Top 5 concerns about hiring a Virtual Assistant
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If you are at a point where business is booming, you may find yourself in that catch-22 position where you need help with your admin, but you are cautious about incurring the extra expenditure. This is why hiring a Virtual Assistant could be the best solution for you.
Hiring a Virtual Assistant is a lot more affordable than you may think. Unlike hiring an employee, there are no recruitment fees, no set up fees, and no ongoing employee related costs such as National Insurance, pension, holidays or other benefits.
So now we have the cost concerns cleared up, I’ve created a list of the top five other concerns businesses may have about hiring a Virtual Assistant, and I’ll do my best to allay any fears.
1. I’m concerned about what I would actually get a Virtual Assistant to do
You know you need help, but you are not sure exactly what that looks like. Make a list of all the business critical tasks that you must deal with. Then make a second list of all the things that distract you from the tasks in the first list. Put simply, a Virtual Assistant can probably do any (or all) of the duties on the second list.
2. I’m concerned I don’t know how long the work will take
During the initial consultation with your Virtual Assistant, you will have the opportunity to discuss all your work requirements. Whilst the work is being carried out, you can ask to have regular updates via email or other reporting systems, so you see how the work is progressing. Some Virtual Assistants use project management systems where you can log in and see exactly what they are working on, or what has been completed.
Most Virtual Assistants will use a time tracking app such as toggl (link opens in a new window), so they know exactly how long is spent on each task and so they can charge you accordingly.
3. I don’t want to have to commit to something
Unlike hiring an employee, you can hire a Virtual Assistant as and when you need them, on an ad-hoc basis with no obligation. The ad-hoc service could also be a way to slowly delegate the work out, giving you chance to trial the new Virtual Assistant and see if they are a good fit.
4. I’m concerned about handing a Virtual Assistant my passwords or important information over
The thought of handing over the private information of your business could seem quite daunting, especially to a stranger to begin with. There will be a confidentiality clause in your contract and by law, a Virtual Assistant is not allowed to disclose any information about you or your business to any other person or business, unless advised by you. GDPR also dictates your Virtual Assistant must keep all provided information as securely as possible.
For some people, trust is a big thing and it may take a while for you to want to hand over vital business information. To begin with, why not allocate a Virtual Assistant the tasks that don’t require access to your systems? This still frees up your time and gives you both the chance to build that trust.
5. I’m concerned as to whether hiring a Virtual Assistant will actually benefit me
Growing your business can seem like a huge leap of faith and the thought of paying someone to do something that you are already doing might feel counterproductive to your cash flow. Perhaps think of it another way; the most valuable asset anyone has is time. By delegating your day to day admin tasks to a Virtual Assistant, you will be freeing up your time so you can focus more in the business critical aspects of running your business.
A Virtual Assistant could also put more efficient processes and systems in place, saving you time in the long run too. For example, organising your filing system on your computer, setting up MailChimp (link opens in a new window) for your marketing etc.
I hope I’ve managed to reduce your concerns and convinced you that hiring a Virtual Assistant does not need to be such a leap of faith. Assistopia are here to listen to your concerns, requirements and to hopefully help you with your business administration.