Virtual Assistant: A freelance online professional to whom businesses outsource their administrative, logistical or clerical work. The term Virtual Assistant, or VA, can cover a variety of different fields from translation and transcription, to typing and data entry, or to more specialized work such as copywriting, legal and financial services or web design and SEO work.

The above definition presents an overview of the Virtual Assistant profession. In essence a virtual assistant is no different to a personal assistant, except that personal assistants tend to work in a company office and virtual assistants work from home. VAs are freelancers who use the skills and experience they have gained in the corporate workforce to assist their client or clients.

The term “virtual”, therefore, is used merely to express the nature of the work environment, taking place in a remote home office connected via Internet, email and fax rather than being physically inside a company building. A VA can also be considered a “virtual employee” insofar as the work is carried out just as it would inside a regular office, albeit without the additional costs and obligations one incurs when employing a member of staff.

Benefits of Using a Virtual Assistant:
Once you understand what a Virtual Assistant does, it’s very easy to see why it has become such a growing trend in global business. By outsourcing your administrative, clerical, logistical and other work to a professional Virtual Assistant your company can cut costs dramatically – a welcome opportunity in this age of economic uncertainty.

Consider the operational overheads of just one office in your organization and break it down by cost:

• Electricity, heating/air-conditioning
• Office space rental and site maintenance
• Office supplies & furnishings
• Stationary costs, paper, ink and toner costs
• Computer equipment, hardware and software upgrades
• IT/network maintenance
• Cleaning costs & hygiene supplies
• Coffee & catering supplies
• Health and safety costs
• Employee training
• Employee taxes and benefits
• Holidays and sick pay
• Time spent on accounts and payroll

Your solution to considerably reducing those costs from your company’s bottom line is by hiring a professional Virtual Assistant. To learn more read my virtual assistant services page or contact me and I’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.