Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Virtual Assistant? (VA)
What are the advantages of hiring a Virtual Assistant like WhangDoodles, Inc?
What do you mean - A Virtual Assistant has a vested interest in the success of my business?
How much will a VA cost me?
Wow. $42 per hour seems pretty steep. Is a Virtual Assistant out of my league or budget?
How many hours must I sign up for?
Will having a Virtual Assistant work for me?
- A Virtual Assistant (VA) is a self-employed executive support professional. Working from their own offices, a VA will utilize technology to provide administrative support to individuals, small business owners, non-profit organizations and other independent professionals.
What are the advantages of hiring a Virtual Assistant like WhangDoodles, Inc?
- VA's can support their clients on an "as needed" basis, for less than the cost of hiring a permanent or temporary employee.
- Whether it is a few hours a week or a 50-hour one-time project, you only pay for the time your VA is assisting you.
- Virtual Assistants are not employees, but are independent contractors so you do not need to pay any employee related costs like employee taxes, payroll, workers comp, vacation time, social security, etc.
- VA's utilize their own technology and software to take care of your administrative needs. You do not need to provide office space, equipment, office supplies, etc. for your Virtual Assistant.
- Virtual Assistants are most often specialists in certain administrative areas and can complete high-quality work efficiently and accurately.
- VA's charge their clients only for time spent on task - not lunch hours, typical work interruptions, personal phone calls, or time spent socializing with peers in a traditional office setting.
- Virtual Assistants are administrative professionals who have a vested interest in the success of your business.
- You get more time to do what you do best, while leaving the (sometimes frustrating, often mundane) administrative tasks to someone who does it better.
What do you mean - A Virtual Assistant has a vested interest in the success of my business?
- A Virtual Assistant is a business owner (often incorporated as an LLC or other corporation) who depends on work from other businesses. The more successful you are, the more you will realize the benefits of outsourcing. If a VA's clients businesses start to decline, he/she will find her workflow diminishes. You can be assured, therefore, that a VA really does have a vested interested in your success.
- Repeat work and referrals are the life blood of a VA practice. It is simply not in a Virtual Assistant's interest to give poor service.
How much will a VA cost me?
- Rates vary according to the different skill sets and amount of experience, but generally you can expect to pay between $30 and $75 per hour. Some VA's with specialist skills, such as web design or paralegals may charge more.
- Some VA's offer retainer packages at reduced rates for clients needing a set number of regular hours per month.
Wow. $42 per hour seems pretty steep. Is a Virtual Assistant out of my league or budget?
- Think again. Most of our clients are small business owners as well as solo entrepreneurs. While their industries and niches are widely varied, they all agree on one thing: working with a VA makes business sense. VA's typically cut down their costs and free up their schedules so they can make their business thrive doing what they do best.
- Another way to think of it is "How much is my own time worth?" Am I paying myself enough to be bogged down with administrative paperwork and hassles? Am I working overtime and at night just to "get caught up" on my workday?
How many hours must I sign up for?
- With WhangDoodles, you are not obliged to sign up for any number of hours. Often clients will hire a Virtual Assistant for one or two projects to as a "try out". Once you are satisfied with the service, and have a better understanding of the volume of work you are interested in outsourcing, you may want to take advantage of the reduced rate retainer packages. Or, if you prefer, you can just stick with the "pay as you go" standard hourly rate.
Will having a Virtual Assistant work for me?
- Virtual Assistance is seen by a large number of professions as a vital ingredient to the success and growth of their businesses. However it is not for everyone. To partner successfully with a VA, you need to:
- Be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things.
- Be confident using email, texting, 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 early days of your partnership).