Countering the 5 Top Myths Surrounding Virtual Assistants

Join us as we explore the top 5 myths surrounding Virtual Assistants – the human ones – their roots in traditional expectations, and the truth of what to expect.

Be sure to read other of our blogs on the topic of how to find the right people and services for your business support needs.

A quick refresh of the top 5 myths:

Myth 1: Virtual Assistants are not as reliable as in-house staff – especially PAs

Myth 2: Virtual Assistants are just too expensive!

Myth 3: Virtual Assistants can only manage basic admin work

Myth 4: Virtual Assistant are only for the short term

Myth 5: My business is at risk when sharing data with a VA

This article breaks down the untruths about Myth 4: Virtual Assistants are only for the short term.

As a business owner, your priority is ensuring the bottom line is met or increasing, while protecting your own wellbeing. Managing your workload and ensuring that deadlines are met, as well as overseeing a team, is no mean feat and it makes perfect sense that you don’t have the resources – time or otherwise – to continually be onboarding staple staff. Resilient, consistent support is vital for growth of any kind.

Over the last couple of decades, ‘team bonding’, incentives and leadership training are considered standard needs for the growing enterprise. The conflict has arisen with the influx of remote working. Regardless of what’s in the press, it isn’t going away and finding a balance between traditional ‘Friday Team Happy Hours’ and ensuring work is being completed, it proving to be a minefield for many management teams!

We see it all the time.

So, here’s the thing… Virtual Assistants have been doing it for years. Most VAs are not new to business – we run our own. Neither are we ‘in it for what it does for us’. The general consensus amongst VAs is that if a client’s business flourishes, we flourish. It stands to reason then, that engrossing ourselves in the what the business stands for, it’s vision and goals, means the processes we establish and work within, are for the long-haul.

Of course, there will be times that freelance, temporary ‘hires’ are just what you need. Project work, market research, data-transfer, transcription, spreadsheet population. Short and sweet.

When you hire an in-house employee, you commit to long-term employment with all the associated costs. However, virtual assistants allow you to tap into their expertise without the long-term commitment. You can scale your virtual assistant’s workload up or down as your business demands, making it a cost-effective solution.

With this comes a significant long-term potential.

Virtual assistants can become an integral part of your team, establishing a long-lasting partnership. They invest time in understanding your business, your processes, and your goals. With this knowledge, they can provide ongoing support that aligns with your long-term objectives.

Moreover, virtual assistants can handle various tasks beyond short-term administrative work. They possess a wide range of skills and expertise that can contribute to different aspects of your business operations. Whether it’s managing social media, handling customer inquiries, bookkeeping, project coordination, or content creation, virtual assistants can provide valuable support in areas that directly impact your long-term success.

By outsourcing specific tasks to virtual assistants, you free up your team’s time and resources to focus on core business activities. You can dedicate your attention to strategic planning, business development, and growth initiatives while knowing that essential tasks are in capable hands. This collaboration can enhance productivity and efficiency, giving your business a competitive edge while retaining the option to end a contract that isn’t working, or is no longer required – no HR drama in sight!

Many businesses have experienced the long-term benefits of virtual assistants, establishing a long-term partnership that contributed to the company’s ongoing success. It is well-known within the VA Community, that competent VAs tend to retain their main customers for significant periods of time – usually at least a few years.

In all honesty, one of the greatest assets of bringing a VA in to work alongside your management team, may be their ‘outside view’. Although fully entrenched in the brand, a VA can offer a bystander’s impression – marketing, leadership decisions, a general sounding board. This will most definitely be what many business owners cherish in their long-term VA.

In conclusion, virtual assistants are not limited to short-term assignments. They can be your trusted long-term partners, providing ongoing support tailored to your business needs, leveraging their flexibility, expertise, and dedication to enhance your business efficiency, productivity, and growth.

We would love to introduce you to the world of competent, dedicated virtual assistants! Feel free to get in touch, today, for a no obligation conversation.

Stay tuned for our next blog when we continue by addressing Myth 5: My business is at risk when sharing data with a VA