Virtual Assistants are
your partners, not your employees.
Virtual Assistants are professionals who work with their clients as
PARTNERS. You can depend on them to work independently without supervision
and perform their work with the highest standards for quality and accuracy.
VAs are in business to serve their clients with excellence. Therefore, you
can be assured that your projects will receive their full attention and
concentration.
A Virtual Assistant is
invested in your business.
Because a Virtual Assistant is an independent
business owner, your VA has a vested interest in learning about your
business so that s/he can assist you better. As your Virtual Assistant
continues to work with you and learns more about your business, s/he will
find things that s/he can do to help you work more efficiently.
Working with a Virtual Assistant can benefit your business in so many
ways! Not every small business or entrepreneur can afford the benefits of an
in-house Administrative Assistant, but a Virtual Assistant is the next best
thing! A Virtual Assistant can take those time-consuming, yet vitally
necessary tasks off your hands to allow you to grow your business.
Virtual Assistants are
trained and ready to work for you.
Virtual Assistants come with experience and training. They provide their
own continuing education to improve their skills and increase their
profitability, and they are committed to accept only those assignments which
they are qualified and trained to complete. Since VAs are entrepreneurs,
they know how to operate a business. In that capacity, they also understand
the challenges you face in the business world and can help you overcome
them.
Virtual Assistants have a
current, cutting-edge "skill-set."
Virtual Assistants have the desire and motivation to continually upgrade
their skills, at their own expense and on their own time. Good VAs know
that, as their skills increase and improve, so does their competitive edge
along with their ability to better serve their clients.
Virtual Assistants form
long-lasting working relationships, unlike the short-term status of a "temp."
Temporary staffing agencies can provide short-term or long-term temps,
but they are not the same as Virtual Assistants. A temp is an employee of
the agency who has placed them in their clients’ offices. The agency fees
may be comparable to those charged by a Virtual Assistant, but the duration
of their employment may be highly variable. Many people who are employed as
temps are also looking for full-time employment. They can leave on a day’s
notice. You would then have to go through the tedious task of getting a new
temp acclimated to your business’ processes and procedures. A Virtual
Assistant, on the other hand, desires to form a long-term relationship with
you and your business.
Virtual Assistants
provide a cost savings for you!
A Virtual Assistant saves you money because you only pay for actual time
spent on your work. You don’t pay for time spent on unproductive activities
(idle time, personal internet use, errands, incidental tasks, personal
matters, socializing with co-workers, or an extended learning curve for
certain training). According to The 2007 Wasting Time Survey
by Salary.com, "the average employee wastes 1.7 hours of a typical 8.5
hour work day."
Because Virtual Assistants are self-employed, you don’t pay the required
payroll expenses such as 401k contributions or other profit sharing, health
insurance, Social Security & Medicare, vacation days, sick days, holidays,
etc. Your VA contract/retainer agreement specifies the hourly rate plus
out-of-pocket expenses incurred during the completion of your work, and
possibly travel time and mileage.
Virtual Assistants may be
your lifeline during economic downturns.
When companies start to reduce costs, many positions are eliminated, and
this often includes support staff. Administrators and sales staff find
themselves occupied with support duties, such as confirming appointments,
preparing presentations, filing, preparing reports and documents, and other
non-productive tasks. Economic productivity suffers! You realize that you’ve
got TOO MUCH to do by yourself, but you can’t justify the expense of hiring
another employee.
Virtual Assistants may be the salvation to business owners during
economic downturns (like NOW!) With millions of job losses and current 9.9%
unemployment rate, today’s situation certainly qualifies for "serious
economic downturn" status. What better time to explore the benefits of
hiring a Virtual Assistant instead of an employee!
Virtual Assistants are
"here when you need us."
Virtual Assistants are available when you need them, and not "on the
clock" when you don't. You may contract with a VA for assignments on a
per-project basis, or sign a retainer agreement for a certain number of
hours assigned to you each month. In either case, you are not paying for
their time if they are not working on your tasks.
Benefits of using a Virtual Assistant
a partner, not an employee!
save time and money
increase your productivity and your profitability
improved customer service capability
quick turnaround
as-needed hours only (pay only for actual hours worked)
no cost for office space
increased efficiency
access to new technology (at no capital outlay to you for office
equipment)
no software licenses to purchase
no overhead costs for support staff
expensive "temp" agencies eliminated
someone who works toward your business success
convenient, flexible work hours – available as many hours as you need
no supervision or payroll costs
concentrated, uninterrupted work output
no employee-related taxes, insurance or benefits
no training, retraining or continuing education involved
