Virtual Assistance is a fairly new administrative profession. In this new
and innovative profession, a VA (Virtual Assistant) provides administrative
and personal support in long-term collaborative relationships with a handful
of carefully chosen clients. Using the Internet, phone, FAX, and email, VAs
support their clients without being geographically present in the clients'
office.
In short, Virtual Assistance is a results-oriented, administrative
profession designed to meet the needs of small business owners and
entrepreneurs, as well as the needs of any busy person who could use great
administrative support. What’s new about the VA profession is that it
provides traditional administrative support through a new delivery system.
True Virtual Assistance values the RELATIONSHIP, forming a partnership
between the VA and the client to operate as equal professionals. Unlike the
typical boss/employee relationship, it requires a level of commitment and
desire from both partners to give the best they have to the relationship,
while blending talents and strengths that surpass anything the corporate
world currently provides.
First and foremost, it requires that both the VA and the client fully
understand, value, and desire a collaborative partnership. Once the
partnership is established, Virtual Assistance works beautifully, oblivious
to geographical barriers with the use of information technology and
communications media (fax, phone, Internet, PC). Working virtually allows
services to be provided remotely and people to be in touch as easily as if
they were sitting in the same office. TOP
A VA is an independent, self-employed executive support professional who
provides clerical, administrative, technical and personal support to clients
from the VA’s remote virtual office. VA’s are very disciplined and able to
work independently with minimal supervision.
The virtual nature of business allows for flexibility to deliver products
and services across a wide geographic area to successful clients – business
owners, executives, individuals, consultants, and other independent
professionals. Working from their own offices, Virtual Assistants use mail,
phone, the Internet, email, FAX machines, and other advanced technology to
provide administrative support to their clients.
VAs keep current in the latest technologies that offer enhanced ways of
completing administrative tasks. They work on a contractual basis, and
long-lasting collaboration is the standard. It is estimated that there are
about 8,000 virtual assistants worldwide.
Virtual Assistants generally have extensive experience within a variety
of professional office skills which help entrepreneurs begin and grow their
businesses, all without needing to be physically present in their clients’
office.
The possibilities are endless! You and your VA are bound only by your
imagination, needs, skills, and desires.
Here are some general categories of tasks provided by VAs:
Administrative Services
Customer Service
Data Management
Design/Creative Services/Desktop Publishing
Document Creation & Formatting
Educational Assistance
Event Management
Financial Services
Graphic Design
Human Resources Management Tools & Assistance
Legal/Medical Support Services
Multimedia Development
Non-Profit Organization Support
Personal Assisting
Research
Sales & Marketing
Social Media Management
Technical Services
Writing & Editing
We’ve compiled a list of 300+ tasks which can be outsourced to a
Virtual Assistant. Services offered by VAs differ due to specialized
backgrounds. Here are the services
offered by THAT COMPUTER LADY. TOP
All sorts of businesses and individuals – micro, small, and large
businesses. VAs work with smart, successful people of all kinds: writers and
authors, real estate agents, entertainers, contractors, sales professionals,
small business owners, sole proprietors, teachers/professors, consultants,
home-based businesses, entrepreneurs, non-profit organizations and
associations, executives, professionals, doctors, attorneys, students and
individuals – anyone who wants to be professionally successful and live a
more balanced life with more free time to do the things he/she wants to do! TOP
VAs provide many benefits and advantages to the business owner.
VA's significantly reduce the cost of hiring an in-house employee. Consider
the cost associated with having on-site staff.
When you enlist the services of a VA, overhead costs are reduced
significantly. You only pay for the time spent working on your assignments
and projects. VAs also eliminate your responsibility of handling your
non-billable tasks, freeing up valuable time for you. In addition, you pay
no employee-related costs, nor do you need to provide office space or
equipment for your Virtual Assistant.
Since VAs depend on satisfying their client’s needs, you can be assured
of high-quality work By outsourcing routine office administration and
personal tasks, you are able to focus on what you do best . . . developing
relationships and growing your business – or simply having more personal
time for yourself. TOP
Part of the benefit of having a VA is that you haven’t hired anyone. When
you work with a VA, you have a partner, not an employee. You have a skilled
professional partner who is committed to your success. A VA’s partnership
with you will be based on collaborating with you for your success on a
long-term basis, rather than because he/she is looking for "some job." TOP
To answer that question, first focus on the issue of efficiency. Instead
of looking only at cost, ask yourself how much revenue you are currently
losing on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis by not outsourcing
administrative tasks. Since VA’s are independent contractors and not
employees, it is actually LESS expensive to hire a virtual assistant than a
traditional in-house assistant with benefits. [see Cost Comparison]
VA's, as strategic partners, have a vested interest in the success and
growth of your business. If the services we provide help you grow your
business in measurable values, we know you will continue to work with us,
see the value in our taking on increased responsibility, and use your
successful experience to help promote the benefits of the VA profession.
Rates typically start around $35 per hour, but can be higher based on
specialized skills and types of services offered. See our Rates and Service Plans here.
Businesses pay only for the actual time worked by the Virtual Assistant
without incurring the cost of incidental expenses such as holidays, sick &
vacation time, and other occurrences that result in lost productivity (i.e.
personal appointments & phone calls, coffee & lunch breaks, etc).
VA's are responsible for their own taxes, benefits, office equipment and
software. Clients are only responsible for hourly, project or retainer fees,
plus any additional miscellaneous expenses (i.e. supplies, materials,
postage, etc.).
At some point, the ability to consistently grow your business will depend
on whether or not you seek administrative help. The long-term success of
your business may very well depend on your decision. TOP
VAs are in private practice, and their rates vary according to the
differing skill sets. They price their services according to their
experience and skills, their desire to do certain kinds of work, and their
reputation.
Generally speaking, you can expect to pay between $35 and $75 per hour.
Some VAs with specialty skills, such as web design or paralegals, may charge
more. Most VAs offer retainer packages at reduced rates for clients needing
a set number of regular hours per month. The cost depends on your needs and
the VA you work with. Here is THAT COMPUTER LADY’s Rate Schedule.
Call us for a complimentary
consultation to share your ideas and the vision for your success, and ask
what it might cost to have THAT COMPUTER LADY partner with you. TOP
You’ll get more efficiency than you would with in-house staff. You’ll get
access to high-quality business support services. You’ll get a partner who
has a vested interest in the success of your business. You’ll also reclaim
valuable time to do what you do best, while leaving the administrative
responsibility to someone who does it better, cheaper, and more efficiently. TOP
A Virtual Assistant is a business owner who depends on repeat work and
referrals from other businesses. The more successful you are, the more you
will realize the benefits of outsourcing, which we hope you will share with
other businesses. If a VA’s client’s business starts to decline, she will
find her workflow diminished. You can be assured, therefore, that a VA
really does have your success as a top priority! TOP
You are not obligated to sign up for any set number of hours. Often
clients will hire a Virtual Assistant for one or two projects just as a
"trial run." Once you are satisfied with the service, and have a better
understanding of the volume of work you are interested in outsourcing, you
might want to take advantage of the reduced-rate retainer packages that many VAs
offer. You may, however, prefer to stick with the pay-as-you-go arrangement. TOP
The choice is YOURS! Just as there are administrative assistants in the
corporate world who have worked for the same employer for many years, the
same is true of Virtual Assistants. Your working relationship will be
totally dependent on your needs, goals, and desires. TOP
As you grow your business, sooner or later, you’ll find that you simply
can’t do everything! When you outsource those things that don’t need your
personal attention, you gain space and time in your life for an abundance of
other things. Business owners choose to work with VAs so they can reduce
stress, improve client or customer relationships, develop new products or
services, provide better customer service, or provide free time for family &
self. TOP
Virtual Assistance is recognized by a large number of professions as a
vital ingredient to the success and growth of their businesses. However, it
is not for everyone. To partner successfully with a Virtual Assistant you
need to:
have a clear vision and be able to communicate it clearly
be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things
be confident using email, the Internet, and instant messaging
recognize a Virtual Assistant as a partner, not an employee
be prepared to delegate with minimum supervision
be available to answer questions (especially in the early days) TOP
THAT COMPUTER LADY offers over 35 years
of administrative support, consulting, computer instruction, and customer
service. We are consistently developing our skills and growing in all areas
of business and in the latest technology. We love partnering with successful
clients, and we can’t wait to serve you! TOP
In addition to our extensive experience in the corporate world, we are
committed to providing you with a wide variety of services that will
contribute significantly to your business success. For a complete list of
what we can provide, visit Services
and Benefits.
We bring service, commitment, efficiency, focus and experience to our
mutually beneficial partnership so that we, along with our clients, can
enjoy the excitement of success! TOP
A needs assessment will be completed during our initial consultation,
which will help determine which tasks can be delegated and identify your
communication and work-style preferences. We will work together to ensure
that you are comfortable with all aspects of the partnership. We can
communicate by: Internet, phone, FAX, e-mail, U.S. mail, and overnight mail.
For local clients, in-person meetings are available. Our purpose is to help
you streamline and outsource administrative, clerical, technical and
personal tasks. TOP
THAT COMPUTER LADY will enter into a confidentiality agreement with you
prior to commencing work. We will not sell or disclose your personal
information nor use information obtained during the course of business for
personal gain. (see our Ethics Statement and our
Privacy/Confidentiality
Statement.) TOP
Although my office hours are 9:00a to 5:00p CST, Mon-Thurs, and 9:00a to
12:00 noon on Friday, I’m not always available during that time. Since I
work with many clients, I may need to be focused exclusively on their
projects for a block of time, just as I may need to be focused on yours at
certain times. If we need to schedule a project with a tight deadline, we
will need to discuss it at our weekly phone meeting to devise a plan to
complete the project on time. TOP
RUSH projects requiring a 24-hour or less turn-around are accepted based
upon our workload and availability during that time. Generally, urgent
projects can be turned around within 48 hours, depending on the size and
scope of the project. Whenever possible, we are committed to accommodating
last-minute work. These RUSH projects, however, are subject to an additional
fee. (see RATES & FEES) TOP
We trust that you will be fully satisfied with the final product based on
our specific agreement. As a matter of fact, we expect to surpass your
expectations! However; if the final product does not meet your expectations
or if it requires corrections, please communicate your concerns directly to
THAT COMPUTER LADY, and we will provide you with the additional services
needed to make sure the final product meets our agreement. Our mutually
satisfactory relationship is very important to us!
While THAT COMPUTER LADY does everything possible to ensure accuracy of
our work, final proofreading, compliance, and approval is the responsibility
of the client upon acceptance of our work. TCL is not responsible for any
errors or omissions found thereafter. TOP
Visit the Our Process page to take the next step. The process
begins with our complementary consultation to determine the best way for us
to work together. We will discuss what it is that you need assistance with
in your business, what your challenges might be, where you want to take your
business, and how we can go about making that happen.
A major component of our success will be our ability to communicate with
each other. The more open and straightforward we can be about the work, our
expectations, and our mutual goals, the more productive our partnership will
be for both of us. TOP
