What is a virtual assistant? And what are the benefits of using one?

In a nutshell

Quite simply put, a virtual assistant (or VA for short) is a PA/administrator/secretary who performs tasks remotely for the business that they are working with. VAs are usually self-employed contractors who often work for more than one client on a freelance basis, and I am one of these such VAs. This arrangement means that you (the client) can use me as flexibly as you want, arranging the quantity and frequency of the outsourced tasks as needed. 

The ‘virtual’ aspect of my job means that I can work remotely from you even if I’m in a different town or country to you, as all communication and work can be exchanged between us electronically. I’m also a VA that can provide on-site services if required, for example, when there are certain tasks that need to be done in your office, such as filing, or personal tasks such as house sitting.

Understandably, not everyone is familiar with the job of VAs, but it is currently a fast-growing industry, especially with more and more small businesses emerging and growing, finding themselves with more administration work to do, but needing a more cost-effective solution to deliver this. Both sole traders and multi-staff companies can and do benefit from the use of VAs in their businesses. And of course, the constant advances in technology make it entirely possible to work with people without ever having had to meet in person. Work and communication is exchanged between the VA and the client via email, cloud services, telephone, Skype, post, and any other preferred methods.

Benefits of using a VA

• No time or money spent recruiting a new employee – just contact me for a free consultation, and if we agree to work together, then we'll sign a freelancer contract and terms and conditions, and then I can start working for you as soon as possible
• No extra payroll costs, employee taxes, NI, holiday pay, sick pay, pensions or other employee benefits – you are simply just paying me to provide you with my services as and when you use them
• No recruitment agency fees – you just pay me directly for my services, and most importantly, there is no middle (wo)man and so you get a more personalised experience
• No need to provide me with an office, which can cost money in heating, electricity, work space, stationery, uniform, or tea and coffee – I can work from home using my own equipment and facilities
• Flexibility – I can do as many or as few tasks as you need me to do, and you can hire me on an ad-hoc or regular basis; whatever suits your business the best
• And most importantly, you will make more money if your hourly rate is higher than mine, because the time you were spending on doing tedious admin tasks has now been replaced with extra time to work on the business activities that you actually enjoy and that bring in the money – can't complain about that!

So you think you might need a VA, or simply want to find out more?

My LinkedIn profile displays a list of services that I offer, and you can also contact me at [email protected] to discuss in detail what I can do for you. Thank you for reading.