Virtual Assistants Help Local Small Businesses Succeed in Today’s Economy

Dec. 9, 2008 - PRLog -- CONTACT:
Amber Drake, Co-Founder
Inland Northwest Virtual Assistants Alliance
Phone: 208-777-8551
Fax: 877-874-1941
Email: amber@essential-admin.com
Website: www.invaa.com

Virtual Assistants Help Local Small Businesses Succeed in Today’s Economy

Coeur d’Alene, ID, December 9, 2008 - Especially in today’s struggling economy, small businesses are seeking new ways to stretch, save and leverage precious resources, and many are succeeding with the help of Virtual Assistants, commonly referred to as “VAs”.

“Unlike traditional employees or temps,” explains Lanel Taylor of Hayden, Idaho’s Taylored Office Solutions, “Virtual Assistants are independent business owners who ‘partner’ with business owners, providing a wide array of business services on an as-needed basis from their own offices.” Virtual Assistants serve clients across the nation and even around the world, and eliminate the overhead and red tape associated with the traditional employee, including taxes, worker’s comp, payroll, office space, equipment, training and more.

Many Virtual Assistants are experts in specific areas, including bookkeeping, marketing, real estate support, Internet marketing, desktop publishing, website support, writing/editorial services, event planning, contact/database management and many more.

The most beneficial aspects of teaming with a Virtual Assistant are flexibility and affordability. You can team with one or several VAs each month, for just the amount you need, when you need it. You then receive expert assistance from professionals who are already trained, use their own equipment and are dedicated to growing your business.

There are numerous Virtual Assistant groups available to assist in bringing VAs and business owners together. Some are worldwide, like the International Virtual Assistants Association (www.ivaa.org), while others are focused more locally, including the Inland Northwest Virtual Assistants Alliance (www.invaa.com) based in Coeur d’Alene, ID.  INVAA was established in 2007 by five North Idaho Virtual Assistants, and supports VAs – and those seeking VAs – located in the Inland Northwest area. According to INVAA co-founder, Kendall Gjevre of All Digital Support, “INVAA VAs provide both local and nationwide services, including web design, bookkeeping, Realtor support, technical writing, database management, marketing and more. As the membership grows, so will the service offerings, and our members are networked worldwide, thereby expanding the ability to provide referrals to fellow VAs.”

Virtual Assistants’ fees vary by company and generally range between $35-$70+/hour, depending on services and specializations. “At first glance, that may seem high compared to a traditional hourly employee,” explains INVAA co-founder, Fran McCully of Your Administrative Solutions based in Deary, ID, “however, because VAs are not full-time employees; they provide 100% productivity by charging only for specific projects or time on task; all overhead expenses such as taxes, benefits, worker’s comp, sick time, vacation time, holiday pay, equipment, etc., are eliminated; most are highly trained in their field; and they can be utilized on an as-needed basis, businesses achieve more bang for their buck.”

However, the biggest pocketbook saver could be the “100% productivity” aspect. An onsite employee does not bill by the minute or for specific time working directly on the employer’s projects. According to the Websense and Harris report in April of 2004, the average employee spends between one and five hours per workday on personal or non-work related activities. According to a 2005 Gallup organization report, employees use office computers for an average of 75 minutes per day for non-work related activities. A July 2005 study by Salary.com and AOL revealed that workers admitted to wasting more than two hours per eight hour workday on average, not counting scheduled breaks or lunch.

So, on top of employee overhead costs, businesses spend an average of 25% per year, per employee on lost productivity. In contrast to the standard employee, when utilizing the services of a Virtual Assistant, clients are not billed for breaks, distractions, personal business, or time off -- only for the time devoted directly to their tasks. This achieves 100% productivity, 100% of the time.

“Especially in today’s economy, business owners need to focus where their core time and valuable resources are spent,” states Amber Drake of Essential Admin, based in Post Falls, ID. “It’s most beneficial for the business owner -- who is really the visionary and expert in the company -- to spend time on building, innovating and growing the business rather than on the administrative or technical aspects of the business that can be outsourced to the experts who actually enjoy doing them! VAs are here to help business owners do just that.”

For many small businesses, hiring a Virtual Assistant may be the perfect solution for managing their growing list of responsibilities they either do not have the time or inclination to do, as well as stretching their pocketbooks during challenging economic times.

For more information on Virtual Assistants in the Inland Northwest, visit www.invaa.com; for Virtual Assistants worldwide, visit www.ivaa.org.

About INVAA: The Inland Northwest Virtual Assistants Alliance is composed of locally-based professionals, dedicated to developing greater awareness of the Virtual Assistance industry.

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Fran McCully launched Your Administrative Solutions in 2004 a virtual assistant company. Your Administrative Solutions specializes in bookkeeping/accounting, database and business-plan development, and human resource services.