We had a great conversation with Hunter, executive assistant, and online business manager. Read about how using Shift has been a workflow game-changer.
** Hunter is using the old version of Shift (v7). Check out the new version of Shift (v8), here. **
The Need for Shift
As a busy executive assistant and online business manager (check out her Facebook page) with many clients and a wide range of duties, Hunter has countless emails and accounts she uses on a daily basis. Before discovering Shift, she relied on her browser and password manager to navigate through all her tools. A sea of web tabs had her spending precious time trying to find the right tool and account. Moreover, as many of her clients use similar tools, she spent even more time logging in and out to get to the correct account. She tried using browser profiles, but that option turned out to be just as ineffective because it was too easy to lose track of what tab went where and it still didn't solve having to log out and back into the correct account. Between the navigation and log-in, and log-out struggles, there was a measurable opportunity cost. Time spent on these tasks meant less billable time for Hunter's business, and less time helping her clients achieve their goals. For a long time, Hunter had come to just accept this was the way things were; until she discovered Shift.
Shift Benefits
During a screen-sharing call with one of her clients, Hunter was intrigued when she saw her client was using Shift. Hunter had previously discovered Shift in passing via an online ad, but at the time didn't think much of it. Once she saw Shift in action (not to mention the raving review her client had of Shift) she knew she wanted to try it. Part of the key to Hunter's success with Shift was that she was calm and curious in her approach, taking time to set it up and play around with it. After only a few days into her free trial, she was sold.
"After I tried Shift on a free trial for a few days, I loved it. I couldn't imagine going back to the way I did things before."
The benefits of Shift were immediate. Hunter added all the email accounts she uses for her clients and created multiple Workspaces, one for each client, providing her with the organization she was always looking for. Using the LastPass extension in Shift helps her manage all her logins (Shift also has a built-in password manager). She can now stay signed into each application for each client simultaneously, without the need to log out and log back in. For her, having a single window that contains everything she needs for all her clients is a game-changer. Shift has helped her develop better work habits and allows her to work more efficiently without being distracted by unfocused web tabs. Her sidebar provides her with the structure she needs to properly compartmentalize her time and energy for each client while reducing the time she spends switching around.
Hunter's Work & Shift Tips
We learned about a few valuable insights from Hunter's experience in her work and while using Shift. Here were a few key takeaways:
Take time to learn Shift. New tools take time to integrate into your workflow, even if they're easy like Shift is to set up. Take time to click through things and explore available options. Approaching new software and Shift with curiosity allowed Hunter to discover Workspaces quickly, and make small, but impactful adjustments in how she works.
Use Shift to manage client work. If you're a virtual assistant, online business manager, or any type of professional who works with multiple clients, Shift is very beneficial. Since she's started using Shift, Hunter is now better focused and spends significantly less time on tasks that don't add value.
Work on a per-client basis. While it can be tempting to work on a per-app basis, Hunter has found greater success when working on a per-client basis instead. She gives better attention to each client and spends less time context-switching. Shift has been crucial in developing better, more efficient work habits.
“Using Shift even on a very basic level is worth the price. The way that I use Shift, that price is a bargain. The price point was a non-issue for me. I knew I was going to get an immediate return on investment simply from the time I’d save logging in and out, not being lost in web tabs, and the reduced stress from working in a browser.”
What's next?
Ready to try Shift for yourself? Download now!
Find quick tips and best practices in our Getting Started section here.
Read about other Shift Case Studies here.