It's fascinating to know that the virtual assistance industry is well over 80 years old. Of course, back in the 1940s, it was limited to "secretarial service" only.
Fast-forward to 2024. The virtual assistant industry has evolved beyond imagination. With a CAGR close to 38% and projected growth of $25 billion by 2027, it's going great guns!
But that's not the point.
The point is, where does it leave you as a forward-thinking business? Are you making the most of it? If you're not sure of the answer, we've got some interesting industry takeaways.
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37% of small businesses reportedly hire virtual assistants to handle at least one of their key processes.
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Virtual assistants are helping firms save as much as 78% on operational costs.
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There are over twenty different categories of virtual assistants to choose from.
To make a long story short, it boils down to the kind of tasks a business delegates to a virtual assistant (VA) company. This article reintroduces VA services for modern-day businesses and lists ten different types of virtual assistants to boost productivity. Keep scrolling!
Why Choose Virtual Assistant Services?
The primary reason for hiring virtual assistants has always been cost savings. Compared to hiring a full-time office employee, renting a space, and spending on equipment, hiring a virtual assistant is more practical. In 2024 and beyond, it remains the same. But there are other significant benefits to consider.
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Virtual assistant companies have flexible contracts. This gives small business owners ample liberty to scale their services minus long-term commitments.
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Hiring a virtual assistant company means having access to a wide gamut of services. From calendar management to digital marketing, it’s a mixed pool of world-class talent.
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As most cumbersome tasks can be delegated, you will never worry about finding time for business growth.
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With extra pairs of hands on the deck, one can get more done in less time.
The Rise of Virtual Assistant Services
In 1996, the term “virtual assistance” was officially coined by Thomas Lenard, a life coach, and Anastasia Stacy Brice. But it was not until the late 19th century that “Virtual Assistance” actually became a thing.
In 2005, CNN regular author Christine Durst released her book The Second Commute, in which she encouraged people to join the rising band of freelance virtual assistants. She predicted the virtual assistant industry would become a revolution in coming times, something that independent consultants could call a life. They could continue doing what they do best, earn well, and live free.
It turns out that Christine was a visionary. The time between 2007 and 2014 was inarguably the formative years for the virtual assistant industry. Thanks to the global financial crisis, businesses increasingly turned towards cost effective solutions. And as expected, VAs rose to the forefront. They were no longer the “cheaper alternative” but a “reliable workforce.” It was the first time when virtual assistance service companies were identified as functional growth partners.
Things have been downright impressive in recent times, too. Take the last pandemic season, for instance. Businesses couldn’t help but normalize remote working and invest in improved tech more than ever. For the VA industry, though, it was nothing new. They could easily blend into this changing work culture, making things count for both small and large businesses.
Navigating Markets - The Best Way To Pick A Virtual Assistant
It's always a tricky proposition for small and medium businesses looking to hire a virtual assistant. Broadly classified, there are four different markets to pick a VA. And like all good things on earth, each has its fair share of merits and demerits. Here's a closer look.
The Freelance Market For Virtual Assistants
With 68% of freelance virtual assistants working for more than one employer, there's no need to explain the competition level. These days, there are multiple job boards and platforms to hire a freelance VA to get your job done. But is it worth your investment? Let's find out.
What's good:
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If you plan on hiring a local talent who can drop by your office when need be, then freelance virtual assistant is a wise call.
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You can lower your expenses with no middleman involved.
What's bad:
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Working with freelancers is always a risk, especially if they're new and still learning the ropes of the industry. With stringent delivery timelines and demand for high–quality work, many virtual assistants feel the heat and leave.
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You need to spend considerable time recruiting, training, and managing a freelancer, which defeats the purpose of having a virtual assistant.
Virtual Assistant Marketplaces
Bless the gig economy! Today, many virtual assistants for hire flood platforms like Upwork and Fiverr. They are mostly offshore talent with competitive charges. So, would you hire one? Well, not until you know the pros and cons.
What's good:
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Low hourly rates make it a good choice for one-time projects.
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You can always check their ratings on the platforms to assess their expertise.
What's bad:
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Similar to hiring a freelance virtual assistant, a lot of time is spent on training and managing.
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You can't be sure of quality of the output.
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The virtual assistant can choose to abandon your task at any time.
Contract Virtual Assistant Agency
These agencies came into existence due to the reckless nature of freelancers. The math is simple. An agency vets for all types of virtual assistants. So, you can choose the one with the right kind of experience. But does that bring down the risk meter? Only one way to find out.
What’s good:
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It helps hire a virtual assistant faster for admin tasks, like a data entry virtual assistant for short term projects.
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For some time zones, you can get a local hire as well.
What’s bad:
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There’s no guarantee for a dedicated virtual assistant.
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Virtual assistants can leave anytime, putting your task in jeopardy.
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A virtual assistant is entitled to all employee benefits or you end up paying the agency.
Managed Virtual Assistant Services
A managed virtual assistant service is one where a company is sole charge of hiring, training, and managing virtual assistants. They are full-time employees who will be working as a dedicated virtual assistant for a particular client. The client will never have to spend time supervising the VA. Instead, there will be an account manager to document, process, and manage everything. So, would you hire a managed virtual assistance service company? Absolutely!
What’s good:
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The fastest hiring among all other markets for virtual assistants.
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The client will never have to spend time or money in rerouting, training, or managing a VA.
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In case a dedicated virtual assistant is absent or unusable, the company ensures a backup resource.
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Guaranteed high-quality work
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Resource available for both long and short-term projects
What’s bad:
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A managed virtual assistance service company ensures high-quality work, which means you pay a tad bit more. So, it might not be a good option for businesses on a shoestring budget. But for a company that wants to offload a range of tasks on a long-term basis, it promises the best bang for your buck.
10 Types of Virtual Assistants To Boost Productivity For Modern Businesses
Today, a virtual assistant company has the necessary skills and resources for just about any industry. Whether you’re a startup or an established business, a VA company has some of the world’s best-in-class talent to streamline business processes and boost efficiency. Let’s take a closer look.
1. Virtual Administrative Assistants
Every office needs a reliable administrative assistant to run the daily show. Medium and small business owners can hire virtual administrative assistants company to save money for a range of administrative tasks.
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Handling correspondence via phone and emails
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Preparing MOMS for critical business meets
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Scheduling appointments
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Data entry tasks and general bookkeeping
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Full scale calendar and email management
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Documenting vital financial transactions
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Preparing crucial business reports
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Check business travel arrangements
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Handle any other specialized tasks
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Keeping a tab on company expense reports
When such recurring tasks are crossed off the list, it helps you make significant business decisions. In turn, it checks the boxes for professionalism and commitment. As a bonus, hiring an administrative virtual assistant can buy you precious “me time”.
2. Digital Marketing Virtual Assistant
No matter what size a business is, digital marketing is indispensable today. This is a fairly new service where VA companies have taken the lead. All credit goes to a perfect mix of talent, catering to different aspects of digital marketing.
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SEO experts for keyword research, content optimization, fixing broken links, improving SERPS rankings and boosting social media presence
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Online ads specialists
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PPC ads specialist
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Lead generation
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Email marketing
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Content writers for writing blogs, articles, web copies, newsletters, whitepapers, proofreading and editing
Additionally, the VAs can also help with creating company social media accounts and tracking impact of online ads across social media platform. Sometimes, they also coordinate with graphic designers to create compelling graphics for social media platforms.
3. Social Media Management and Content Creation
There are many small businesses, especially startups, that lack the budget and resources for social media management. In such cases, hiring a VA company can be of great help. Social media virtual assistants can seamlessly juggle vital tasks like:
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Creating social media content and marketing strategies
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Responding to comments and customer messages
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Managing ongoing social media campaigns
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Analyzing performance metrics to set clear strategies for specific demographics and user groups
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Building brand awareness and customer engagement
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Writing blog posts
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Creating strong online presence through catchy copies
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Respond to multiple clients
4. E-commerce and Online Store Management
According to a 2023 industry report, the average gross profit margin for online stores stood around 43%. That’s way higher than the average of other businesses. However, managing e-commerce stores demands promptness and attention to detail. An e-commerce virtual assistant specializes in all that and a lot more. The responsibilities of e-commerce virtual assistants span key tasks like:
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Creating and maintaining product listings
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Inventory management
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Track online shopping data from returning customers
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Handling customer requirements, including product returns
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Monitoring overall sales performance
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Maintain expense reports
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Track the bounce rate across virtual shopping carts
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Manage data entry and other administrative tasks
With an ecommerce virtual assistant, its always easy to optimize e-commerce goals. Hiring an e-commerce virtual assistant is a lot like putting your online store on autopilot, where every detail is taken care of—from customer inquiries to refunds.
5. Customer Service Virtual Assistants
Customer service virtual assistants are vital to your business's front end. The most beneficial reason to hire a customer service VA is to promote positive interactions with your existing and potential customers. As a business owner, you know better who your ideal target audience is.
So, accordingly, customer service virtual assistants can help streamline pre-sales and after-sales experience. One can choose to delegate a range of tasks to customer service, including:
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Responding to customer queries (emails, chats, messages, and phone calls)
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Handling data entry tasks and Collecting feedback
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Offering product information
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Recommending products and service
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Resolving common issues
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Compiling expense reports
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Handling customer complaints
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Ensure customer satisfaction
6. Bookkeeping Virtual Assistant
Bookkeeping is an essential part of any business, and more so for finance brands. Hiring a bookkeeping virtual assistant can help you save time and maintain the accuracy of records. All bookkeeping VAs are qualified accounting specialists who are delicate to improving your decision-making process.
The following are some of the commonly delegated tasks to a bookkeeping virtual assistant.
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Payroll processing
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Accounts reconciliation
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Financial report generation, like income statements and balance sheets
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Recording day-to-day transactions
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Monitoring expenses
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Preparing budget, taxes and filling
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Suggest additional measures to maintain financial stability
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Handle regular financial data entry
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Maintain customer databases
7. Property And Real Estate Virtual Assistant
Fancy all rounder real estate agents for your property consulting business? There’s no better match than a property or real estate virtual assistant. Lesser known to people, real estate virtual assistants function as an extension of a real estate agent's office. They have considerable knowledge about a specific real estate market and can handle all tasks related to finance, sales, marketing, and customer service.
Some of the key tasks that you can consider delegating to a real estate virtual assistant include:
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Client communication
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Cold calling
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Lead generation
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Managing data collected from customer calls and visits
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Market research
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Property listings
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Create and manage contact databases
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Prepare marketing materials for online promotion across various social media platforms
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Helping on field real estate agents make customer travel arrangements
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Function as a real estate virtual administrative assistant
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Handle data entry any other administrative duties
8. Healthcare Virtual Assistants
Healthcare virtual assistants are a boon for medical companies. They can seamlessly work with electronic health records and foster better communication. This not only helps in routine care but also expedites critical cases. For a healthcare company looking to scale, hiring an HVA is always a wise call. One can delegate a mix of easy and complex tasks to a healthcare virtual assistant, such as:
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Scheduling and managing patient appointments
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Administrative tasks
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Research and reporting
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Maintaining patient data for HIPAA compliance, and
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Regular patient engagement
9. Graphic Design and UI/UX Virtual Assistants
As the name suggests, a graphic design virtual assistant helps with the design needs of a company or an individual. Key tasks that you can delegate to a graphic design virtual assistant include:
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Brand logo creation
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Designing of marketing collaterals like flyers, brochures, business cards, social media posts
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Photo editing, including individual or business images
On the other hand, a UI/UX virtual assistant helps a brand discover unique pain points in their design to improve user experience. Hiring a dedicated UI/UX VA is highly recommended for startups across niche industries like tech, SaaS, design studios, and app development. Tasks that one can exclusively delegate to a UI/UX assistant are:
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Wireframe and prototype creation for apps and websites
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User research and testability
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User interface designing
10. Other Specialized Virtual Assistants
Statista reports the global market for virtual assistants can grow well over $25 billion by 2025. At the center, there remains an increasing demand for professionals with niche expertise.
When business owners are starting, they are unsure what kind of tasks they can delegate to a VA. Or maybe there’s more than one type of task to deal with. For example, you want someone to help you with online legal research. That’s where specialized virtual assistants come in.
From compiling market data for reports to project management, specialized virtual assistants check all the boxes. A specialized virtual assistant can also be your go-to person if your needs fall outside the conventional business requirement.
Some of the tasks that match the scope of hiring a specialized virtual assistant are:
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Integrated research
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Email management
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Monitoring social media posts performance
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One-on-one customer support
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Dedicated, long-term project management
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Create contact databases
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Handle critical phone calls
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Scheduling appointments
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Inventory management
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Creating engaging content and managing social media accounts
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Handle data entry tasks
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Function as a legal virtual assistant
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Contribute in digital marketing activities
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Take part in core business activities
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Supporting legal professionals as a research virtual assistant
How to Pick The Right Kind of Virtual Assistant Services For Your Business
Now that you know about different types of virtual assistants, let's answer the bigger question-how to pick the right types of virtual assistants. Frankly, there's no easy answer. But here are some best practices for medium small business owners to follow.
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Always hire by your needs: If you need someone to handle emails, schedule meetings, and coordinate things, hire an administrative virtual assistant. For specialized needs like content creation or graphic design, you'll need an experienced graphic design virtual assistant.
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Know the budget right: Depending on the kind of service you need, the charges for hiring a virtual assistant will vary. The duration is also a factor. For example, full-time virtual assistants will always cost you more than hiring a VA for a one-time project. No matter what, always run a comparison before hiring a VA to get the best ROI.
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Choose industry-specific virtual assistants: Each business is different, and so are the needs. If you want the best return on your investment, always choose to work with industry-specific virtual assistants. For example, MyTasker has dedicated virtual assistants lined up for specific needs, like web design and development, social media management, admin assistance, writing and editing, video work, AI assistance, and a lot more. They are seasoned professionals with considerable expertise in understanding the scope of a task. In other words, you are guaranteed quality work with a quick turnaround time.
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Run a background check: Like any booming industry out there, virtual assistance services share the competitive spirit. If you're a new business on the block looking for a virtual assistant, it's always recommended to check the ratings and customer reviews. Even better, you can reach out to a particular virtual assistant company and ask for customer references to check their output. You can also consider references from friends and family members and even word-of-mouth recommendations to hire the right virtual assistant services company.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Hiring Virtual Assistants
It's only normal for a new business or an individual to feel skeptical about hiring a virtual assistant company. Fret not! We’ve got you covered with answers to some of the most commonly asked questions.
How should a business check before hiring a virtual assistant company?
Start by listing the exact outcomes you want from delegating a task. Then, find a virtual assistant company that offers industry-specific services, like MyTasker. Check testimonials, ratings, and reviews. Ask for a complimentary call with the dedicated virtual assistant to judge the skills and expertise. Additionally, ask for any past similar work and discuss project-specific needs upfront. Once you’re satisfied, go ahead and sign up!
What kind of tasks can a social media virtual assistant handle?
If you’re looking for a dedicated social media virtual assistant, you’re in luck! At MyTasker, our social media virtual assistants are capable of handling a wide range of tasks, like content creation, running ads, audience engagement, and managing email marketing campaigns.
You can also sign up to hire a dedicated social media management VA for tracking analytics, creating and scheduling posts, and content strategy. Additionally, they can also function as a project management virtual assistant for businesses with an in-house social media team looking for an expert eye.
How can I hire a virtual assistant company matching my budget?
One of the perks of working with a virtual assistant company is that you can sign up to buy specific hours for your project. Let's say, you want a research virtual assistant or a data entry virtual assistant to offload customer purchase data into the system. In such cases, you‘ll never have to commit to long-term contracts. In case your project needs more work, you can always buy the exact required number of hours and nothing more.
How does a virtual assistant company ensure data security and confidentiality?
At MyTasker, we prioritize client safety. Every task that you delegate to us comes binding with an NDA agreement. We are one of the highest-rated virtual assistant companies known for our high-quality work, secure communication channels, and adherence to best-in-class data protection. To know more about our data protection policy, please reach out to us at info@mytasker.com
Can a virtual assistant company match my time zone?
Certainly! At MyTasker, we are committed to excellence and willing to go the extra mile to make things convenient for our clients. For example, if you want to hire a virtual research assistant to match your hours in MST, we will appoint a person matching your preference. The VA will always be available during the desired hours for you to interact.
It's About Time You Boost Business Efficiency By Hiring a Virtual Assistant
With remote work becoming a norm and steady investment in high-end tech, the demand for virtual assistants is on a spree. For forward-thinking businesses, it’s the perfect moment to bend the curve and beat the competition. From data entry to managing social media accounts, you can choose from several types of virtual assistant to make it count.
All you need to do is to map your needs to the right kind of virtual assistant. Once that’s done, you will have a valuable asset to gain maximum leverage for your business.
Ready to hire a dedicated VA for your business? Let’s get you started with a free, no-obligation consultation call.
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