Do You Really Need A Virtual PA?
Tired of working long hours? Need more time away from your desk? A virtual PA could help, but do beware of the possible snags.
By now, you’ve probably seen online adverts for virtual PAs. Also known as virtual assistants or VAs, these administrative positions involve remotely managing anything from one person’s diary to a whole company’s sales leads and admin. An entire industry has sprung up around admin services on the web, but is a virtual PA something from which you could benefit?
Not so Live and In Person
It’s important to appreciate from the outset that a virtual PA is far not in-line with the concept of a conventional full-time team member. Firstly, they won’t be a direct employee of your firm. Secondly, they’ll divide their working weeks between several clients. And thirdly, they won’t be able to welcome clients or physically ‘man’ a reception desk. The people behind this burgeoning industry are typically looking for flexible hours and the ability to work from home.
Of course, that’s not such a big deal in the age of cloud computing. It makes sense for staff to operate remotely when everything from software packages to telephony is hosted over the internet. Virtual PAs can harness a spectrum of modern communication tools, from networked diaries and intranets to VoIP calls and video conferencing. Some offer communications services like blogging and social media management, though the quality and tone of voice will vary widely from one assistant to the next.
Prevent Burn-Out
A virtual PA can handle duties that simply get in the way of building a brand, or which detract from the enjoyable aspects of being an entrepreneur. Anyone working over 45 hours a week could probably benefit from some administrative assistance. Virtual PAs are highly adept at time-management techniques, and they can introduce operational efficiencies capable of providing long-term benefits. They’re usually experienced office professionals with good admin skills and familiarity with the latest business practices. They won’t need long to acclimatize to your company’s way of doing things either.
The financial advantages of virtual PAs also deserve consideration, since these remote-working freelancers incur lower overheads than in-house staff. This improves cost-effectiveness, particularly as few people really need a full-time assistant. Contracts typically bill per productive hour, and can be terminated with ease. Employee costs like sick leave and holiday cover are abolished, even with a PA at your disposal 52 weeks a year. Procrastination can be prevented through time sheets, tracking software or task deadlines.
How to Sign Up
It’s advisable to choose a service based in your country, since time zone differences can cause communication problems. There are many budget VA agencies in India, whose quality may be as low as those ultra-cheap hourly rates. Indigenous services tend to deliver a far higher level of service, though this might involve several people with their own writing styles and working techniques. Relying on more than one VA could compound confidentiality issues involving sensitive documents or classified activities, depending on your industry.
Be Diligent
A drawback is the attrition rate among virtual PAs. Agencies encourage long-term employment, but the flexible hours and fluctuating workloads of a typical role mean turnover is often significant. You should prepare for this. You may take more time than you’d like having to onboard yet another member of the team. There’s little opportunity to develop a rapport with a remote freelancer, and staff turnover can affect the overall consistency of service. That’s especially true if you’re the sort of person who likes everything done in a certain way.
Nevertheless, there are plenty of reasons why time-poor professionals could benefit from a virtual PA – not least being able to focus on the activities that inspire their firm’s creation…