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Virtually Yours: What Can Virtual Assistants Do for You?

You’ve probably heard of a virtual assistant before, but what is it exactly? Is it some kind of artificial intelligence out of a science fiction movie? While that would undoubtedly be awesome, a virtual assistant, or VA, is simply someone who provides administrative work while working remotely or outside of a client’s office. This type of assistant is typically a contractor that you can communicate with through the Internet or on the phone.

As you grow your business and expand your team, you would find yourself having to deal with more and more administrative tasks which can cut into your productivity. This is where a virtual assistant can come in to help you. So, let’s talk a bit more about virtual assistants before you decide to hire one of your own.

What are the advantages of having a virtual assistant?

  • A VA can handle the routine administrative work. They can organize your calendar, set up meetings with clients, file paperwork, and even triage your email so you only get to read the most important or urgent messages. With a VA, you don’t have to fuss over filing documents. Your virtual assistant can organize your digital files and keep things under control.
  • A VA can free up your time. With a virtual assistant handling everyday tasks, you get your time back so you can focus on your own productivity. You would no longer have to worry about the daily paperwork or other administrative stuff, leaving you free to do your job minus a few causes of unnecessary stress.
  • A VA can coordinate the activities of a team. When you’re working with a team of other professionals, things can quickly become disorganized when you don’t have someone overseeing your different schedules and activities. A virtual assistant can help to keep everyone on track and serve as the one source of verifiable information for everybody on the team.
  • A VA can prepare documents, presentation materials, etc. From time to time, you’re going to need marketing materials like brochures and posters, and when you work on your own, you’ll have to create those yourself. With a virtual assistant, though, you can delegate these tasks and simply provide guidelines regarding designs and details, so you can focus on your own tasks.

What are the disadvantages of having a virtual assistant?

  • You would need to train an inexperienced person before they can fully take on the responsibilities of a VA. When you hire a virtual assistant who’s not fully familiar with your type of business, you would need to expend some effort in teaching them the ins and outs of your industry. This will take time, but it’s an investment that’s worth making because the training will help them to do better at their job.
  • You would need to add additional steps to your process or work. If you’re used to doing things your way, you’ll have to adjust to having someone supporting you. Your VA is there to help you with your work, and you need to trust each other to do your jobs well. Set up a system that will help you work well together to make your partnership a success.
  • You would need to verify or check up on the VA’s work. Since your virtual assistant doesn’t work in your office, you need to take more time in checking their work and making sure that they’re doing the job well. You might have to schedule regular online meetings with them so you can catch up on what they’re doing. This may seem like an inconvenience at first, but once you’ve got a settled routine, then it’ll just become part of a typical workday.

Now that you’ve learned what a VA can do for you, as well as the time and effort it would take to make the most of one, are you going to hire your own virtual assistant?