Savvy Support Inc.

Frequently Asked Questions About Virtual Assistance

Who would work with a Virtual Assistant?
Do all VAs work in partnerships? Can't I get one to type just a couple of documents?
Why wouldn't I want to give my secretarial work to a local company and just have a VA work on bigger things?
How long would I work with a VA?
Isn't it more expensive than hiring an employee?
So, how much can I really expect to pay?
Does Virtual Assistance work better for any particular type of person or profession?
Where can I get more information on Virtual Assistance?

Who would work with a Virtual Assistant?

Virtual Assistants work with smart, successful people of all kinds; authors, sales people, consultants, coaches, executives, professionals, entrepreneurs -- anyone who wants to be professionally successful and live a more balanced life with more free time to do the things he/she wants to do!

Do all VAs work in partnerships? Can't I get one to type just a couple of documents for me, just this one time?

Because each VA owns his or her own business, each is going to have different standards regarding the kind of work he or she is willing to do. All of the VAs from Assist University primarily work in partnership with others. They find it's more rewarding for them to do that, and feel they don't do their best work unless it's in a relationship with someone.

Why wouldn't I want to give my secretarial work to a local company and have a VA just working on bigger things?

You might. However, what people have found is that it doesn't really pay to do that.

Secretarial services are a bit less expensive per hour. That's true. The problem is that the people who work there don't know you, or your business, or your customers. You have to do a lot of work, up front, before giving them the work, so that they know what you want -- and even then, sometimes you need to speak with them several times before your documents represent you in your voice.

A VA can speak for you. A VA can write in your voice. A VA, because he or she has learned you, can listen to you speak just a few words about what you want done, and make it happen. In addition, the more the VA knows about your needs, the less time it will take him or her to do your work.

So, even for the basic secretarial work, where do you really get your best value? The key is to remember -- a VA becomes your partner for success. A secretarial service helps you for the short term.

How long would I work with a VA?

Just as there are assistants who have worked for the same person in the corporate world for many years, it's possible that could happen with your VA.

Part of the power in this dynamic relationship comes in the synergy which happens between the people working together. There's a flow, a spark, an ease of working with a VA which turns days to weeks, weeks to months, months to years, all before you know it.

Isn't it more expensive than hiring an employee?

No. The cost savings is two-fold: financial and emotional.

When you hire an employee, on top of a salary or hourly wage, you have a ton of things you need to administer (payroll, benefits, etc.), many things to buy or lease (equipment, furniture, etc.) and you have to share space as well. It's expensive and can be grueling.

Your VA's time is 100% productive time as well -- you don't pay for a second of downtime or break-time. No muss, no fuss. Just great support from someone dedicated to your success.

So, how much can I really expect to pay?

Again, VAs are in private practice, and they price their services according to their skills, their desire to do certain kinds of work, their experience, and their reputation. You really need to speak with a VA, share your ideas and the vision for your success, and ask what it might cost you to have him or her be a part of that.

Generally speaking, however, you can expect to pay $30 - $70 plus, per hour. It depends on your needs, and the VA you work with.

You wouldn't pay an employee that much an hour -- not in straight time anyway. You're more likely to pay someone with this level of skills between $17 - $25 per hour if they were sitting in your office. However, when you add in the cost of administering payroll, your share of payroll taxes, having to pay certain kinds of insurance like worker's compensation and extra liability for having someone in your home or place of business, and the cost of making sure that your location conforms to federal guidelines such as OSHA, you absolutely *do* pay that much per hour. And the more skilled and talented a worker, the more her time is worth and the higher her fee. Click here to look at a chart comparing an hourly employee to a Virtual Assistant.

The beauty is this: while you still have the expense, you have absolutely *none* of the hassle. One check per month. Simple. Easy. You can get on with the business of living your life on your terms. Working in partnership with a great VA makes that all possible.

Does Virtual Assistance work better for any particular type of person or professional?

The benefits are enormous to almost anyone who's busy and needs support. What we've found is that the only people who really aren't in a good position to work with a VA are:

People who aren't online and who can't understand why this would work.
People who live in the urgent: If everything you do is last minute, if your style is to procrastinate and then rush to deadline, if you're not organized and centered, if you're in a high-pressure field where things run you instead of the other way around, if you want someone at your beck and call, you probably need an in-person employee, not a VA.
People who don't understand the power created in a relationship with a fantastic assistant.
People who aren't open to learning new ways of working and communicating.
People who aren't billing their own time at considerably more than $30/hour.
People who can't shift to seeing a VA as an equal: If you're stuck in the traditional boss/assistant paradigm, or if you need to be the boss, you need an employee, not a VA.

Where can I get more information on Virtual Assistance?

You can visit Assist University at www.assistu.com for more general information or you can contact Savvy Support Inc. at 678.261.8718 or 316.832.0832 or jill@savvysupport.com.

Savvy Support Inc.
Houston, TX
316.832.0832
E-mail jill@savvysupport.com