It’s always commendable that you continuously fuel your business to get to the next level.
As entrepreneurs and business owners know, running a company is no joke, it takes literal sweat and a headful of mind space to get through that business journey.
So, if you’re looking for a way to power up your feathering startup, it’s always smart to consider hiring a virtual assistant.
Virtual assistants are the best virtual allies. They’re reliable and skilled with emotional intelligence to match. With them on your side, you’re walking on at least a 78% operating cost cut-down, with an extensive reach that knows no geographical imitations.
If you’re sold on the idea, you might be contemplating where to look for one, considering the verdant sprout of online marketplaces nowadays.
Well, there are two main channels of virtual assistant service providers; freelance and agency.
This blog will tackle the pros and cons of both providers and hopefully, by the end, you’d have a better understanding of which platform you should entrust your virtual assistant needs.
If you’re out searching for your virtual assistant need, you should first consider where you should look for it.
Should you take your chances with a virtual assistant agency? Or run it directly with a freelancer?
Before going over the details, let’s try to determine what hiring through a virtual assistant agency looks like as opposed to a freelancer, and vice versa.
A freelancer is an independent contractual worker who offers services to an entrepreneur or a company through job portals or online marketplaces such as Upwork and Fiverr.
And unlike virtual assistant agencies, these remote workers directly engage with the employer.
A virtual assistant agency like vavremoteworkers.com is a company that acts as a middleman between you and the virtual assistant, helping you find a qualified assistant by matching your employment requirements to their pool of VAs.
Now, that we’ve got that resolved, let’s get into which virtual assistant service provider is your safest bet by breaking down the perks and pitfalls of each platform.
Usually, when businesses or entrepreneurs think about hiring a virtual assistant, freelancers are the first to come to mind.
Freelancing seems like the most obvious answer, and here are the reasons why.
Compared to a full-time employee, freelancers usually work on short-term projects, on an “as needed” arrangement.
Since you choose them directly, you have full control over whom you want to work with.
Do you know why freelancers are also referred to as “on-demand workforce”?
Because they’re incredibly accessible, always a phone call or a click away. It would only take a mere fraction of your time to find one, as opposed to the traditional hiring process.
In terms of searching for the most suitable freelancer, the world is literally your basket.
There is no shortage of talent or settling for a so-so hire, just because of proximity issues. Thus, you have more chances of finding the right one.
The biggest draw of recruiting freelancers compresses into the cost of hiring and onboarding which are close to nonexistent.
They work remotely, so you can get rid of the office rent and equipment. And since long-term commitments are out of the picture, you don’t need to pay additional compensation benefits as you would have with a complete full-time hire.
Yes, turning to a freelance virtual assistant has its perks, but you know what they say, what goes up must come down. And unfortunately, hiring freelancers have a few quirks.
No long-term commitments might also mean a lack of commitment. Since there’s no binding contract that ties both parties, a freelancer can ghost you, if things go out of turn.
Scouring through a long list of candidates gives you wider options, but it also slows down your progress.
Even worst, you might be flipping through resumes upon resumes, only to find out that there’s no suitable hire from the bunch.
Look, VAs have an incredible service range, but finding one with experienced and expertise is not easy.
One can be a virtual assistant for coaches while the other specializes in customer service. Though feasible, it will take time to find both in one hire. In some cases, you’ll end up settling for a limited skillset.
Since freelancers work directly for you, you’re going to have to train them personally to ensure seamless operation. Regardless of your freelancers’ level of comprehension, these things always eat up your time and resources.
Due to the remote nature of freelancers, you can’t always expect to receive swift responses and updates.
Different time zones mean no real-time communication, a lack of chemistry and collaborations at unlikely hours. Over time, these things will affect productivity and teamwork.
Bet on it, freelancers will make the most of their hours. They will not only be working for you; they’ll be dealing with two or more clients in their free time.
Freelance jobs tend to work that way.
While this means great payday for freelancers, this will affect not only their availability but also their productivity as well.
Perhaps, the more modern approach to hiring a virtual assistant is through an agency.
But despite its newness and specialized approach to your needs, when it comes to the benefits, a virtual assistant agency is not one to slack.
A VA agency works to find what you’re looking for in a virtual assistant. It is in their best interest to match your requirements with their global talent.
To find the right virtual assistant, you’re going to have to face the excruciating process of job posting, initial screenings, interviews, and performance evaluation.
Thankfully with the help of an agency, you can cut down the chase and phase of this very time-consuming search.
These companies specializing in virtual assistants have a wider pool of talent, catering to your every need.
Since virtual assistants from agencies go through a thorough screening and vetting process, you can take comfort in knowing that you’re working with someone reliable with no criminal record.
And of course, no ghosting.
Training is important to increase the quality of work.
A virtual assistant agency understands that, which is why, whoever they send to you goes through extensive screening and training processes, making sure the quality of work is top-notch.
Virtual assistants from agencies don’t work solo. This means that being part of a company has their work under strict monitoring.
You can track their progress at every point and be relieved, that your every penny is not going to waste.
Virtual assistant jobs can support your every need.
And taking it through a VA agency with big teams and round-the-clock service means having to indulge in more, including non-stop business operations.
Needless to say, as favorable as it is to rely on a virtual assistant agency, it still has its disadvantages.
Here’s the thing, you actually don’t get to pick your virtual assistant when working with an agency. What you do instead, is to state your requirements and they’ll look for it for you from their pool of talents.
But don’t worry, you’ll get what you paid for. VA agencies will make true of that promise since their reputation is on the line.
You know the biggest disadvantage of a virtual assistant agency is the price comparison.
Since you’re getting quality service from start to finish, they’ll ask you to pay the premium price. Depending on what’s stipulated in the contract, payments may come annually or monthly.
A fair bargain, nonetheless, for saving your most important resource, “your TIME,” from the arduous VA search, training and monitoring.
Virtual assistant vs. employee? ChatGPT vs human virtual assistants?
In the same way, those discussions are non-conforming to all shapes in all instances, battling out virtual assistant agency vs freelancer eventually retracts to company needs and your budget.
While both hires make strong points, the best thing about a virtual assistant agency is that they commit to ONE thing, and that is to provide you with a virtual assistant that matches your current business needs.
You see, a virtual assistant agency comes with amazing support; with processes and systems at every step.
Though pricey from the outset, the long-term benefits and your peace of mind are worth the weight in gold.
22 July, 2024
15 July, 2024
12 July, 2024
09 July, 2024
05 July, 2024
02 July, 2024
27 June, 2024
24 June, 2024
19 June, 2024
14 June, 2024
