- No need to increase your office space
- No need to buy any hardware/software
- No need to hire any full-time employees
- No need to worry about sick leaves
- No need to worry about employee benefits
- No need to worry about high salaries
Even though most employers pay Virtual Assistants more per hour than they would pay employees to do the same work, it usually ends up costing employers more to hire employees. When you hire an employee, you will have to pay a number of expenses that you don’t have to pay for Virtual Assistants. The table below illustrates the differences in costs associated with full-time employees versus a Virtual Assistant. By converting full-time jobs into virtual jobs, you can save a lot of money while still meeting your daily requirements. You save the cost of benefits and overhead that would have to be applied to an employee’s wage. Because Virtual Assistants are usually more experienced, more efficient, and better connected than the employee, you’ll need to devote far less time to the project to get the same results. No more paying for socializing, extended lunches, or smoke breaks. Your employee’s 8-hour day can be crunched into 4 hours with a Virtual Assistant. Simply put, you should contract with a Virtual Assistant because it is more cost effective and Virtual Assistants go above and beyond the normal assistant’s duties to impact their own productivity.
Advice
A competent Virtual Assistant should allow you to conduct a background check on them. Additionally, they should provide you with a signed contract, such as an Independent Services Agreement to safeguard your company against any direct or indirect disclosure of sensitive information regarding customer lists, contacts, financial and sales data, supply sources, business opportunities for new or developing business plans, passwords, or trade secrets. It is imperative that confidentiality is maintained while working with a Virtual Assistant.
In case you choose to hire a worker from another country, it is essential to familiarize yourself with any cultural differences that exist in their country. Workers from foreign countries may be more inclined to accept a project at a much lower rate, even if it exceeds their capabilities, as they may have difficulty refusing. While English may be commonly spoken in some of the major countries that supply Virtual Assistants, it is unwise to assume that your potential Virtual Assistant is entirely fluent in English or any other language that you may require. It is better to approach the search process with the assumption that they are not fluent.
Look for a clear and concise response to your job posting or request. The candidate should describe their skills and experience in detail and how they align with your requirements. Set a timeframe for your requests and ensure that it is clearly communicated to your Virtual Assistant. If, for example, you need assistance with internet-based research or answering emails, specify how long your Virtual Assistant should spend on the project and request a progress report. This will enable both of you to keep track and identify any obstacles in the work process.