A virtual assistant (VA) works from her own location to provide office and other personal support services, including tasks such as general administrative work, customer service, data collection, report writing, editing and creating documents, mailing or transmitting marketing materials, and handling basic communication such as messages and follow-up letters. She can also work on setting up and maintaining databases and websites, as well as handle billing, bookkeeping and customer relations.

Time Management

Time is money, especially for a small business owner. The best reason to hire a VA is because she will greatly assist with time management for your business. By delegating tasks to the VA, you will free up more time that can be used to manage other more delicate areas of your company such as business development. For a small business, time is the most critical resource that a VA can help provide more of for all businesses.

Mult-Tasking

VAs work excellently at multi-tasking, since many have experience with numerous types of office jobs. This is a huge asset to a small company, which usually has limited resources. The more versatile the VA is, the better that operation costs will be kept low. Virtual assistants generally maintain good contact with people in various professions and can also be a great asset for networking. Some VAs are even enlisted with helping clients manage personal lives by arranging for gift purchasing and giving, coordinating other vendors, pet-sitting, scheduling meetings, and planning or coordinating a physical move.

Increase Business

Since a VA attends to some of the more essential, yet mundane aspects of business, this assists with business growth. Generally, a virtual assistant has experience working in different industries. Because of this, she may be able to provide information and input that may save money in the long run by handling issues that arise more efficiently.

Lower Costs

A major benefit of hiring a VA is that there is no overhead cost involved. Specific tasks are paid for, usually with an option to keep someone on retainer if needed. There are none of the usual employee costs such as taxes and benefits which can eat into a small business' profits, unlike with regular staff. Electricity and other office costs like rent, stationary, beverages and Internet expenses are also non-existent, as they are absorbed by the VA. This is why hiring a reliable and competent VA makes the best business sense.

Virtual assistants are more cost-effective than full-time employees also because they can often do the same exact work and more. Often, a VA will do more than a full-time employee, since the guidelines are often more open. As an independent contractor, a VA is more in control of her own professional life and is often interested in keeping long term clients. This positive attitude can be very advantageous for small business owners. Virtual Assistants only charge for hours worked or tasks performed, whereas full-time employees charge for every minute spent at the office. This means that you will have a better chance of getting your money's worth from hiring a VA, where that is not always the case when hiring staff.