Top 7 Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Assistant
February 5th, 2010 |
Even though virtual assistants have been around since the beginning of the 21st century, most companies are still mired in the outdated institution of a conventional office assistant. When you consider that your business could save thousands of dollars a year simply by hiring a virtual assistant, it’s surprising that more managers don’t default to this efficient and cost-effective choice. If you haven’t yet contemplated hiring a virtual assistant, these top 7 benefits should give you food for thought.
1.Pay only for what you need
Is the sight of your bored assistant gazing out the window depressingly familiar? Your virtual assistant starts the clock only when actually working on your projects. Many assistants will send you a time log with the completed tasks detailed so that you can feel confident you’re being billed fairly.
2.Benefit from a broad skill-set
With traditional assistants, when you run into a task that’s outside of their skill-set, you’re stuck with doing it yourself or hiring yet another employee. Virtual assistants typically have a broader skill-set. If they can’t handle a certain aspect of a project, they will simply outsource behind the scenes at no additional cost.
3.Enjoy on-the-go assistance
Are you tired of reimbursing meal expenses or paying for an extra flight to out-of-town conferences? A virtual assistant is there no matter if you’re working from home, attending a seminar in Japan, or brainstorming ideas on the golf course. You save money and can work without interrupting the flow.
4.Save on health benefits
Hiring a full time assistant generally means adding yet another employee to the office health care package and providing additional perks. Most assistants are contractors, meaning they provide their own health care, or they work for a virtual assistant company, which then sells you the service for a fixed rate.
5.Say goodbye to sick day excuses
Have you ever gotten a phone call from a sneezing and sniffling assistant the morning of an important deadline, letting you know that your report won’t be completed in time? Since all your projects are only a click away, being bedridden doesn’t keep virtual assistants from doing their job.
6.Count on reliable service
If you need assistance on a part-time basis, you may have used temp agencies in the past. Unfortunately, temps are not known for their reliability. In addition, irregular comings and goings disrupt other employees’ routines. Assistants pride themselves on quiet reliability, whether you use them 5 hours a week or 30.
7.Eliminate office drama
Every extra body in an office adds a new element to the personal dynamic. An assistant’s abrasive personality may turn off clients or annoy other employees. By contrast, it doesn’t matter whether your virtual assistant is a ray of sunshine or a grouch as long as error-free projects are delivered on time.
