Businesses that need to employ people to do certain jobs can alternatively employ virtual assistant (VA) services for more efficient result. What is a virtual assistant? They are skilled people with high level of competency that either work for themselves or with a company to provide services to people that needs to accomplish certain task within their range of expertise.
Although there are many people who call themselves personal or virtual assistants on the internet these days, not all of them provide quality or efficient services. So it would be good to look for efficient virtual assistance through companies that have good track records.
Other VA points to note include:
1) There are also independent virtual assistants. There's no guarantee whether they would do well or not unless they have build up a reputation through their previous assignments and recommendations. So check out their resumes, experience, samples, etc.
2) A business may need virtual assistant service if there are processes that need to be accomplished but there's no available personnel in the company that match the required expertise to do it effectively. A competent virtual assistant will do the job efficiently at a cost lower than what a company would spend by hiring a people to do the job within the business organizational framework. Virtual Assistants usually do tasks that are not regularly done in the operation of business so hiring people is not a good choice. But even if the process is important to the business a virtual assistance would be cost-effective because the need to buy machines and equipments required to do the job will be eliminated.
3) Many industries employ virtual assistance in the operation of their business. Medical practitioners needs medical transcriptionist to accomplish their duties. Some virtual assistants are replaced by machines or software to do their jobs. There is a mechanical virtual assistant that helps decode voice in medical transcription. Accounting also uses virtual assistants in doing its jobs. There is also available software that could act as virtual assistant to business people that needs to do accounting jobs.
4) The ultimate goal of a virtual assistant is to provide efficient jobs at the least possible cost. Companies and individuals needing a specialized task would sometimes outsource your virtual assistant service requirements from other countries. There are countries that offer their services for much lower cost than in the US. Some of these virtual assistants can equal their US counterparts as far as efficiency is concerned. They are becoming more and more popular because of the low cost of service and mid to high level of efficiency.
Virtual Assistant Services provide people with a cost effective way of accomplishing their purpose whether in business or otherwise. The high rate of pay in the US compels people to look for alternative way of doing a job. The virtual assistants whether here or abroad offers a promising solution. Reduction of cost is made possible because virtual assistants are paid only for the jobs they made as opposed to the regular pay the conventional employee would get. Another great thing about virtual assistance is that they are classified as independent contractors and so their service would be considered tax deductible
Employ personal virtual assistant (VA) services for more efficient result
With the rise of Virtual Assistance and increasing workforce trends that allow workers flexibility of time and being with one's family when needed, the growth of remote/online workers have increased steadily throughout the years. People who used to think that a good job necessitates reporting to an office and staying in your cubicle the whole day, meeting set goals at the end of the day and being paid well for it are now realizing that this simply is not the only option. One CAN get a good job without being stuck in an office the whole day, get the job done and move on to other jobs and get good compensation - AND you can even spend time with your loved ones or take a break as often as you like without being called a slacker by your employers.
Virtual Assistants (VAs) appreciate this and are reaping the benefits of having regular work and having time to enjoy its rewards in the present.
What to think when hiring a virtual assistant in order to be well-recommended to clients?
First-off, having great administrative, communication and cyber skills are really important. Most of the tasks taken on by VAs are administrative in nature (whether it be on the professional or personal level of the clientele). Therefore, it helps when the VA has the organizational skills to manage the various administrative tasks in order to give the desired output to the client.
Being able to communicate well one's ideas and in the language of the clientele is of course conducive to better partnerships. There is less room for misunderstandings which may lead to dissatisfaction in the working relationship. VAs should also be quick in getting whatever the client is driving at. They must be intuitive and have the ability to read / hear what is both said and unsaid.
Cyber skills, of course, is a given considering that you are doing virtual work and the assumption goes that you have a fast and reliable internet connection. One must know how to utilize various internet offerings (such as emailing - knowing how to attach finished work and in what format, chatting for regular updates, etc.) in order to accomplish the task. Being computer-literate in terms of software usage (knowing which software to use) is important but even more so is the ability to command verifiable data from the internet. A VA who flounders around in researching and data-mining wastes valuable time.
Secondly, the VA must be a person who genuinely loves being of service to his clientele. Especially if the administrative work one does involves the personal life of the client, this quality is a premium. What the VA does is not just work but is a service to his client so that the client can concentrate on other things that are more important. The VA allows the client to balance his life priorities and rely on others so that he can relax and pursue more urgent things. If the VA considers his work as a service, he gets to appreciate his value and contributes better in the partnership. Thus, the VA must be pro-active and address whatever needs to be addressed as soon as possible. The client will appreciate the extra touch. It communicates concern.
Thirdly, the VA should be good in collaborative work. VAs may not possess all the skills needed in a particular task and they must be ready to accommodate others who may help them complete the task. Or their help may be requested by other VAs, therefore, they must be ready to build on what has previously been done before. VAs who work as teams are better able to handle bigger or more tasks and may counter-check one another to provide a more thorough output for the client. They can also get the job done faster and even jump in during busy periods.
The ability to collaborate is not just between VAs but also between the VA and his client. The relationship between the VA and his client is defined by collaborative support for the busy life of the client. This support transforms the VA to a resource that the client can often utilize to put order into the various aspects of his life.
Fourthly, the VA is also a continuing learner. In order to expand one's functions, the VA is continually looking for better ways, better software, and more skills to accomplish an increasing variation of tasks. This necessitates flexibility, openness to new things, and thoroughness in order to acquire expertise.
Increasing one's abilities cultivates a more lasting relationship that adjusts to the needs of clients. After all, this is a dynamic partnership. Ultimately, the goal of the VA is to help the client meet his goal.
Lastly, a VA is someone who is driven by a vision - of being able to do work that one loves, being compensated well for it, being respected for the service given and having time for a personal life as well. VAs should be proud of the work that they do, it is not just for stay-at-home people who choose to work when they need money or not when they don't need it. VAs are highly-skilled, focused, efficient professionals who have opted out of the rat race in order to enjoy a productive and balanced life.
The Virtual Assistant (VA) field is coming of age. More and more people are becoming familiar with the term Virtual Assistant; however, they are unsure about the significance of hiring a virtual assistant. Whether you are a large business or a one man shop, there are several advantages to working with a VA. In this economy, businesses are trying to keep down their overhead costs. One of the biggest benefits of hiring a Virtual Assistant is cost savings. Here are five different ways a VA can save you money.
- Only pay for the work you need, when you need it. Working with a VA allows flexibility since they work with your schedule. Whether you need a set number of hours per month or help with a seasonal project, a VA can assist you. Imagine cutting back on overtime! Outsourcing your overflow or specialized work directly to a VA is cost effective.
- Minimize overhead costs. Hiring a full time employee comes with a list of overhead costs that include benefits, vacation/sick time, office space, and equipment. There are no overhead costs when working with a VA. Since they are a business owner and independent contractor they have their own home office and equipment needed to get the job done.
- No down time or training expense for specialized skills. If you need a specific skill or expertise for a project, hire a Virtual Assistant that has the skills you need. Working with a VA allows you to get the job done without the extra expense of employee down time and training costs.
- No agency fees. Temp agencies usually charge an agency fee to work with them. While using a temp is one way to augment your staff, there is no guarantee you will get the same person each time you need help. Working with a VA allows you to partner with the same person for consistency and at the same time gain valuable knowledge of you and your business needs.
- Delegate the small stuff. Do you spend nights and weekends trying to keep up with your administrative type tasks? Why not outsource those items to a VA? Hiring a Virtual Assistant to accomplish these tasks is a win-win. The tasks get completed and it gives you time to concentrate on the things most important to you. Like growing your business or spending time with family and friends.
