Without a doubt, virtual assistants are increasingly becoming crucial to the growth of businesses all over the world. By allowing business owners to delegate a variety of activities to virtual assistants, or VAs, they have been able to save time and focus on the growth of their business.
Despite the benefits of working with VAs, many business owners are still on the fence about hiring virtual assistants, even though there are many trustworthy virtual assistants available worldwide. The difficulty and the near impossibility of finding the ideal VA is one reason why some business owners put off hiring one.
Concerns About Virtual Assistants
Business owners have a number of concerns when it comes to working with a virtual assistant, to the point where they wonder if it is even worth it.
Security Risks
Given the potential for data leakages and the fact that virtual assistants would need access to different sensitive information in order to complete their work, some businesses are hesitant to hire them. To lessen the risk of data breaches, businesses should be careful when hiring virtual assistants and do thorough background checks.
Conflicts in Communication
When working with virtual assistants, communicating is the top worry most business owners have. To get things done, communication between the business owner and the VAs is necessary. Fortunately, the digital age made communicating across the world easier and more accessible.
However, it can be challenging when communicating remotely. There is a chance that the communications may be misunderstood and you could lose touch with your virtual assistants.
Since virtual assistants have different cultural backgrounds, there is a possibility that messages will be misunderstood since the context and meaning of the message will be lost in translation. Talking face-to-face reduces the likelihood of misunderstandings between the two parties.
Lack of Supervision
If employees are in an office, business owners can easily keep an eye on them. It is the opposite when managing a remote workforce, at least that is the misconception for most people. It is simple to delegate a range of tasks to virtual assistants, even on a tight schedule. The challenge is assessing the quality of their work. Tasks assigned to virtual assistants that call for sufficient supervision would not be as simple to check on.
Unprofessionalism at Work
If the VA you hire does not follow standards of professionalism set in your organization, it will reflect adversely on the VA and the person who recruited him. There is always a risk involved when hiring a VA from an unreliable agency or platform. The fact that you would be hiring a person you have never met in person makes it riskier in this situation. This is the reason why many business owners are hesitant to work with a virtual assistant.
Is it risky to work with a VA?
It would seem from the information above that hiring a virtual assistant involves uncertainties to try. That’s not true, though! In actuality, employing a VA is no different than hiring any other employee. The screening processes are the same. In other words, there are precautions you may take to prevent the potential risks mentioned above.
Here are some ways you can minimize or totally avoid the risk of working with a VA:
Before making a hiring decision, learn more about the VAs who are available.
It is essential to learn as much as you can about anyone you are considering hiring before making a decision. Find out more about the VA so that you are aware of what you are getting into, just like you would do with any new job.
Keep an eye out for client testimonials.
If you have any concerns about the professionalism of your potential VA, read some of their previous client’s testimonials. Consider the clients’ credibility as well. This will give you comfort in the VA’s reliability.
Connect with them.
Communicate and connect with your VA. Discuss how your communication setup is and determine whether your communication styles are compatible. Examine the specifications for any language barriers or comprehension challenges, since they may significantly influence the caliber of the job you receive. Select virtual assistants just if you feel you can trust them.
Hire VAs from a Trusted and Reliable Agency
Hiring and working with a virtual assistant should NOT be risky. When choosing a VA for your business, you should check for a solid track record, examples of prior work, and a test that could be beneficial. A VA may significantly reduce your business’s operating expenses. Additionally, they provide you with a wide range of specialized services, free up your time by handling monotonous administrative work and other personal responsibilities, and most importantly, they assist you in running your business smoothly!
We trust that you now fully understand the things to take into account before hiring a virtual assistant as well as the security precautions you should take when working with one.
VALUE Virtual Assistant will simplify and ease the process of working with a virtual assistant. Book a free consultation now.
