Bravo for you in writing this. May others who think that buying on price is wise, take a few minutes to read about your experience and understand that the lowest bid is not necessarily going to work long-term when you are building a company ;)
Joan Stewart aka the Publicity Hound just hosted a teleseminar on how to find a virtual assistant. She has a transcript or a CD you can purchase at http://tinyurl.com/242dwt. You may find this very helpful.
Chris
Andrew Johnson
· 2 years ago
Great tips. I've been using forums and communities to recruit talent for a few years now. Its astoundingly easy to find experts in nearly any niche or market, and often at a modest cost. It might not be that way forever now that the "secret" seems to be out.
Kathie Thomas
· 2 years ago
Going through a VA network is definitely the right way to find a VA. They are already business minded, have good office experience and frequently have a corporate background. Their rates will vary considerably depending on their geographic location (cost of living) and their skills and experience, and also based on the particular services they offer. Basic typing is obviously going to cost less than something that requires a lot more brain power and knowledge such as database maintenance, website design and maintenance or even bookkeeping.
The beauty of the industry is that you don't have to one one VA supporting you - you can have a few, each working in their own specialisations. Me? I'm in Australia (hence the non-US spelling) but do support clients outside of my own country and work towards being conscious of their spelling, grammatical and other cultural needs.
Patty Dost
· 2 years ago
David, Congratulations to you for writing this. I'm glad to see that VAnetworking assisted you. I'm an administrator on the forum and the knowledge these Virtual Assistants have is awesome. Hope to see you posting more RFPs in the future, along with others.
Robin
· 2 years ago
David - you have absolutely nailed it! AS a VA, I can say with certainty that you are definitely taking the right path, and your advice and suggestions to others who are thinking about following are right on target. If I may, I would like to throw out 2 other effective resources for people, both VA's and businesses that want to use them, can go to learn more. One is a book by Michael Russer called "The Obsolete Employee" (www.theobsoleteemployee.com) that is the first book ever which explains in practical terms what virtual outsourcing is and why it works. The other is a site that is due to be launched any day now called VirtualOutsourcing.org. It is a completely free site where people can get questions answered by real experienced VAs, network, and even has a searchable database of tools, support groups, etc. Good luck to you and anyone else out there looking to go virtual!
Nancy Cunningham
· 2 years ago
What a great write up about your experience in finding a VA. I hope that your article helps get the word out about 'shopping' for a quality VA is much like shopping for products; if you want cheap imitations shop at the dollar store, but if you want quality then take the time to evaluate what you are paying versus what you are receiving. Virtual assistants are like products, there are bargain basement offers and there are top of the line, quality offers. You decide what your business needs are and if you can really afford the cheap imitation!
Darrell A. Williams
· 2 years ago
This is a great article. It is refreshing and informative for us as VA's to hear from the client's perspective. It is also great to see that you didnot go with the lowest price, like so many others do, and that you realize that there are more important factors invovlved when egaging the services of a Virtual Assistant.
Tawnya Sutherland, Founder of
· 2 years ago
Great to hear your wonderful experience at VANA, www.VAnetworking.com Your feedback is always appreciated in order to help us smooth out the RFP process with our Virtual Assistants and the potential clients. The hourly rates of VAs in North America will typically be in the market of $20-$40 per hour but you will find that you get what you pay for too. Most VAs work on a timed hourly rate on a retainer basis and are well versed in working administratively remotely with their client. You'll find as well that the long term relationships that you form with the VAs are a valuable business asset to your company. A great article here on how a 10 Ways a VA Can Revolutionize Your Business. http://www.vanetworking.com/mediakit/pdfs/10-Wa...
David
· 2 years ago
Thanks for the kind responses, ladies. I intend to keep people informed on my experience with VAs here on this blog. People in my business are perfect candidates for VAs.
Kyle Sheldon-Chandler
· 2 years ago
David,
Great job! We have been having discussions on several VA forums about the cost of a VA vs. outsourcing to companies in other countries.
You have nailed some issues right on the head, and that is great! Most of us (VAs) believe there is enough business out there for everyone and not every potential client is a great fit.
I also recommend AssistU as a resource for potential clients looking for a VA. The training and reputation of AssistU makes it the leader in the industry (IMHO). :-)
Kathie Thomas
· 2 years ago
As mentioned by Kyle we've also had similar discussions at the forum I manage too, and is connected with the "A Clayton's Secretary" VA Network which has been in operation since 1996. This network was the second one established globally and the first one in the southern hemisphere but that shouldn't deter clients from anywhere seeking a VA. We service clients in any country and have VA members from 14 countries.
And I have blogged about it often as well and have a category listing for clients seeking to use a VA.
Ed Kohler
· 2 years ago
If she's from Minnesota she has to be good. :=)
That's a great explanation of the challenges. Thanks for summarizing your experiences.
Cindy Hillsey
· 2 years ago
David,
I am new to your blog, but I wanted to also put in a plug for AssistU.com. They have an excellent reputation and in my opinion are the leader in the industry. :-)
Rita Cartwright
· 2 years ago
David,
As a member of VANA, thank you for the positive publicity.
Sharon Williams
· 2 years ago
David and Guests,
I'm very pleased that the virtual assisting industry and VANA are receiving great publicity. There are many VA organizations, forums, etc., with very talented and experienced VAs.
For readers unfamiliar with virtual assisting and the benefits of working with us, I recommend a visit to the Alliance for Virtual Businesses (http://www.allianceforvirtualbiz.com), the information portal to the VA industry, stocked with data, descriptions and links to VA membership groups situated worldwide.
Feel free to download A Virtual Solution for Business Growth, the white paper that introduces small business owners, independent professionals, entrepreneurs and corporations to solutions that resolve challenges and positively influence business growth, stability and profitability: VAs. http://allianceforvirtualbiz.com/images/public_...
David, We invite your continued comments and look forward to reading about your experiences with your newfound workmate -- your VA.
Ros
· 2 years ago
David,
Allow me to chime in with the others and thank you on behalf of myself and our industry for your wonderful post and for helping us to spread awareness about the benefits of partnering with a VA.
To add to your list of companies in which to find assistance, we're a new company that is owned and operated by a Virtual Assistant of three years and who has 10+ years experience in the corporate world as administrative support. We offer business the opportunity to have a selection of VA's to choose from when they are in need. Businesses who are seriously looking to team with a VA can submit a RFP to our site and receive proposals from qualified VA's nationwide (Only registered VA's can respond. Which is a nice feature. You won't receive responses from people who are unprofessional and inexperienced). They then have the power to choose which VA best suits there company and company needs.
Virtual Assist RFP is also a help to VA's who are looking to expand their business. We hope that all can benefit from our site. Our goal is to put hard workers together with hard workers and help businesses create success.
China Virtual Assistant
· 1 year ago
Ever thinking hire offshore VA? There is human cost arbitrage between different countries. For example, you may be able to find a decent offshore virtual assistant VA servcie provider, like www.bpovia.com, which can provide high quality va service for only 20% - 30% of cost, compare to local va service provider.
Albert
· 1 year ago
Thanks for your post. Information like this helps an office like ours (http://www.alternaoffice.com/) to provide our customers with better solutions and help them with their daily administrative tasks.
Jeri Winkler
· 1 year ago
Just stumbled on your VA article and being a VA myself I have to give you kudos for the great blog! Thanks for bringing the facts to light about what you get for your $$. We certainly appreciate it. BTW - super cute baby pics!
Jeri - aka The Secret Assistant
Rodney
· 1 year ago
I do not understand why people think they really need to pay 40 bucks an hour for something that can be done for way less. If you take time , delegate and work with them as I have. You can get results soon.
Jennifer Rai
· 1 year ago
Great blog, David! I also wanted to add that another great resource for finding qualified VA's is www.IVAA.org They are the International Virtual Assistant's Association. You can submit a RFP and will find many qualified candidates with excellent skills.
Tammi Metzler - The Write Asso
· 1 year ago
Hi David,
Congratulations on finding a VA!
As a Virtual Assistant myself, I was thrilled to find your post on the challenges of finding quality work. I'm an active user of Elance.com, but it can be hard to compete with overseas workers charging $5 per hour (or less, in some cases). You really do get what you pay for, though, and I hope your post will help enlighten other business owners who are looking for assistance.
Looking forward to reading about your experiences with your new VA!
Tammi Metzler The Write Associate Grow your business the write way! www.writeassociate.com
In response to Rodney's comment - Yes, you CAN find someone for less than $40/hour and spend your time delegating and working with them to get good results. However, an employee generally expects a minimum amount of weekly hours, their hourly rate jumps 18%+ after matching employer taxes, and it is rare for them to work out of their own office with their own equipment; overhead is expensive!
On the other hand, you can pay $40/hour for a VA who not only already has the skills you need and requires little training in your specific business but also is willing to work 30 minutes at a time if that is all you need and has their own equipment (thus reducing your overhead expense). This is especially useful for home-based entrepreneurs who really don't want a stranger hanging out in their living room all day!
And, professional VAs (who are themselves business owners) know it is in their best interest to promote their client's continued growth. How many employees truly feel that way about their job?
Lily Chambers - aka "The Virtual Office Goddess" :D
Cheryl Richey
· 1 year ago
Thank you for sharing your VA search experinces. So many entrepreneurs and small business owners are just discovering this incredible resource. BTW your little girl is a doll ad form one Floridian to anohter...doesn't it continually surprise you that you are the only one in shorts and sandals at those conferences? It just seems so normal in FL. :)
kelly@findvirtual.com
· 1 year ago
Hey David, nice design you have here, very easy to navigate through. :)
Anyway, we've started a social network on http://www.findvirtual.com/ where people can join for free and network with virtual assistants.
We think that by opening up the industry and making it more transparent with not only forums and blogs but also videos and networking capabilities the more likely it will be that a virtual assistant is found and hired.
Information is key and we like to provide as much of it as we can. Feel free to check us out, the link is http://www.findvirtual.com/
:)
Kel
Janine Gregor
· 1 year ago
David,
Great post, thanks!
It isn't often that people write about their VA selection in such a well-thought out manner. You really took VA selection as a serious business decision; researching numerous venues and evaluating each experience.
More business owners should view the VA-client partnership as an investment in their own business and not simply as a cost to do business.
VAs often read about the $4.00 bid that has taken the job 'out from under them' and it is disheartening. Your message, though, is uplifting and encouraging...low price does not always ensure high satisfaction.
Kudos to you!
Janine Gregor
Your Virtual Wizard "Marketing Magic When You Wand It" Tampa Bay, Florida
Great post!!! I am so happy to see a great quality post on VA's. There are many fantastic associations and forums of VA's out there that can help you find a great VA. I happen to be apart of:
Also there are many great multi VA firms that can provide you with all types of VA's possible. No more sourcing and delegating and spending so many hours on the phone and by email with different VA's. I am a multi VA/Service Shop and love the feeling of helping business owners take their business to success!
Serena Carcasole VA and Internt Marketing Assistant www.vbsondemand.com Your 1STOP Business Service Shop Outsource your way to success!
VA-Naji
· 1 year ago
Acquiring a VA is truly can help for your business grow. VA's are knowledgeable for marketing your online businesses.
Larry
· 10 months ago
Great post! David.
We use BPOVIA. They are simply the best virtual assistant service provider. Their hourly rate is below $10 per hour.
BPOVIA is the only virtual assistant service provider ever won the prestigious "Red Herring 2008 Top 100 Global Company" Awards.
Chris Blackerby
· 9 months ago
What - no love for the Phillipines?
C'mon David, the Filipinos are where it's at!
Virtual Miss Friday
· 8 months ago
This is interesting, is there a secret on how to keep a blog posts alive for all this time :-)
Choose your VA wisely - You need to find one with all the client care that comes with dealing one on one and the team to back up the VA so your work is always done no matter what.
Great combo!
Sara Karlsson
· 6 months ago
Hi David!
Thanks for this posting!
I would also recommend a very good resource for finding Dedicated VA’s is http://www.virtualemployee.com/ . You can find VA as well as full time Virtual Employees in various fields such as Programming, Law, Accounts, Engineering and Data Entry. You can hire them for $895 a month, I hope this will help other business owners who are looking VA in other fields.
Mark
· 5 months ago
Your article came to mind the other day when I had to call Dell technical support. Fred was obviously from India and while he was probably knowledgeable in PC's, I gave up because we just could not communicate with each other. When will Dell and the other big companies figure out that it is not the dollar per hour but what you get for an hours pay....
Rach4
· 1 month ago
David - how did you make out with using a VA. Would love to hear a follow-up to this post
Simon
· 1 week ago
I cannot handle all my business and i am a very busy person.It came to the point that i really needed to hire a virtual assistant or should i say a dedicated assistant who will work exclusively for me.I had a hard time looking for one.I was blessed when i saw on the net My Secret Staff.I tried their service and i am so satisfied.You can catch them on http://www.secretstaff.com.
All Comments
Jill Chongva
www.vadiva.com
www.jillchongva.com
Chris
The beauty of the industry is that you don't have to one one VA supporting you - you can have a few, each working in their own specialisations. Me? I'm in Australia (hence the non-US spelling) but do support clients outside of my own country and work towards being conscious of their spelling, grammatical and other cultural needs.
If I may, I would like to throw out 2 other effective resources for people, both VA's and businesses that want to use them, can go to learn more. One is a book by Michael Russer called "The Obsolete Employee" (www.theobsoleteemployee.com) that is the first book ever which explains in practical terms what virtual outsourcing is and why it works. The other is a site that is due to be launched any day now called VirtualOutsourcing.org. It is a completely free site where people can get questions answered by real experienced VAs, network, and even has a searchable database of tools, support groups, etc.
Good luck to you and anyone else out there looking to go virtual!
Great job! We have been having discussions on several VA forums about the cost of a VA vs. outsourcing to companies in other countries.
You have nailed some issues right on the head, and that is great! Most of us (VAs) believe there is enough business out there for everyone and not every potential client is a great fit.
I also recommend AssistU as a resource for potential clients looking for a VA. The training and reputation of AssistU makes it the leader in the industry (IMHO). :-)
And I have blogged about it often as well and have a category listing for clients seeking to use a VA.
That's a great explanation of the challenges. Thanks for summarizing your experiences.
I am new to your blog, but I wanted to also put in a plug for AssistU.com. They have an excellent reputation and in my opinion are the leader in the industry. :-)
As a member of VANA, thank you for the positive publicity.
I'm very pleased that the virtual assisting industry and VANA are receiving great publicity. There are many VA organizations, forums, etc., with very talented and experienced VAs.
For readers unfamiliar with virtual assisting and the benefits of working with us, I recommend a visit to the Alliance for Virtual Businesses (http://www.allianceforvirtualbiz.com), the information portal to the VA industry, stocked with data, descriptions and links to VA membership groups situated worldwide.
Feel free to download A Virtual Solution for Business Growth, the white paper that introduces small business owners, independent professionals, entrepreneurs and corporations to solutions that resolve challenges and positively influence business growth, stability and profitability: VAs. http://allianceforvirtualbiz.com/images/public_...
David, We invite your continued comments and look forward to reading about your experiences with your newfound workmate -- your VA.
Allow me to chime in with the others and thank you on behalf of myself and our industry for your wonderful post and for helping us to spread awareness about the benefits of partnering with a VA.
Ros Null
www.the-edge-va.com
Virtual Assist RFP is also a help to VA's who are looking to expand their business. We hope that all can benefit from our site. Our goal is to put hard workers together with hard workers and help businesses create success.
Jeri - aka The Secret Assistant
Congratulations on finding a VA!
As a Virtual Assistant myself, I was thrilled to find your post on the challenges of finding quality work. I'm an active user of Elance.com, but it can be hard to compete with overseas workers charging $5 per hour (or less, in some cases). You really do get what you pay for, though, and I hope your post will help enlighten other business owners who are looking for assistance.
Looking forward to reading about your experiences with your new VA!
Tammi Metzler
The Write Associate
Grow your business the write way!
www.writeassociate.com
On the other hand, you can pay $40/hour for a VA who not only already has the skills you need and requires little training in your specific business but also is willing to work 30 minutes at a time if that is all you need and has their own equipment (thus reducing your overhead expense). This is especially useful for home-based entrepreneurs who really don't want a stranger hanging out in their living room all day!
And, professional VAs (who are themselves business owners) know it is in their best interest to promote their client's continued growth. How many employees truly feel that way about their job?
Lily Chambers - aka "The Virtual Office Goddess" :D
Anyway, we've started a social network on http://www.findvirtual.com/ where people can join for free and network with virtual assistants.
We think that by opening up the industry and making it more transparent with not only forums and blogs but also videos and networking capabilities the more likely it will be that a virtual assistant is found and hired.
Information is key and we like to provide as much of it as we can. Feel free to check us out, the link is http://www.findvirtual.com/
:)
Kel
Great post, thanks!
It isn't often that people write about their VA selection in such a well-thought out manner. You really took VA selection as a serious business decision; researching numerous venues and evaluating each experience.
More business owners should view the VA-client partnership as an investment in their own business and not simply as a cost to do business.
VAs often read about the $4.00 bid that has taken the job 'out from under them' and it is disheartening. Your message, though, is uplifting and encouraging...low price does not always ensure high satisfaction.
Kudos to you!
Janine Gregor
Your Virtual Wizard
"Marketing Magic When You Wand It"
Tampa Bay, Florida
www.YourVirtualWizard.com
VANA - www.vanetworking.com
IVAA - www.ivaa.org
Virtual Assistant Forum - www.virtualassistantforums.com
CVAC - www.cvac.ca
CVAN - www.canadianva.net
VAClassroom (I am working on my certification as a IMVA) For Internet Marketing VA's and Social Media VA's-www.vaclassroom.com/Profile.aspx
Also there are many great multi VA firms that can provide you with all types of VA's possible. No more sourcing and delegating and spending so many hours on the phone and by email with different VA's. I am a multi VA/Service Shop and love the feeling of helping business owners take their business to success!
Serena Carcasole
VA and Internt Marketing Assistant
www.vbsondemand.com
Your 1STOP Business Service Shop
Outsource your way to success!
We use BPOVIA. They are simply the best virtual assistant service provider. Their hourly rate is below $10 per hour.
BPOVIA is the only virtual assistant service provider ever won the prestigious "Red Herring 2008 Top 100 Global Company" Awards.
C'mon David, the Filipinos are where it's at!
Choose your VA wisely - You need to find one with all the client care that comes with dealing one on one and the team to back up the VA so your work is always done no matter what.
Great combo!
Thanks for this posting!
I would also recommend a very good resource for finding Dedicated VA’s is http://www.virtualemployee.com/ . You can find VA as well as full time Virtual Employees in various fields such as Programming, Law, Accounts, Engineering and Data Entry. You can hire them for $895 a month, I hope this will help other business owners who are looking VA in other fields.