Virtual Assistance Q&A

Thanks for your question Nick - I run Lifestyle Elements in Adelaide, Australia (and also work with Adrian who is mentioned below!). A personal concierge is like a personal assistant for your life - we tick off your 'to do' list. Most of us have a huge list of things to do that we just never get around to. It doesn't matter if we are perfectly capable of doing it, these things just don't get done because they aren't urgent, but they are still consistently hanging over your head. Alternatively, there may be an urgent situation that crops up - say you lose your luggage and urgently need to get a new suit delivered to a hotel - who on earth do you ring? Why, your personal concierge of course! We are the extra pair of hands, the back up person, and the person with an array of contacts and suppliers at our fingertips to help you - plus we have people on the ground to get stuff done. If you'd like to find out more you can visit the Lifestyle Elements website. We can assist you with services throughout Australia and internationally - and if you just have a question, please don't hesitate to get in touch. Thanks for your contributions below Rowland - I work regularly with Adrian and can also highly recommend him :)

Virtual assistants are becoming increasingly popular for small businesses due to increased flexibility and working arrangements for both parties. For many businesses, a VA is just like all other permanent employees - the only difference being they are based remotely. 

In terms of short term benefits, a VA is a great option if you need extra hands on board for project work or if you need to delegate tasks to free up time to meet deadlines. In the long-term, a VA is someone who will enable you to be more productive across the board. Hiring a VA may also help you to reduce your overhead costs. 

Every business owner hires a VA for different reasons, so it's difficult to pinpoint the short/long term value as this will look slightly different for everyone.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this @Kathie Thomas !

I agree with @Jane Jones @Kathie Thomas , there are some amazing offshore VA's but it's disappointing to see business owners choose VA's based purely on price. I often find that longer-term clients will pay more for the right fit.

If you include your VA and treat them as a part of the team - they are more likely to be invested in your company, your vision and what it is you're trying to achieve. You have to build trust and prove that you're reliable. I agree with @Iain Dooley that having a clearly defined role helps.  @Lisa Ormenyessy definitely sharing the company goals and vision with the VA will help them feel a part of the team.

Appreciate your comments Tim. However there are a lot of VA's in Australia that represent busiensses very well, virtually, really no different to an employee, except you don't have the overheads that come with employing a part timer - i.e. superannuation, tax, leave entitlements and also you have to make sure you always have enough work for them to keep them employed. One of the big advantages of having a VA for your business is that you can use them for as little or as much as you want or can afford without the extra overheads. If you partner with the right Australian VA, they will represent your business very well, undertaking a lot of the tasks that a business onwer doesn't need to do.

I've used UpWork and Fiverr several times to find web developers and designers. I found these sites to be excellent in terms of finding people for the job. Like Ingrid, I also took my time when reviewing proposals and made sure that my instructions were as clear and objective as possible. I do find that these sites offer great value for money as long as you choose someone well-matched for the job description.