Virtual Assistants are beginning to make themselves indispensable to businesses of all sizes. In a survey conducted 67% of small businesses reported that they have hired a Virtual Assistant[i] to help with various tasks.
If you had asked me years ago what a Virtual Assistant was, I probably would have told you I don’t have a clue. If you asked any of my family and friends what I do for a living today, they would probably tell you the same thing.
To be fair to those who are a little confused, the term ‘Virtual Assistant’ hasn’t done itself any favours. It has lent itself to AI digital assistants such as Alexa or Siri while the name itself is far too close to ‘Personal Assistant’.
So, for those who want the quick and simple answer about what a Virtual Assistant is…
A Virtual Assistant, or VA as we like to call ourselves in this abbreviation-loving life we lead, is an individual who provides various administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients remotely. Unlike traditional employees, Virtual Assistants typically work from their own location and communicate with clients via email, phone calls, video conferencing, and other online tools.
There are a wide variety of Virtual Assistant services for businesses (which is where this starts to get slightly confusing!), including but not limited to email management, diary management, data entry, social media management, content writing, graphic design, and customer support.
That’s what Virtual Assistants do then?
Not quite! While it is true that VAs share a common set of administrative support skills and the most outsourced tasks to Virtual Assistants include:
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- Administrative support (65%)
- Social media management (55%)
- Email management (48%)
Virtual Assistants can do so much more. VAs increasingly provide more specialist skills and expertise, including:
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- Marketing
- Graphic design
- Web development
- Project management
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So can i hire a virtual assistant instead of a ‘specialist’?
You may be asking the question “well if Virtual assistants can do all of these tasks and I need someone to build me a new website, can I just get a VA to do it rather than a web developer?”. Well again, possibly but not necessarily. It very much depends on what you need and the skills of the individual VA. Let me explain using our website example above. I could build you a website using web building tools such as Elementor, Squarespace, Wix etc. It would look pretty good and function very well in most cases. However, if you wanted a completely bespoke site with unusual creative elements, custom animations, and performance for potentially hundreds of thousands of interactions a day then a specialist Web Developer would probably be a better option.
The truth is most of the time VA’s are excellent generalists that can perform a variety of tasks but they probably won’t be comparable to the ‘specialists’. Remember a bookkeeper and an accountant both with with numbers but don’t perform all of the same functions! The only way to really know what is the best option is to define your requirements, look at all of the options and potentially speak to a few VA’s and specialists.
In this VA’s opinion, The Virtual Assistant has grown into a catch-all term for a wide variety of freelancers that support businesses remotely. In fact, it is my personal belief the role has evolved into something more akin to a ‘remote contractor’.
Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Assistant for Clients and VA’s
According to a survey, there had been a 173% increase in remote work between 2005 and 2018[ii]. As more and more people show a penchant for more flexible working, there must be advantages for both freelancer and client.
Advantages for Virtual Assistants:
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- Flexibility: Virtual Assistants have the freedom to work from anywhere in the world, allowing them to create a schedule that suits their lifestyle and preferences.
- Variety of Work: Virtual Assistants have the opportunity to work on diverse projects for different clients, gaining exposure to various industries and expanding their skill set.
- Independence: Virtual Assistants have the autonomy to manage their own workload, set their own rates, and choose the clients and projects they want to work on.
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Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Assistant for Clients:
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- Cost-Effectiveness: Hiring a Virtual Assistant can be more cost-effective than hiring a full-time employee, as clients only pay for the hours worked or the specific services rendered.
- Access to Talent: Virtual Assistants offer access to a global pool of talent, allowing clients to find the expertise they need regardless of geographical location.
- Scalability: Virtual Assistants provide scalability, allowing clients to scale up or down their support as needed without the constraints of hiring and firing employees.
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Wrapping Up
As the world continues to embrace remote work and businesses seek more flexible and efficient solutions, the role of Virtual Assistants is expected to evolve significantly in the coming years. With advancements in technology such as artificial intelligence and automation, Virtual Assistants may become even more integral to businesses, providing not only administrative support but also strategic insights, data analysis, and decision-making assistance. Additionally, as the gig economy expands and remote work becomes the norm, Virtual Assistants may transition into more specialized roles, offering niche expertise and becoming essential members of remote teams. Ultimately, the future of Virtual Assistants lies in their adaptability, versatility, and ability to evolve with the changing needs of businesses in the digital age.
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[i] Source: Virtudesk
[ii] Source: Global Workplace Analytics