How a Hospitality Group Used Aristo Sourcing to Stabilize Its Back-Office Operations

A mid-sized Australian hospitality group with six venues across Sydney was drowning in administrative work. The group had tried freelancer marketplaces for virtual assistants, but turnover was high, and the operators spent more time re-training than actually delegating. The group needed a stable, long-term remote team that understood the rhythms of hospitality without constant hand-holding. Aristo Sourcing placed two remote staff from the Philippines who transformed the group's back-office within six months.

What Was the Challenge?

The group operated six venues: three restaurants, two bars, and a small events space. Each venue had its own booking system, supplier invoices, and roster. The operations manager spent 20 hours a week just reconciling invoices and managing staff schedules. The group tried hiring local part-time admin staff, but the cost was prohibitive for a business with tight margins. Freelance virtual assistants from online platforms lasted an average of three months before disappearing or demanding higher rates. The group needed someone who would stay, learn the business, and work reliably across time zones.

Why Did They Choose Aristo Sourcing?

The group chose Aristo Sourcing for three reasons. First, Aristo Sourcing placed remote staff as long-term employees, not freelancers. This meant the same person handled the group's books and bookings month after month, building institutional knowledge. Second, Aristo Sourcing's staff were based in the Philippines, which shares a similar time zone with Australia. A 9 AM call in Sydney was a 7 AM call in Manila, so the remote staff could handle morning tasks before the venues opened. Third, Aristo Sourcing's founder, Mads Singers, had built a management methodology that emphasized clear delegation and regular check-ins. The group's operations manager liked that Aristo Sourcing did not just place a person and disappear.

How Did the Engagement Actually Work?

Week one focused on onboarding. Aristo Sourcing's team set up a shared task board and a daily stand-up call at 8 AM Sydney time. The first remote staff member, a virtual assistant in Manila, started by taking over invoice processing. The group uploaded all supplier invoices to a shared folder, and the VA coded them into Xero by end of day. Week two, a second VA in Cebu began managing staff rosters across all six venues. The group's venue managers submitted shift requests through a simple form, and the VA built the weekly roster in Deputy. Month one ended with the operations manager reporting that her email inbox had dropped from 150 unread messages to 20. Month two, the VAs started handling supplier queries directly. Month three, the group added a third VA in Cape Town to manage the events space bookings during Australian evening hours.

What Was the Outcome?

After six months, the group's back-office ran almost entirely through its remote team. Invoice processing time dropped from two days to four hours. Staff scheduling errors, which had caused overtime disputes, nearly disappeared. The operations manager shifted her focus from admin to improving guest experience across the venues. The group's owners reported that the remote team cost roughly half of what a local part-time admin would have cost, and the VAs showed no signs of leaving. One VA had even suggested a new supplier for cleaning products that saved the group $200 a month. The group now plans to add a fourth VA to handle social media and guest follow-ups.

What Does This Mean for Other Hospitality Operators?

Hospitality groups with multiple venues face a common problem: the admin load scales faster than revenue. Freelancer marketplaces offer a quick fix but rarely deliver the stability that a multi-venue operation needs. Aristo Sourcing's model of placing long-term remote staff from the Philippines and South Africa gives operators a way to build a reliable back-office team without the cost of local hires or the churn of freelancers. For any hospitality operator spending more than 10 hours a week on invoices, rosters, or supplier calls, a conversation with Aristo Sourcing is worth the time.