Virtual Assistance in a nutshell

What is Virtual Assistance?

Before the dawn of the internet era, there were company executives who would constantly replace their shoe-soles while trying to get the tickets for transnational meetings, booking details, etc. It wasn’t until the virtual world changed our lives that the concept of virtual assistance came into being.

A virtual assistant does not come to your office. Instead, he or she works from their own office and assists you via phone, internet, fax, and email. Now that we all know what a virtual assistant does, we need to know why a Virtual Assistant is needed to perform your business functions. You could obviously have a range of employees for that purpose, why trust a person halfway across the world with your data? The answer is multifold, as a virtual assistant gives you more than just a couple of benefits.

  • Savings

You pay a virtual assistant per productive hours. You do not need an office with an AC, fridge, computers and wifi connections with a marketplace of scattered cables and lines. Since a Virtual Assistant is employed per project basis, he is not entitled to the usual benefits.

  • Efficiency

Ask any experienced virtual assistant about time and he will say that time wasted is an opportunity foregone. Thus when you hire a Virtual Assistant, one of the first items on the agenda is to organize the workflow. This could be done by systematizing the filing of work or introducing new technology to make frameworks simpler yet faster.

  • Access

The VA can work after hours and on weekends offering services out of hours. You will not have to face a gruntled employee who has to work on the weekend because there is a surge in work.

  • Jack of All

You can find virtual assistants who are specialized in a diverse set of skills. There are virtual assistants for market research, transcription services, telemarketing, customer support, digital marketing and payroll preparation. And given their experience and advanced training, you can always expect top-end, high-quality work.

  • Flexibility

Here is the best part! If you are somewhere near North America and you have an Indian or Filipino virtually assisting you, you could assign work at night and have it ready on your e-mail inbox in the morning. Hail the beauty of technology using the difference in time zones as a tool to increase productivity.

By now, we all are very clear as to why virtual assistance is a good trick of the trade to getting the job done on a quicker and cost effective timeline. Time to place the last piece of the puzzle- what to consider while employing one?

What to consider before hiring a V/A?

  • Experience

This is not just limited to the years he/she has put in as a VA. It is about how long has he/she been doing the type of work you need them to do.

  • Availability

Consider the time zone where your VA is located which best suits your business and needs. Ensure whether he/she works on a full-time or part-time basis. Is he available on weekends and Saturdays (if that is when you need)?

  • Skill Set

There are many tasks that you can delegate to your VA. It helps if you have a list of tasks you want your VA to perform, and make sure during the interview process that you review that list with a potential VA to determine if he/she can do all those tasks.

  • Technology Skills

It is really important that your VA has all the required technological skills for your business. Determine which software he knows and how well he knows them. Make sure your VA is comfortable with the software you are using so that you can share files hassle-free.

  • Reference

As a first time employer of Virtual Assistance, it is advisable that you ask for a VA from a friend, acquaintance, business partner, client, etc. who have employed their services in the past. This should clear your doubts of any maligned practices you think can happen with your data.

 

Get started with us by having your VA set up meetings, manage your busy schedule and streamline all the information that pours into your inbox. so that you can start to focus on the more important things in life.

 

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