With the high cost of employing an assistant to do basic chores in the office, small business proprietors are starting to realize that outsourcing is not just for big companies.
However, here are some things to bear in mind if you want to hire a Virtual Assistant:
- Understand their Function: Virtual Assistants are skilled in a certain field that provide support to their clients on an as-needed basis. They usually work from home and charge by the hour for their services, although some charge per project or task.
- Do your Research: Ideally you want to find someone who is able to perform a multitude of tasks, rather than hiring more than one. A good way of evaluating virtual assistants is to look at samples of their previous work.
- Communication: Virtual Assistants are great for delegating work to, but make sure you are clear and concise about what you want them to do. They will never know your business inside-out in the same way you do, but over time they will get to know what you expect from them.
- Confidentiality: Most Virtual Assistants will have a privacy agreement as part of their terms and conditions. They will never discuss your business with their other clients because it is very unprofessional. If you are particularly worried about your business secrets then make them sign a confidentiality agreement.
- Payment: It is important that you have an agreement in place regarding cost before the virtual assistant starts to work. If they are working on something that is taking longer than expected, make sure that you have agreed a cut-off point to avoid being hit by unexpected charges.
For details and questions, feel free to visit http://www.facebook.com/virtualassistantepe and post your questions or send me a message.
SOURCE: http://businessblog.winweb.com/business-process-outsourcing/top-5-virtual-assistant-basics
