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F.A.Q's
So, what exactly is a Virtual Assistant? I'll firstly tell you what a Virtual Assistant is not! A V.A. is NOT an employee or a temp. A V.A. is business-owner - a highly skilled professional with a wide range of experience in different areas and who has decided that working for oneself is the only way to go. They offer services traditionally provided by employed office staff, but rather than concentrate on one area, they are skilled in several, so in a V.A., you're not just getting a typist, but a P.A., receptionist, marketing executive, accounts clerk, graphic designer and more!
A V.A. works at building an ongoing relationship with you, your other employees (if applicable) and your clients, so whether you use our services regularly, or just call on us every once in a while, you know you are getting a cost-effective, professional and (virtual) friendly face!
How can you do my work when you're not in my office and not even local to me? Easily! V.A.'s make use of all forms of communication - regular mail, telephone, fax email and internet - in order to take your instruction, receive and return your work. We can take dictation over the phone, or you can email or post your transcription work (audio or written notes). A simple divert, or a line into my office, means that I can answer your incoming calls with your usual greeting; send me your receipts once a month and I will complete your purchase ledger; a full brief over the phone or by email and sending me relevant pictures, graphics, logo's etc. will enable me to design your advertising or website ... look through the list of services to the left to find out more about how each individual task works.
What sort of businesses / people can benefit from using a V.A.? Anyone can - that's the beauty of it!
I can do one-off projects, regular work (handle all the admin, accounting and advertising for a smaller company for a couple of hours per week) or irregular work (call me instead of a temp to handle your extra or overflow work) - basically, tell me what you need and chances are I will be able to oblige!
You don't have to provide a workstation, equipment, support, pension, deal with payroll (including those costly N.I. contributions) or worry about health & safety aspects. On top of that, you don't have to pay for breaks, sick time, holidays, uniform / specialised clothing. (If you would like to find out exactly what you pay a permanent employee in the UK, check out this form).
A V.A. only charges you for the actual work that they do and occasionally for charges incurred (such as postage on large mail outs) so you know exactly what you are paying at all times. I use a piece of software called Time Stamp and a daily task sheet, which means that I can calculate exactly how much time I spend on a project - you won't be paying for any time I spend on anything other than working directly on your project.
As an experienced professional with excellent organisational skills, I work quickly and efficiently, and as I work alone, I have no distractions, thus cutting down on time spent on your project and keeping your costs as low as possible.
Rather than having to train up a series of temps every time you want something done, regular use of the same Virtual Assistant means consistency a) in the work and b) for you, your clients and other employees (if applicable)
How do I know you would be any good working with me? Simple - interview me! We may not be able to meet face to face, but a good long chat over the phone should give you all the information you need. If you're still not sure if you would be comfortable using my services for your important work, then try the service out with something simpler and take it from there. I welcome questions, and would rather you were happy before we began than encounter problems later.
How long will it take you to complete my task? I will estimate, based on your brief, how long your task will take and this will be noted on the booking form I will ask you to sign. I will always inform you if, for any reason, this is likely to change. For most administrative tasks, I offer a 48 hour turnaround, however if I am not too busy, I can usually do smaller tasks straight away. I can complete urgent work for you immediately, although it might attract a slight surcharge. People who have an ongoing contract with me for a set amount of hours each week or month can expect their work to be completed the same day for all tasks set before 3.30pm and estimated to take maximum of 1 hour.
Wouldn't it be cheaper to hire a part-time employee or temp? Simply put - NO! Did you take a look at the employee costing form I mentioned earlier? Employees are very expensive, and chances are you wouldn't be able to find an employee or temp that can offer you the range of experience I or another V.A. can.
Even on top of the agency fee, temps may have a lower hourly rate than a V.A, but you are still lumbered with providing a workstation, equipment, breaks etc and training them up. Can you be sure how much of their time is actively spent on working and are you confident that they are fully experienced and working accurately and quickly? You may pay a few pounds less per hour for a temp, but it may take them twice as long to get the job done!
I run my own business, and do all my own admin and accounting at the moment - do I need a V.A? Well ... how much value do you put on your time? While you are plugging away at your admin, could you be earning money? Do you find yourself working on your accounts in the evening and at weekends, missing out on leisure time with your friends and family? Leave it up to me and get on with what you do best - earning money and living your life!
How secure / confidential is your service? Extremely! In terms of security, I run two different anti-virus software on my computer; I back up all my work individually as I go along to floppy disc, and overall once weekly to CD-ROM.
In terms of confidentiality, I have a policy of not discussing my work in detail with anyone. My computer is password protected as are the important files. I am more than happy to sign a standard non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement if required.
Tell me a bit more about yourself ... Thanks for asking! Please click here to go to the page that's all about me!
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like to find out more!
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