What is a Virtual
Assistant?
- An alternative and cost-effective
secretarial, administrative, office support service without
the office overheads.
- Quick and accessible assistance at
the end of a phone or email from a ‘virtual space’.
- Able to offer you assistance and
support no matter where you are in the world, you can count
on your VA.
- Virtual assistants work flexible
hours - as little or as much as the workload requires.
More definitions....
Wikipedia’s definition….
What is a Virtual Assistant NOT?
A Virtual Assistant is NOT the
client's business manager or decision maker. Your
VA is NOT responsible for establishing business goals and strategies
for your business. A
VA-client relationship is collaborative (one of support), your VA is NOT your
subordinate.
Who use VA’s?
A VA is the perfect outsourcing solution for
entrepreneurs, small businesses, business start-ups, the
home/office environment, consultants, freelancers, busy
executives, professionals, and sales people who need support
because they can't do everything on their own but don't want the hassle
of hiring a full-time employee or retraining a temp every time one is required.
What geographical area does a VA cover?
A VA can undertake internet-derived work from anywhere in the world. After
all, most of us are virtual operators these days without thinking about
it, we operate from remote places without being in the office. Express-VA
currently resides in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Via phone, fax and
email, express-VA supports her clients without having to ever set
foot inside their offices.
How do you know if
you are in need of a VA?
If you answer NO to the following questions:
- Is your small business ready to
justify the commitment and expense of a full-time employee
(secretary, pa, ea, office assistant, etc.)?
- Is the quality of your backup and
paperwork up to that of the product/service you provide?
If you answer YES to the following questions:
- Is your business suffering from
growing pains, you feel trapped by work overflow?
- Are you working from home (or
remotely) and don't have the space for a full-time employee?
- Is your admin workload overflowing,
and preventing you from going after new business and clients?
- Are you sometimes away from base
and wish you had some backup?
- Are you desperately in need of
someone to set-up some business templates, a style
guide, or brochures?
- Do you sometimes want access to
an experienced meetings and events manager?
Which software programmes do express-VA use?
This is a relevant question as sometimes
due to different software or versions VA’s and clients can find that
they are not compatible. But that said, there is always a solution, ie
if express-VA has the ability but not the software or version, it is easy to
set-up access to your PC via Gotomypc (a remote access web tool), which enables
express-VA to access your PC, as long as it is on and connected to the
internet, when you do not need to be on the computer. You are welcome to
watch while express-VA is at work.
Express-VA uses both Windows XP Home
and Windows Vista operating systems; if you use Macintosh express-VA
can refer you to a Mac VA.
On a daily basis express-VA
use the following software, but express-VA’s abilities are not
limited to these:
- Windows XP Home (operating system)
- Windows Vista (operating system)
- MS Office (2003 and 2007) – main
source of communicating with clients; creation and editing of general
office documentation (inc presentations, spreadsheets, databases) and
templates
- Google Crome - prefered web browser
- Mozilla Firefox – web browser
- Internet Explorer – web browser
- Skype, Yahoo, MSN – messengers
- Adobe
Photoshop CS3 – creation and editing of grahics
and animation
- Adobe Photoshop Elements – creation
and editing of desktop work
- Kompozer – creation and editing of
webpages
- WYSIWYG Web Builder 6 – creation
and editing of webpages
- SmartFTP – live publishing to the
www.
- Nitro PDF Professional – to convert,
edit, manage, secure PDF’s
- PayMo – for tracking time spent on
assignments.
Express-VA uses the following web-based tools:
- PowWeb
– website host
- Gotomypc – remote access tool
- Google Apps - file, calendar and account(s)
sharing
- MailChimp – newsletter
management
- SurveyMonkey
– for hr or marketing surveys.
How do I know my files
(data) are safe
with express-VA?
Express-VA understands the importance of confidentiality and integrity, therefore
daily antispyware, antivirus and firewall protection are executed via Norton
and McAfee. Express-VA further believes in a healthy computer
and therefore performs a range of activities (scan disk, disk cleanup,
defragmentation) on a weekly basis, to keep the doctor away.
What assurance do I have that express-VA will not lose my files?
A daily automatic back-up of
critical files are done to an online remote location. Secondly, the entire
system is backed-up to an external hard drive on a weekly basis.
Where does express-VA operate from?
For practical and virtual continuity
reasons (and the owner's expat spirit) express-VA (The Virtual
Express Ltd) is registered as an offshore company and operates under
the jurisdiction of the Seychelles, and the International Privacy Act.
Your VA is currently residing in Dubai (United Arab Emirates).
Does express-VA
have a communication preference?
Yes, via email. Firstly, because of
convenience due to the difference in time zones, Dubai is GMT
+4. Secondly, telecommunication is in a certain sense restricted in the
Middle East, you do not get the great deals on international phone calls as in
other countries due to a local monopoly. Skype is forbidden….. but used.
What is express-VA’s idea of an ideal client?
Express-VA loves this question (it is one of her Top 10 VAluable Client Lessons). A client that is to-the-point and provides clear,
concise, well-formulated instructions is any VA’s dream. It saves a lot of
time and rigmarole! Someone that plans ahead, and that is not
last-minute crisis management orientated. Someone that is computer literate,
ie. confident in using (basic) Word, Excel, the internet, Outlook (email),
running antispyware, and using a firewall to protect his/her computer. The
ideal is to form a long-term relationship with a client, to strive for a successful
partnership, together. Express-VA’s niche markets are the construction and
media industries, but are not limited to these markets.
Does express-VA offer clients
a discount?
No, not on one-off hourly projects. There are so many hours you get for free
anyway, substantial hours spend on revision, client interaction, estimates,
proposals, emails (reporting, updates), etc are all uncharged. BUT if you
become a retainer
client you can choose from three different discounted offers.
