Virtual world, virtual reality, virtual offices . . . in
today's high-tech environment, it seems everything is going
virtual. Even the office assistant: In case you haven't heard,
virtual assistants (VAs) are one of the latest must-haves to hit
the modern entrepreneurial arsenal.
VAs-that is, independent contractors who handle clients'
noncore support needs via e-mail, fax and phone-go far beyond the
traditional role of temporary employees or even business support
services. In fact, as entrepreneurs themselves, they have vested
interests in their clients' success. Typically, they become
integral parts of their clients' businesses, handling a wide
range of duties like basic administrative support, accounting
services, human resource assistance, concierge services,
collections, sales and marketing support, research and more. They
generally charge by the hour: anywhere from $20 to $45. But on the
plus side, you pay only for the time they actually spend working
for you, and you don't incur any other employment costs.
If you're spending too much time on administrative chores
and not enough time on the tasks that really drive your bottom
line, hiring a VA may be the solution. Chris Durst, CEO and
co-founder of Staffcentrix.com LLC, an online resource center for
VAs and their clients in Woodstock, Connecticut, predicts that in
the coming years, VAs will be widely sought additions as growth
partners for small businesses and staffing solutions for larger
firms.
Content Continues Below
So how to find the right VA? Networking and referrals are
probably the best techniques; you can also do an Internet search.
Once you've located some strong candidates, find out as much as
you can about their skills and expertise. "The interviewing
process for a virtual assistant isn't much different than
interviewing a prospective employee who comes into your office
physically," says Durst. Start with an e-mail correspondence,
and then "meet" over the phone-if not in person-before
making a final decision.
In deciding which tasks to turn over to a VA, Durst recommends
drawing up a list of things you'd like to farm out, then try a
VA with the duties that have least impact on your business before
moving up to more critical tasks. Many VAs will offer the first
hour or two at no charge to give both themselves and you a chance
to make sure the relationship will work.
For more details on finding and choosing a virtual assistant,
log on to the International Virtual Assistants Association's
Web site at www.ivaa.org, or
Assist University's at www.assistu.com.
Jacquelyn Lynn left the corporate world more than 13 years
ago and has been writing about business and management from her
home office in Winter Park, Florida, ever since..