Five Common Myths about Virtual Assistants
When you think of Virtual Assistants, you may think of simply an online secretary. Though, there is much more to the job. If you haven’t worked with one before, it’s understandable there would be myths that have gone unbusted. Let’s take a look at some of these misconceptions so you can understand exactly what a Virtual Executive Assistant can do for you.
Virtual Assistants Can Only Handle Administrative Tasks
While it’s true that Virtual Assistants help businesses with administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments and answering phones, they are not limited to these. If a task can be done virtually, aka in front of a computer, a Virtual Assistant can do it. A good VA is always up for expanding their skills to help your business grow, perhaps with a bit of training. VAs usually specialize in certain skill sets, and you can see what those are on our blog, ‘What to Look For When Hiring a Virtual Assistant.’
2. Sharing Information with a VA is not Secure
It’s a good thing to be aware of security risks, which come with hiring any employee. However, one of the benefits to working with a VA agency such as Auxo, is that you can be confident in your company’s security. We hold our VAs to a high standard of security and have them sign a confidentiality agreement for further confidence. For example, if you’re hesitant about sharing your passwords with a VA, you can use LastPass. LastPass is a website that allows you to share passwords to autofill with another user without them seeing what the actual password is.
3. Virtual Assistants are Only for Big Companies
This myth is common and understandably so. Virtual Assistants are seen as affordable for only companies that can budget extra employees. But, that’s where the myth is found. VAs are not extra, they can actually cost less than a W-2 employee. When hiring a virtual & contracted team member, you are removing overhead costs such as laptops, vacation and sick time, and payroll taxes. Big or small, any company can benefit from a Virtual Assistant. To find out if a VA is right for your business, read Why You Shouldn't Wait to Hire a Virtual Assistant.
4. VAs Can’t Communicate Well
With the recent pandemic, we all have discovered new ways to communicate with loved ones and coworkers alike. Slack, Google Meet, Skype, Zoom...the list goes on and on. An experienced VA will find the type of communication that you work best with and reach out when something is needed. There’s no reason a VA can’t keep up a good rapport with you when it’s a priority. When interviewing for a VA, express what your expectations are around task communication.
5. VAs are only a Short-Term Solution
Virtual Assistants can be anything you want them to be. If you have a project that happens to be short-term, a VA can help you out. If you want a Virtual Assistant for a long term task such as bookkeeping or social media management, a VA can help you out. VAs can be a steady source of support for you and your business, if that’s what you need. Check out our Stay Focused & Outsource Guide for a list of 41 tasks you can hand over to a virtual assistant today!