging from mundane admin to business critical meetings. Rate each task according to simplicity, time consumption and value, and categorise them into three groups: vital (i.e. only you can do); important, but simple (i.e. delegated over time); and non-critical (i.e. delegated from the start).
• Clear the in-tray - Think about the tasks you have pushed to the back of your head over the past few weeks - those half-finished to-do lists, sporadically scribbled post-it notes and tasks in Asana you are hiding from - and pass them onto external support. ‍
• Pick the low-hanging fruit - From managing emails and appointments to handling invoicing and travel arrangements, every team member should prepare a bespoke list of rudimentary tasks that their external support can perform immediately. Use your categorised list and look for anything that is time-consuming and brings no monetary gain to the business or personal gain to you.

But it doesn’t stop there. As we get to know you and your business better, we will use our expertise and experience to suggest more workflows and projects we could take on.

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Sit back and count the hours

"It feels as if I’m getting 15-20 hours of my personal time back, giving me back my sanity. Do I feel less stressed? Yes, one million percent." Steve Quinn, Blenheim Chalcot. 

At FYXER, the first few weeks of a new client relationship are some of the most satisfying. That’s because every client is amazed by how many hours they get back. In our estimates, the average team member saves three hours per day on average. With that additional time, you can really focus on what matters, be it driving the business forward or spending more quality time with family.

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