Virtual Assistance 101 - Part Four - Benefits

Thus far we have discussed what a Virtual Assistant is, what a Virtual Assistant can do and how much a Virtual Assistant costs. Today I’d like to discuss the benefits of working with a Virtual Assistant.

There are many tangible and not so tangible benefits of working with a VA. For clarity’s sake I am going to break them up into expenses, availability, resources and other benefits.

Expenses:

When you partner with a VA, you are freed from paying many “hidden” costs of hiring a part-time or full-time employee. For example:

• You do not have to pay for benefits such as health and dental insurance, sick or vacation time, or holidays.
• You do not have to provide office space in your home or equipment for the employee to use.
• You don’t have to deal with social security taxes, FICA taxes, unemployment taxes or worker’s compensation insurance. Nor do you have to deal with complying with the OSHA regulations, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act or the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
• You don’t have to worry about all the legal responsibilities that come with in-house employees.

Availability:

Some potential clients are concerned about the fact that Virtual Assistants aren’t always available or won’t be at there “beck and call.” While that is true, there is a benefit for the client:

• You don’t pay for breaks or downtime, so you only pay for the time spent working on your business.
• Very often Virtual Assistants put systems in place eliminating most emergencies and the need for immediate availability.

Resources:

Another concern for potential clients is the possible lack of resources to a Virtual Assistant. What if the client needs something done that the Virtual Assistant isn’t expert at or doesn’t offer?

• AssistU VAs have access to a tremendous community that offers a wide range of resources.
• Most AssistU VAs develop a team of experts to have recourse to when needed.
• Even though a VA can’t possibly offer every service there is, she will either find a way to get the task done or lead you to someone who can.

Other Benefits:

There are many other benefits that clients don’t think about. Many of them are intangible and often overlooked. Here is a small sample of other benefits to clients:

• Many employees are great; and yet, most are not invested in the success of their employer. There are those who do what they have to in order to get a paycheck and go home. When you partner with a VA, however, you partner with a business owner who is dedicated to your success.
• You can have the peace of mind knowing that all the details of running your business is being taken care of while you focus on what is priority for you.
• If you and your business relocate, you won’t have the hassle of trying to hire and train a new employee. There is no space or even time boundaries with Virtual Assistants, you can work together from anywhere.
• Partnering with a Virtual Assistant can accelerate your business growth by allowing you to focus your time developing relationships with new clients and improving relationships with current clients.
• You no longer have to work in isolation. Your VA is there to be a sounding board, confidant and idea generator.
• With the help of a Virtual Assistant you can find balance in your life - enabling you to take that much needed vacation, having more time with family and friends, and gaining the ability to finally focus on fulfilling your lifelong dreams.

There are many more benefits for working with a Virtual Assistant, but I hope you find this sampling helpful.

In the final two installments of this series I will discuss who should and shouldn’t (yes there are those who shouldn’t work with a VA!) partner with a Virtual Assistant; and then, I will discuss the ins and outs of choosing a Virtual Assistant.

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