10 Benefits Of Using A Virtual Pa Over A Regular One

By Author: Simeon Howard
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Modern technology has brought with it a whole new way of doing business. With internet connections and global calling programs, you can now communicate with customers across town, nationally and even internationally without having to leave your office. In the same way, you can communicate and coordinate your operations with staff and it is no longer essential for all employees to occupy the same office space. This has opened up opportunities for more efficient ways of doing business that in many instances positively impacts the bottom line. One of these opportunities is making use of a virtual PA.

What is a Virtual PA?
A PA, or personal assistant, is someone you can rely on to take care of the small operational details of your business. Responsibilities vary from answering phones and typing to coordinating projects, managing staff and scheduling meetings. Normally, the person would be based in your office and manage their responsibilities via phone and email. A virtual PA is able to handle the same responsibilities and may even have areas of specific expertise but he or she will operate from a remote location, ...
... usually their own home office or virtual office location. Virtual PAs tend to be highly skilled individuals who fulfill their responsibilities with a high level of professionalism that can be greatly beneficial to your business.

Responsibilities Involved With Employing a Regular PA
To fully understand the benefits of using a virtual PA, it's helpful to look at the set-up you will require for a regular PA. You will need a desk, chair, computer, office space, and applicable software; though these things are all assets, they can be expensive to acquire and will depreciate fairly rapidly. You will also be committed to providing a monthly salary which would include employee benefits such as health insurance, workers compensation, vacation pay, and an allowance for sick leave. In addition, you have the responsibility of declaring and paying income tax on behalf of your employees and adhering to other state requirements for full-time employees. Perhaps one of the greatest risks and responsibilities is finding the right person in the first place. Often, you cannot truly asses a person's abilities and skills until they actually start the job. If you happen to find out down the line that they aren't the right person for the job, you then may have to follow an awkward and tedious process to get rid of them before being able to start looking for a suitable replacement.

What are the Benefits of Using a Virtual PA?
When contracting a virtual PA, it will be on a far more flexible basis. For a start, you will not be tied into any long-term contracts. If you need a virtual PA for a month, a year or even just a week then that is the extent of your employment commitment. In addition, if you find that you no longer require the services of your virtual PA, you can terminate the services with a relatively short notice period and none of the hassles associated with getting rid of a permanent employee. You will also not need to provide office space and the other items needed for a traditional PA. This can save you significantly on set-up costs. In terms of costs, you will only be paying for the time and services that you require. In other words, if you simply need someone to answer the phone and manage your diary, you can use the services of a more affordable junior virtual PA. If you need someone to coordinate a function, you can either get an additional virtual PA to fulfill that function or you can find someone who is skilled to do both. It is a way of getting quality expertise when you need it and keeping overhead costs to a minimum. In terms of business operations and running expenses, this a major benefit. Because most often you will be employing a virtual PA on a part-time or temporary basis, you will be able to get a more highly skilled and professional person to do the job at a fraction of the cost you would pay if you were to employ the same person on a full-time basis. The company contracting out the virtual PA will also take care of all the employment administration for the virtual PA which once again will save you and your business time, effort and money.
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At YourCityOffice.com our virtual office technology makes us unique, by integrating Bespoke Software developed by Open Design Systems, the groups Graphic