What is a Virtual Assistant, and do I need one?

by Hannah du Plessis

Do you have a long “to do” list? In fact, so long you cannot imagine ever getting to the end of it, and keep adding to it every day? If so, you need a Virtual Assistant.

A Virtual Assistant is an independent contractor operating from own fully-equipped office. A VA provides administrative support and specialised business services by email, fax, phone, mail and courier. A Virtual Assistant is not only deskbound, but she is available if necessary on-site for minute-taking at meetings. She helps individuals, small businesses and larger companies, and assists with one-off or ongoing projects

Here are the top reasons to hire a Virtual Assistant:

ü Your Virtual Assistant will meet your needs. If you have an employee you often have to meet their needs.

ü Since they bill their work in hours, you are not paying for personal phone calls, late arrivals, lunch time, tea time, idle chatter, childcare crises, or sick time.

ü You have even more savings are because the Virtual Assistant’s Services are tax deductible as a business expense. Also you don’t have the headaches of payroll taxes, ACC levy’s, compensation insurance, and no workers unions.

ü You don’t need extra space in your house or office. You also don’t have the extra costs involved for setting up an office and all the equipment needed for an extra employee.

ü You're more in control, because your working relationship is based upon a contractual agreement whereby you specify exactly what you want.

ü Just like you, your Virtual Assistant is in the entrepreneurial boat. They work at home, market their services, prospect for clients, and provide a service. They are for that reason often well resourced and have contacts that you might need. For example, if you have a function coming up and need catering done, your Virtual Assistant already has a contact that she can just call. No need for you to do the legwork.

ü You will find other unexpected savings: A Virtual Assistant can whip up a website for you at a fraction of the cost of professional web designers.

ü A Virtual Assistant cares about her business as she depends on happy clients for word of mouth advertising. Compare that to a salaried employee working for you who does not worry too much about presentation because you are there to make sure it is done right.

If you have good communication with your Virtual Assistant, there will be no surprises. You can first hire her on a “per project” basis, and if you are happy with her services, you can go more full time. A good Virtual Assistant will have a rate card for you to see how you will get billed. A good Virtual Assistant also has a portfolio of some of the work she has completed for other business owners. You will then have an idea of the standard of her work. Having someone who cares about your business and helps with your overflow should be a win/win situation. It will free you up to do more tasks that put money in your pocket and in this way will pay for itself.

Hannah du Plessis is a Virtual Assistant