Some of you may have a rough idea & others will be completely new to the term & concept of a Virtual Assistant (VA).
This blog is going to attempt to answer the, maybe not so simple, question that I get asked many times.
A Virtual Assistant (or VA) is a self-employed individual who provides support for your business on a remote basis. The range of services offered varies from VA to VA. Some offer just administrative & secretarial support whilst others like me offer a range of services…social media support, sales support, customer service support along with admin & secretarial support. Generally the services offered depends on each VA’s experience.
Surely I could just employ somebody?
You’re right, you could employ a new member of staff to assist in the areas you are struggling. However, employing somebody costs you money, whereas a VA can actually save you money.
Using a VA will save all those HR headaches & costs that come with hiring an employee. When you contract a Virtual Assistant you don’t have to pay any tax or NI as we cover those, you don’t need to think about desk space, parking spaces or induction plans.
Neither do you need to pay the cost of recruiting & you only pay for the hours that you use your Virtual Assistant for. Have a think how many productivity hours you might loose on an employee’s tea breaks, lunch hours, office chit chat, and toilet breaks etc.?
As an even bigger bonus our services are tax deductible, so our costs can be offset against you tax return.
So what could you do for me?
This is the beauty of the Virtual Assistant. The service is totally bespoke to you, it depends on you & your business needs.
Drowning in paperwork? Is it now preventing you from physically getting out there & growing your own business? But you can’t afford a member of staff? Virtual Assistants are well placed to take the workload off of you for a few hours a week, giving you your time back to focus on your business.
Project Support? Maybe you have a huge project coming up & need an extra pair of hands to support you for a short period of time. In jumps the VA, they are a safe pair of hands with all the industry experience you need in the areas they specialise in. They can also help take the pressure off you during that stressful time.
How can you complete work virtually?
A Virtual Assistant is predominantly 99% virtual. A good VA will meet with you (dependent on your location) to understand your needs & identify a solution to your problem. They then take that workload in whatever form it may be in & work on it as an employee for you, but from their own desk.
Keeping in contact – Good VA’s keep in regular contact with their clients. My clients all receive a weekly work log alongside hours worked & a telephone call to ensure we are both up to speed, it also gives us a good opportunity to discuss any requirements that maybe coming up.
File Sharing – The majority of VA’s use online file sharing facilities such as drop box & google drive.
Hour tracking – We document our hours using online software such as Paymo & My hours. Using these offer complete transparency for your comfort & reassurance. Plus you can see how much time you’re paying for.
So in summary a Virtual Assistant is a safe, experienced pair of hands that you can turn to whenever your business needs support, they can help you grow whilst saving money & you can get these benefits even if you only need a few hours a month.
If you think a VA can help your business please contact me for a FREE consultation.