What is a Virtual Assistant? Here’s Everything You Need to Know.

If you’ve ever looked into ways to get help for your agency, you’ve probably come across a few different options such as hiring a new employee, working with a freelancer, or using a virtual assistant. Virtual assistants tend to be a popular option, with a Statista survey showing that 45% of those surveyed use a virtual assistant daily, and 27% use them several times per month. You may have also have found that there are different ways to hire virtual assistants. The best way to ensure you work with a reliable virtual assistant is by hiring one through a virtual assistant agency.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant is someone you can pass off tasks to in order to give you time back to focus on more impactful tasks. Tasks can range from simpler things like managing your calendar or responding to emails, to more complex tasks like having them establish SOPs for your business or monitor the status of your projects. The key here is that you’re delegating tasks to allow yourself more time for other business-critical projects and initiatives.

For example, if you could pass along all your calendar management to someone else, you could use the time you used to spend doing that task to meet with more potential clients and bring in more business. The time is yours to spend however you see fit, and you will have peace of mind knowing that the basic operations are still running smoothly.

What is a Virtual Assistant Agency?

A virtual assistant agency is a company that provides virtual assistants for other businesses or agencies. The virtual assistants within the agency often operate at a higher level since the agency will fully vet and train them before sending them to work with clients. For this reason, a virtual assistant agency is one of the most secure ways to hire a fully vetted virtual assistant. Since the virtual assistants are already trained in many tools, it will likely take less time for them to onboard into your agency.

A virtual assistant agency is also able to provide you with a virtual assistant tailored for your specific business needs, and the agency will be there if any issues do come up. The virtual assistant agency will manage the virtual assistant and take action on any performance issues. They also often have a satisfaction guarantee you can rely on, so it’s a lower risk for you. In an unlikely scenario where the first virtual assistant isn’t a fit, or even if an emergency comes up, a virtual assistant agency has the flexibility to reassign you a different virtual assistant right away.

What’s important to look for in a Virtual Assistant Agency?

There are a few key things to keep in mind when looking for a virtual assistant agency provider to ensure you have a positive experience and see a business impact.

Vetting Process

Does the agency let anyone join as a virtual assistant? How do they verify the virtual assistants have the experience they say they do? Ask them about how they vet their candidates. The purpose of a virtual assistant company is to do a lot of that upfront work for you, so make sure that’s actually happening so you don’t end up taking it on yourself.

Training Program

Is there a specific project management tool your virtual assistant will need to know their way around? Do you need someone who can work with spreadsheets? Ask your virtual assistant provider what tools their virtual assistants are trained in. If they don’t have any type of training program, that might be a red flag that the agency won’t be as committed to your business as you are.

Cost

Does the cost include all the services you’re looking for? A virtual assistant through a virtual assistant agency might cost a bit more, but remember that the slight increase in cost covers a variety of items from performance management, replacement policy, and satisfaction guarantee. Ensure your virtual assistant provider clearly addresses everything they will take care of as part of the costs of their service.

Final Thoughts

A virtual assistant is a great way to continue to expand your business for a reasonable cost. A virtual assistant company will help ensure a flawless transition of work to the right candidate so you can focus on the things that matter most to you.