The Miss MPS Blog

Ah, winter. The season of cozy jumpers, steaming mugs of tea and, for gas engineers, the annual game of heating roulette. The moment that first cold chill hits, homes across the nation come alive with the sound of boilers groaning back to life—or not. Phones ring off the hook as panicked voices fill the line: "My heating won’t turn on!" or the classic, "It’s making this weird clunk-clunk-wheeeze sound—can you fix it today?!" For gas engineers, this is peak season—a chaotic storm of urgent calls, overflowing job lists, and the impossible task of answering the phone while also diagnosing a misbehaving boiler. But who’s answering your calls when you’re knee-deep in radiators and wrenches?

Chilly toes, waking up early to defrost the windscreen, and leaving work to the already dark skies—these are just a few of the frustrations that come with winter. While it may not be the end of the world, it's all the little things. And despite the festivity and Christmas songs playing on the radio, staying motivated at this time of year can be challenging. I'm sure many of you can relate to me when I say this. At Miss MPS, we understand how important it is to maintain well-being, especially during the busy winter months. As virtual assistants, we support our clients by alleviating stress from overwhelming workloads and tight deadlines. We also help them take well-deserved breaks and spend time with loved ones. However, looking after ourselves while caring for others is just as essential. Here are my top tips for staying healthy and motivated this winter:

When most people think of administrative roles, they often assume it’s all about answering calls, scheduling meetings, and managing email correspondence—the so-called "big three." It’s no surprise that this has led to a widespread perception that administrative work is monotonous, repetitive, and predictable. Well, at Miss MPS, we’re here to set the record straight: nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, our days are filled with exciting, unpredictable tasks that keep us on our toes—and we LOVE it. For those of you who have read our previous blog post , where we detailed the thrilling experience of organizing the charter of a private yacht for one of our clients (yes, that actually happened!) you might already have a sense of just how closely we work with our clients to ensure their lives run smoothly outside of just their business. A Tail-Wagging Adventure: Helping Our Client Move to Ibiza with Her Fluffy Companion Speaking of management, let’s dive into one of our more recent tasks, which illustrates the kind of unique and varied requests we handle at Miss MPS. One of our clients, a busy entrepreneur, recently decided to make a big move to Ibiza. Along with her, she was bringing her adorable, four-legged friend—a fluffy bundle of joy who plays an important part in her life just like her business endeavours. Therefore our job was to ensure that the move was as seamless as possible for both her and her dog. Now, moving abroad can be stressful enough, but when you throw a pet into the mix, there are a ton of logistics to consider. We dove into researching pet-friendly airlines and travel rules to make sure her beloved dog could join her on the journey. We checked out different travel policies and found the best options, so her furry friend can travel comfortably and safely! All our client will have to do is to pack her bags—and maybe throw in a pair of extra sunglasses for her dog to wear on the sunny beaches of Ibiza! We’re Problem Solvers, Not Just Assistants At Miss MPS, we’re more than assistants—we’re the ultimate problem solvers. Whether it’s planning events, handling the difficult part of travelling such as logistics, or managing surprise tasks (like pet relocations!), we tackle everything with creativity and a smile. No two days are ever the same, and that’s what makes our work so fun. Why We Love What We Do We get to know our clients, help them live their best lives, and handle everything from the big stuff to the small details. It’s a mix of personal and professional, and we wouldn’t have it any other way! Plus, who wouldn’t enjoy a job where one day, you’re organising a business meeting, and the next, you’re figuring out how to fly a dog to Ibiza in style? So, the next time someone tells you admin work is boring, send them our contact form . We’ll show them just how exciting and diverse our world is at Miss MPS!

Starting a small business can be very daunting, especially when other businesses in the same field are already established and continuing to grow with their current customer base, who clearly really like what they do. How do I compete and attract clients when they are the clear choice for new clients to go to? Well, believe it or not, the fact that they do stand out is what will aid you in developing a vital strategy that will differentiate your services and attract clients. Think of it as the student growing stronger than the master—except it’s a one-sided mentorship, as your competitors did not take you personally under their wing. We use a process called Competitor Analysis to research your competitors and, quite frankly, see what has worked for them and what hasn’t. Concerning our recent work, we conducted a competitor analysis on SUP board sellers for our client, comparing a wide range of companies and their insights to see what our client could add to their strategy. You can fill out our form to test your business today! So, what can I learn from my competitors? Strengths and Weaknesses: There is no better way to identify your own strengths and weaknesses than by examining your competitors and how they are perceived. Finding out things such as your competitor’s huge brand awareness or low prices isn’t supposed to deter you. By learning this, you can see what to include in your business strategy because, clearly, customers like this! Furthermore, the identified weaknesses can serve to help you understand where you might have an advantage, filling the gaps your competitors have left. These insights provide you with the opportunity to offer a more complete or improved solution to your audience. The Market You Operate In: Your competitors are a reflection of your market. By studying them, you gain a deeper understanding of who your target customers are, what motivates their decisions, and which trends are driving the industry. Do your competitors focus on premium pricing? Or do they win over customers with affordable rates and fast service? This kind of knowledge helps you position your own offering in a way that resonates with the current market demand. Spot Industry Trends: By researching competitors over time, you can spot emerging trends and shifts in consumer preferences. Do your competitors emphasise sustainable practices? Are they focusing more on digital platforms or offering unique payment options? These trends can serve as valuable opportunities to align your business with the direction the market is moving, ensuring you remain relevant and ahead of the curve. Future Business Strategies: Competitor analysis doesn’t just offer a snapshot of the current landscape; it helps predict future moves. Observing how businesses evolve their products, customer service approaches, or marketing strategies can offer hints about where the market is headed. This foresight allows you to stay agile and plan proactively instead of reactively. Conclusion: Using Research to Drive Your Success By including a well-structured research process, such as competitor analysis, in your business strategy, you stay informed and gain an advantage over your competition. Analysing what works and what doesn't in your industry helps you improve your offering and establish your own unique position. Research empowers you to innovate, improve, and, ultimately, outperform your competition. Whether capitalising on their weaknesses or adopting industry trends before they become mainstream, staying competitive is all about staying informed. Want to give your business a competitive edge? See our page on Competitor Research or contact us directly on our email and we’ll help you use the power of research today!

Imagine this: it’s a busy day in the office, the phone won’t stop ringing, and you’ve received the nth email from someone you really don’t want to deal with. Now, you are looking at the clock, wondering how it is only 9:20 am on a Monday and if it isn’t too early to go on your lunch break. Then you hear it—the soft ping of another email arriving in your inbox. You click it and are instantly filled with dread as you’re asked to organise a corporate gathering for over 30 people. If you didn’t before, you are now fantasising about resigning and running off to a beachside paradise away from the hardship of dealing with people. We get it. Event planning is beyond stressful even without the pressure of the word ‘corporate’ slapped to the front of it. There are so many things that can go wrong anywhere, anytime! However, this doesn’t always have to be the case. We can expect things to go wrong and be prepared to face them! That’s why we will be sharing some tips for mastering event planning, which you can apply to everything—even a simple birthday party! Where do I even start? Before frantically searching Google for every hotel or venue available, it is vital to take a step back and understand the purpose of holding the event. To begin with, answer these two questions: • What is the purpose of this event? This may sound simple, but you’d be surprised how many people stray from the purpose because they don’t have a clear direction when deciding what to book. By understanding why this event is being held, you will know not only the tone but also the type of people who will be attending. • How many people will be attending? Now that you know the type of guests you will be accommodating, it is good early on to have a rough idea of how many people, even though this may change to be either less or more. Having a number will help you decide on what venue, catering, and the overall logistics. Create a Checklist! Sounds simple enough, right? By now, you should have specific details already about your event, such as: • Number of guests • Date for the event • Requirements You must expand on these points to create a successful checklist that will aid your planning. If you have X number of guests, look for a venue that can hold X number—or, even better, has space for more! It doesn’t matter if you have fewer guests, but you want to be prepared in case you have more. Otherwise, you risk finding a different venue at the last minute, which would be less than ideal, especially considering venue availability. Requirements can range from catering options to entertainment and overnight accommodations. You can expand on this, such as if there’s accommodation you need to find parking nearby etc. By listing this out, you can tick off what has been sorted and see what you still need to research, which ties into the next key principle. Research and Compare While it may be tempting to choose the first venue you find for the event, it’s always best to have at least five different options that fit your needs. Compare the costs, benefits, and location of each. This way, you have flexibility and a backup plan if your first choice falls through. Plus, you can keep the information for future events! Budgeting Budgeting is crucial in event planning. Before booking anything, determine the maximum amount you’re allowed to spend and prioritise how much you want to allocate to each category (venue, catering, entertainment, etc.). Be realistic. If you splurge on one area, you may have to compromise on others. It's a balancing act, but one that ensures you stay on track financially. A great tip is to leave some wiggle room in your budget for unexpected costs, such as last-minute additions or unforeseen expenses. Clear communication! Even after following all these steps, things can still go wrong. Always have a backup plan. Whether it’s extra supplies, another entertainment option, or alternate transportation for your guests, being prepared for the unexpected will save you from a potential disaster. Ensure people, venues, and key contacts are updated with information. Communicate expectations clearly and confirm all details at least a week before the event. It’s better to double-check than to deal with last-minute chaos. Do These Tips Work? Yes, they do! At Miss MPS, we apply these steps to our client tasks, from booking corporate meeting events, hotels, and transportation to organising mini golf hire and yacht rentals (yes, really!). We've seen it all, and our methods ensure smooth, successful events every time. Need help ensuring your events are successful? Contact us or visit our page —we’re happy to help make your next event one to remember!

In today's fast-paced business world, services can often feel overwhelming and complex- especially if you’re a small business looking for somewhere to start. From intricate technical specifications to lengthy contracts, it can be daunting to find solutions that meet your needs without causing undue stress. However, when it comes to call answering services, we offer a refreshing approach: simplicity . The Complexity of Call Answering Services Traditional call-answering services can be riddled with complexities. You might encounter: • Confusing Contracts: Lengthy agreements filled with legal jargon can be difficult to understand and may contain hidden fees or limitations. • Technical Jargon: Explanations of different features offered can be overwhelming for businesses that just want a straightforward solution. • Hidden Costs: Unexpected charges for additional features, call volume fluctuations, or even training can significantly increase your overall costs and be confusing to record. Miss MPS: The Simple Solution Miss MPS sets itself apart by offering a call-answering service that is designed with simplicity in mind. Here's why: • Clear and Concise Contracts: Our agreements are straightforward and easy to understand, ensuring there are no hidden fees or surprises. • No Technical Jargon: We avoid industry-specific terms that can confuse our clients. Our focus is on providing a service that works for you, not on impressing you with technical expertise. • Transparent Pricing : Our pricing is upfront and straightforward, with no hidden costs or surprises. You'll know exactly what our prices and rates are. How We Can Benefit Your Business By choosing Miss MPS you can: • Save Time and Effort: Our simple approach eliminates the need to navigate complex contracts. • Reduce Stress: Knowing that your call-answering needs are handled with ease can significantly reduce your business stress. • Focus on Your Core Business: With a reliable and straightforward call answering service, you can concentrate on what you do best. In Conclusion When it comes to call answering services, simplicity is key. Miss MPS offers a straightforward and hassle-free solution that can benefit your business. By avoiding the complexities and sticking with the basics, we give you a peace of mind. Why not explore our packages ?

If your small business is getting ever busier, it’s important you don’t lose opportunities that can be caused by missing calls. So, what’s the best route? Many will opt for an outsourced call answering service. We explain the ins and outs in this dedicated article. Missing calls? Hopefully a good sign – your business is starting to become busier than you can cope with. Overall, though, unanswered calls aren’t a great experience for existing customers, and in an increasingly impatient world, potential new customers aren’t going to wait for a call back; they want an instant response. It’s also inefficient for a business owner to be the one to filter out calls that are a complete waste of time and can be passed onto someone else within the business. The answer is to either use a call answering service or look at hiring a receptionist to take on that role for you. So, let’s explore and answer people’s common questions when researching a call-handling solution. Would it be cheaper just to hire someone? This very much depends on where you are as a business. Having a full-time receptionist answering calls generally solves the problem, but will they have enough work to do when the phone’s not ringing? In addition to a salary, there is PAYE and taxes to consider. Full-time staff also means holiday and sick leave, whereas a call answering service will have a bank of people ready to take multiple calls. Of course, the advantage of a full-time receptionist is that they should know your business better and be able to answer questions more thoroughly. However, using a call answering service is significantly cheaper and ideal for bridging the gap. How much is a call answering service? Different companies will charge in different ways. This could be on a per-call basis, per minute, and there is probably a monthly fee. Normally, the more calls are taken, the lower the per call or per minute fee will be. A small business should look to budget between £50 - £200 a month, depending on the volume of calls. Compare that to a receptionist which would be £1,600+ a month, using a call answering service is therefore a clearly cost-effective stepping-stone for a growing business. What do I get for my money? The advantage of a call answering service is those answering the calls do it for a living. They’re trained with a professional manner, which is the first step of leaving a good first impression. The first step is to check that agents are from a UK based call centre. You then need to decide if you’re happy with a message-taking service or want something more involved. Need a little more? Some providers like us can offer a full suite of virtual assistant services. This includes making outgoing calls on your behalf to book appointments.   CASE STUDY: How Miss MPS helped a plumber increase work by 300%. Do I need a 24/7 call-answering provider? There are options out there to have 24-hour coverage call answering. As good as it sounds to have this cover for your business, do you really need it? Inevitably, having a 24/7 call answering service will likely increase what you’re paying for and just as inevitably, you will lose some continuity. This is because many call answering services offering this will switch to telephonists based in a country with a different time zone. How should I choose? The first thing to assess is how many calls you typically receive in a day or week as this may define what sort of supplier best fits your needs. You may also want the service switched on all the time, as overflow, or just when you’re on holiday. Whether it’s regular or just ad-hoc, this decision will influence what sort of contract you should sign up for. Finally, if like most you simply want messages taken and emailed or messaged to you, there’s a lot of choice. However, if you’d like – for example – new customer details logged onto a CRM, or phone agents to provide further support, you’re probably looking at a more bespoke virtual receptionist option. As with any decision-making of a supplier, don’t forget the usual questions: how long have they been in business? Can they supply testimonials? How fast will they pick up the phone? The answer may be closer than you think! Miss MPS has been helping out small, growing businesses for over 10 years. We’re trusted to make a great first impression with our call answering service, but we do so much more to help business owners focus on what they do best.

Running a small business can be tough – people have to wear multiple hats, and often resources are stretched thin. In your formative years, making a good first impression and building a client base is Priority #1 when you consider the sobering fact that 60% of small businesses fail within the first 3 years – you need to take every opportunity that comes your way. So, shouldn’t you be picking up the phone? According to the Office of National Statistics, a typical startup spends £22,756 in its first year. Of that, upwards of £1,000 is spent per month on websites and marketing. Despite that, we found 50% of calls resulted in hitting voicemails, in a recent competitor mystery shopping exercise we carried out for one of our clients. Of those that did pick up, we waited on average 54 seconds for our call to be picked up, which doesn’t bode well given the statistics we found. In a survey by Paperclip, 60% of people would hang up after 20 seconds Almost 25% wouldn’t wait more than 10 seconds 28% didn’t want to leave a voicemail Looking at further studies, the figures only got worse. 411Locals in the US found that small and mid-sized businesses miss about 62% of their calls. Spread across 85 businesses over 30 days, only 38% of calls were answered, whilst 38% went to voicemail, and 24% of calls were unanswered with no option to leave a voicemail. When did you last check your voicemail? A lot of micro and small businesses are still heavily reliant on their mobiles, as they need to be on-site for jobs. As a result, its easy to miss a call. In fact, according to Sell Cell, 80% of all calls to mobile phones go to voicemail. Of these 80%, just 20% of callers will bother to leave a voicemail. On average, most voicemails are left unplayed for an average of 3 days. Another survey by eVoice found that 67% of people don’t listen to voicemail from business contacts, and the average response rate to voicemails in just 4.8%. In other words, 95% of voicemails go completely unaddressed. What kind of first impression do you leave? Business voicemails are revealing, as they generally indicate that you are a small business, and likely a sole trader. In a risk adverse world, people are looking to rule out those that could let them down, and are often ruthlessly quick in their filtering. Establishing trust is really important to convince people to do business with you, and in the research we did for our customer, we logged a variety of issues that could stop someone from choosing them. This included: Calls taken in noisy environments Calls taken from inside a vehicle Inability to answer questions as information wasn’t at hand Couldn’t answer questions without calling back The upside? Those that did answer and provide the information to the set questions we asked had little competition – the rest struggled to establish rapport, or answer simple questions, or didn’t pick up at all. So how’s your conversion rate? You can put yourself or a competitor to the test (for free!) by filling out our quick form .

Being a virtual assistant can often be challenging but always varied! Here at Miss MPS, we work for a number of busy business owners and are trusted to assist with their personal schedules and families as well as provide support at work. Last week was a first for us—organising the charter of a private yacht in Ibiza! One of our clients was looking for a special experience to celebrate their son’s birthday, so we were given a budget to find the best value charter company on the island and organise a tour that would include a memorable lunch stop. We were delighted to hear that the party had a great time, including an exclusive booking at a restaurant only accessible by boat. However, life at Miss MPS isn’t always glamorous! For another busy business owner, we manage their rental properties and found ourselves dealing with a nightmare scenario—our client’s apartment had a leak that was leaking into the apartment below. With the issue only arising late at night, tensions were high, and it was important we found a solution to pacify the neighbours without an expensive knee-jerk response which would put our client majorly out of pocket. Fortunately, with such a great network of trades, we managed to get a plumber out to isolate the water supply and take an initial look at the problem. Within an hour, the leak was under control, buying us time to make sure the next day, a proper plan could be put in place, which would put the tenants at ease without hurting the wallet of our client too badly. Ultimately, these scenarios are what make a virtual assistant invaluable—by the time our client knew about the issue at their property, it was already taken care of. We saved them hassle and stress, which would have distracted them from important work, reinforcing the value of our role in their business. Having a personal assistant on hand isn’t a luxury; it’s a business essential! Find out more about how we help business owners on our dedicated page . Alternatively, get in touch on 01732 757 870 to discuss your needs.