From Overwhelmed to Organised: How we Became Indispensable to a Leading Strategic Communications Agency
The Remote Assistant began working with a large strategic communications agency in February, initially providing support through our Virtual Assistant, Emma Garcia, to a senior member of staff whose diary and inbox had become overwhelming. The volume of incoming communication had become unmanageable, meetings were being missed, and double-bookings were going unnoticed. Emma's first priority was to act as a gatekeeper and restore structure.
Executive Support for Senior Leadership
Emma’s work included:
• Becoming the central point of contact for all internal and external meeting requests
• Implementing diary management processes that stopped double-bookings and prevented missed meetings
• Clearing and organising the client's email inbox, creating a system he can now easily maintain
• Establishing a weekly check-in to review upcoming commitments, flag priorities, and ensure forward planning
• Providing personal support including travel bookings, reservations, and day-to-day organisation
As the team saw the impact of this work, Emma’s remit expanded to support another member of the senior leadership team. She now coordinates her diary, manages meeting requests, books reservations, and streamlines communication in much the same way.
Following a review of the company's support needs, a third senior leader has asked for Emma to extend her remit to include them. Emma will become EA to all three members of the senior leadership team.
Operational & Company-Wide Support
Emma’s role has grown beyond individual executive assistance into broader operational support, including:
• Organising company board meetings and senior advisory meetings
• Acting as the main coordination point between team members and the leadership team
• Supporting the project management and administration of the office move
• Arranging travel for staff attending events
• Managing company-wide logistics, including purchasing Christmas gifts, booking meeting rooms, and coordinating internal events
• Shielding senior leaders from excessive meeting requests by assessing relevance and managing expectations on their behalf
Impact
The company operates in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, and they needed someone who could respond quickly, maintain oversight, and create calm where there was previously chaos.
Emma’s involvement has:
• Eliminated the double-booking issues that were causing operational disruption
• Brought clarity and structure to diaries and inboxes
• Freed senior leaders from administrative overload so they can focus on high-value work
• Provided a reliable, responsive point of contact the entire company can depend on
As trust has built, Emma’s hours and responsibilities have grown, and she is now embedded across the senior leadership team and the operational side of the business.