Virtual Assistance FAQs

What is a Virtual Assistant?^

Virtual Assistants are skilled professionals who specialize in providing ongoing administrative support to clients in one-on-one, collaborative relationships. Although Virtual Assistants are willing and capable of handling one-time, per-diem tasks, they are generally in business to administratively support the client and his or her business as a whole. In this way, they gain a big-picture view and understanding of your business and goals. With this kind of context, they can take loads off your plate and extend critical thinking to complete work in ways that better fit and improve the overall foundation of your business. You can't get that on transactional, piecemeal basis.

Like other professional service providers, a Virtual Assistant (VA) operates remotely from their own place of business and utilizes today's technology to deliver their services and communicate with clients. Virtual Assistants are first and foremost administrative experts. We also offer additional, separate specialties that fall under creative and/or technical services. But overall, a Virtual Assistant (VA) is the professional you call when you need skilled, ongoing administrative support and employees are not an option.

What kind of work does a Virtual Assistant do?^

Virtual Assistants focus on taking care of some or all of your administrative burdens, and then some. They do the work that would normally take your time, energy and attention away from clients, marketing, networking and all the work that makes you money. They give you the space you need to brainstorm and be creative. The great thing about Virtual Assistants is that you are getting a higher caliber of administrative knowledge, expertise and service than you would generally find in a temp, or even an employee in many cases.

The core service and true value of working with our Virtual Assistants is in the collaborative working relationship itself. We are goal-oriented rather than project-oriented. We look at the core values of your business and get to know your overall goals and objectives to provide you with a package of administrative work and project management that might include any number of tasks, functions and roles delivered on an ongoing basis. We call this being supported systemically, rather than transactionally. This is how business owners achieve the kind of long-term results and stronger business foundation that working with a Virtual Assistant can bring them.

Every one of our Virtual Assistants comes to the table with unique talents and gifts. A 1 Administrative Support, LLC offers Virtual Assistant Services such as Admin Support, Sales/Marketing, Web Services, Customer Support, Document Services, Social Media Marketing, etc.

To see a more detailed listing of what we can do for you, see Our Virtual Assistant Services.

What forms of communication do you use?^

Simply put – We work the way you work. We have the technology and resources available to conform to YOUR existing and preferred communication methods to make the transition to us as seamless as possible.

Are you a phone person? A text-messaging addict? Prefer email? Or are you an Instant Messenger? Do you like using Skype? Do you prefer to assign tasks using the cloud or web applications like GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar? You can assign tasks and get your projects back however you prefer.

How much does a Virtual Assistant cost?^

Professional fees will vary depending on your project. View our Virtual Assistant Pricing Plans or contact us for a specific price quote on a particular project.

In general, according to VA Industry surveys of the past two years, the current average market range is between $35 - $70 per hour (for USA based VAs). Keep in mind that a Virtual Assistant's support is strategic. You won't be working with one on a day-to-day basis or for the same number of hours as a full or even part-time employee and they provide a hugely convenient and cost-effective alternative to employees, and give you access to a higher caliber skill and knowledge level than you might ever be able to afford in an employee. See also Benefits of Using a Virtual Assistant.

Where are your workers located?^

Unlike our competition, we are 100% U.S. based. Don’t be fooled by companies that claim to be based in the USA. They just set up one hub office, with one American representative, while all of their workers are overseas. We are 100% USA based and 100% USA operated. None of your work is sent overseas, so by working with us you are keeping money in the U.S. economy and creating jobs for Americans.

We are not a temp agency or staffing firm. We don’t work on location, we work from our own offices. Most of our Virtual Assistants also work virtually from their home offices. That's one of the reasons our service is so convenient. We furnish our own equipment, software and tools as well as have extended business hours. Working together virtually is inherently more efficient and cost-effective. Most of our work together won't require anything more complicated than simply emailing, texting or faxing each other.

Do you have a contingency plan for emergencies?^

Let’s face it, emergencies happen every day. Will you be able to pick up the pieces mid-project if need be? Does the Virtual Assistant you hire have someone else working for them who can take over? Do they have processes in place and lines of communication open for in case of emergencies? These are vital questions to ask yourself when looking to hire a VA because you want to be sure that your project is going to run smoothly and on schedule, no matter what emergency may happen "behind the scenes".

If you were to Google "Virtual Assistant Contingency Plan" you will find that most Virtual Assistants refer to themselves AS THE CONTINGENCY PLAN for you and your business needs in case YOU can’t tend to your project… Which is obviously true. But what is more important to you is knowing if the Virtual Assistant or company has a contingency plan of their own!

We have a contingency plan in place so that one Virtual Assistant is not the sole protector of your important project. And I don’t mean just a simple plan for protecting against data loss (EVERYONE should have that). Our team keeps the lines of communication open and relies heavily on cloud computing and internet collaboration tools so that everyone on our team stays “in the know”. At any given time there are AT LEAST 3 people within our organization that have access to, and know the details about your project so that any one of us can easily take the reins if for some unforeseen reason one of our VAs was sick, on vacation, or has an emergency. See "Our Workflow Process" for a better understanding of our VA Contingency Plan.

Is using a VA right for me?^

Virtual Assistance is seen by a large number of professionals as a vital ingredient to the success and growth of their businesses. However it is not for everyone. To partner successfully with a Virtual Assistant (VA) you need to:

• Be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things
• Be confident using email and/or instant messaging
• Recognize a Virtual Assistant is a partner, not an employee
• Be prepared to delegate with minimum supervision
• Be available to answer questions (especially in the beginning of the relationship)

Will I be speaking to a different person every time I call?^

No, you will have a single point of contact here. But because some projects are larger and will need several VAs to be assigned in order to complete your request, you will be assigned a VA Manager who will be your main point of contact. The VA Manager will oversee the project from start to finish and will be responsible for training, coordinating, collaborating, getting status reports, etc. from your Virtual Assistants (if your project requires more than one). Having one person here that you interface with is critical as it allows us to get to know you and your preferences over time. Of course, you will always be able to contact anyone and everyone within our organization at any time you feel necessary.

Are you geared toward businesses or individuals?^

Both. However, the overwhelming majority of the work we take care of for clients is business related and most of our clients are small business owners and entrepreneurs. Many clients give us a mixture of personal and professional tasks.

Which pricing plan is best for me?^

Don't worry about it too much. We can make sure you get into the plan that best fits your needs. We are very flexible and want you to be on the plan that makes the most sense and can custom tailor a plan just for you. You can view our Virtual Assistant Pricing Plans or contact us for a customized price quote.

How does the process work?^

Please see our section Virtual Assistant – How it Works.

How do I get started?^

If you’ve never outsourced or used a Virtual Assistant before, the thought can be intimidating. It is actually very simple to start. You can start with just one simple task until you get used to the process if that makes you feel more comfortable.

Simply check out our Virtual Assistant Services Offered and review our Virtual Assistance Pricing Plans. Then simply call us toll-free at 800-540-9537 or contact us by email to start communicating. We can have you set up and ready to go as quick as the same day!

If you still have any questions that haven't been answered, give us a call 321-635-9200, email us or chat live with us right now.