Are You Ready for a Virtual Assistant?Virtual assistance is a fast-growing industry. If you've never used a VA before, it's understandable that you may have concerns about the relationship. Below are some very common concerns. If yours aren't addressed, please feel free to email your questions to .
- Am I a good candidate for working with a VA?
- What commitments will my VA make to the Client/VA relationship?
- What commitments will I make to the Client/VA relationship?
- Can I afford VA services?
- Will my work be treated confidentially?
- Will my VA also work with my competitors?
- Will it slow my work down if my VA and I are in different states or countries?
- I'm uncomfortable with delegating my work to a stranger.
- How do I know I'll get quality work?
- How will we communicate?
- What if it doesn't work out?
Am I a good candidate for working with a VA?
Not everyone will work well with a VA. Some of those who probably won't be comfortable in the Client/VA relationship are:
- Micro-Manager - a person who must dictate every step of every function
- Non-Delegator - Person who believes that it's better/easier to do things themselves
- Procrastinator - Tends to operate on "Why do it today when it can wait 'til tomorrow"
- Technophobes - Learning about computers/internet makes this person cringe
VA's are business owners with multiple clients and the ability to service all of them well depends on technological ease, a high degree of trust and the ability to work efficiently and seamlessly together. Without these qualities, the client and the VA attempting to serve them would both soon be frustrated. However, if you don't see yourself in the above tendencies, the VA Services may very well be your solution.
What commitments will my VA make to me?
- High confidentiality
- A vested interest in your success
- Respect for you, your business and your time
- Quality work products
- Continuous improvement in the skills necessary to serve you
- Timely turnaround of work products
- Open and honest communication
- Reasonable rates and ethical time reporting
What commitments will I make to the relationship?
- Timely turnaround of information requests and work products/supplies
- To understand & respect that your VA is an independent business person, not your employee
- Cooperation in doing your part to set up the selected tools for communication and to establish the work product transfer procedures
- Complete a signed work agreement for each per-hour project or a fixed term retainer agreement for retainer packages
- Prompt payment of all invoices
Can I afford VA services?
The first question usually asked is "how much do you charge". We wish it were as easy as just quoting an hourly fee, but with the diverse range of Affinity's services and the uniqueness of each potential client's business, each opportunity needs to be discussed and individually quoted. However, Affinity is sensitive to your need to know up front if VA fees will fit into your budget. Following is a simple method for determining a ball park estimate of what your VA services might cost. This method does not take into account possible discounts, changing work/project scopes, or reimbursable expenses.
Start out by making two lists.
The first list will contain all of the on-going monthly administrative functions that you currently handle (include those that need doing, but that you just can't seem to get around to).
The second list should contain all the one-time projects that are constantly on your mind, but have yet to be done.
Next, for each list, determine approximately how many hours per month you currently spend (or think you would spend) on each function or the total number of hours to complete each project.
Then, prioritize each item on both lists in order of how important it is to you personally and to the growth of your business for you to get out from under a particular function or project quickly.
Once you have the prioritized lists, you're ready to determine if: 1) You want to start out with one or more of the most important projects on a per-hour fee, or 2) You wish to enter a retainer agreement for so many hours of work for a set fee, usually discounted from the per-hour fee. If you decide to go on a retainer agreement, then your lists will help you maximize the retainer hours over the work most important to you.
Finally, multiply the estimated hours of the functions or project you select for completion by an average VA base rate of $50 per hour. (In reality, VA services range from base rates of $35.00 - $75.00 per hour, based on niche market and specialization.) This will give you an ESTIMATION of what your VA budget may be. This estimate only covers VA hours and does not include any reimbursable expenses (i.e. work/project-related supplies, express mailing costs, postage, etc.) which are billed to the client. Also, remember that the base rate is a factoring number only. Actual hourly rates may be slightly lower or higher and will be quoted based on your specific project or work scope. Affinity Virtual Assistance currently uses a base rate of $40.00 per hour for fee and discount calculations.
Will my work be treated confidentially?
Absolutely! At Affinity, we take signed confidentiality agreements very seriously. In our private environment, there is no chance that anyone else will see any information you provided us to do your work or the work we perform for you. We will also not discuss your work with anyone else, unless we have your permission to discuss it with additional vendors necessary to complete the work.
Will my VA also work with my competitors?
If you ask us not to work for a specific competitor, we will do our best to honor that request. However, in our private environment, there is no chance that anyone else will see any information you provide us to do your work or see the work we perform for you. We will also not discuss your work with anyone else, unless we have your permission to discuss it with additional vendors necessary to complete the work. In addition, our own integrity would keep us from sharing with either company anything we learned from our association with the other company. Your company is safe with Affinity!
Will it slow my work down if my VA and I are in different states or countries?
Not in most cases. In fact, because a VA is proficient in the use of technology, most communications and work transfer can be very real-time, via internet and email. If the client is not comfortable with the on-line communications options, or when work must be shipped in hard-copy form, turn-around time is only limited by the delivery times of express mail companies, i.e. FedEx and UPS.
I'm uncomfortable with delegating my work to a stranger.
This is understandable, but the way a VA supports you best is by developing a close working relationship with you and by learning your work style and preferences. As an independent contractor, your VA has a vested interest in doing your work your way. Also, Affinity is interested in a long-term partnership with you, so we will be here for this one project and will still be here when you're ready to do the next project, retaining all the knowledge of how you like things done. Hiring a Temporary is also hiring a stranger who, once trained, will in all likelihood never be available again. It might be uncomfortable in the initial stage, but we are confident that you will quickly gain confidence in Affinity's services.
How do I know I'll get quality work?
Affinity Virtual Solutions was founded on career experience of increasingly responsible and executive caliber work spanning over 20+ years. A natural affinity and years of experience with computer technology also ensures that your work will be handled with competence and speed. See ABOUT US for more information.
How will we communicate?
How we will communicate depends totally on your comfort level with technology. A telephone and the ability to send and receive emails with attachments are basic requirement for each client. For our clients who hate their computer as much as they hate paying taxes, then basic file transfer can be done via email (file size permitting) or via CD mailed to your office. If you love technology, then we also have the options of internet meetings via Microsoft NetMeeting; real-time chats via MSN Messenger; as well as payment and document transfer via Affinity's website.
What if it doesn't work out?
It happens. Some people click.some don't. Administrative needs change. If you begin to feel that Affinity is not the VA service for you, it's possible we may be thinking the same thing. However, it may be that we are simply not aware that we are not meeting your expectations, so we ask that you first communicate honestly with us about your concerns and/or issues. It's possible that a simple procedural change or other adjustment could restore your enjoyment of our services. If you still feel that Affinity is not the right fit for you, we simple ask that you honor the two (2) month minimum required with new retainer plans and give us written notice prior to the first day of the last month of your prepaid services that you plan to discontinue our services.
Seattle Times
"The Seattle Times hired a professional life coach to help a busy, busy guy ease the overwork and over-scheduling that plagues his life, and what did the coach do? Among other things, the coach suggested that Bob work with a VA!"