Any entrepreneur can relate that launching a business can be quite taxing. In the early days, you will not just be the CEO of your dream company, but you will also be your own marketer, publicist, salesman, financier, project manager, and so much more. Wearing many hats means a lot will be on your plate, and you will likely take on that challenge just to ensure that things will flow smoothly in your new venture.
While this is an admirable trait, it might not be ideal in the long run. With many responsibilities piling up, you run the risk of overlooking other business aspects that need your greater attention. The non-stop demands at work may even take away time from your personal life.
Thankfully, virtual assistants (VAs) exist, saving busy business owners like you from going to the deep end. If you feel like you’re spread too thin already, you might want to hire a virtual assistant to ease up on your workload.
There are numbers to prove that it works—and data doesn’t lie. Below are some compelling statistics and studies you should see to answer the question: “Why hire a virtual assistant?”
6 Statistics that Prove the Value of Hiring a Virtual Assistant
Virtual assistants reduce operating costs
Much like the business process outsourcing (BPO) model, hiring a VA will not only help you delegate your tasks to an expert but also save you money while doing so. At one point, you will be ready to expand and hire people to join your team. But you can’t deny that onboarding a full-time, in-house employee can be costly and stressful in its own right, especially if you’re quite in-between stages of scaling your business.
With the opportunity to scout for virtual assistants from different parts of the globe, you can get a strong addition to your team for a competitive rate that’s still a higher salary than what they usually receive in their home country.
You can expect to save as much as 78% in operating costs from getting a VA instead of a traditional, in-house employee. In fact, a study showed that a business based in the US could log as much as $11,000 in cost savings by partnering with telecommuters such as virtual assistants. When things are kicking off in your business, these can sum up to a significant amount you can use for other projects.
Save on hiring and onboarding costs
Not only are there operating expenses in running a business but hiring and onboarding costs as well. Employers typically look to their human resource department or recruitment agencies to hunt for talent, and these things take time. The applicant may be skilled, but they may not be trained specifically for the type of work you want them to do.
This is where getting a VA through outsourcing partners will be of great value to you. Not only will you save on salary costs, but your outsourcing partner, like Outsource Access, can match you with the right VA and provide training resources and employee management services, too.
Working from home also makes being a VA an attractive job. A Stanford University study found that hiring VAs online could cut attrition rates in half. This focused on Ctrip, a Chinese travel agency with 500 workers. In the experiment, 250 employees worked from home while the other half worked in the office for nine months. In the end, 50% more people stayed in the remote working group.
VAs have increased efficiency and productivity
When it comes to working from home, virtual assistants find that they have more time on their hands to complete their tasks and manage personal responsibilities more efficiently. This means having well-rounded employees who take less frequent leaves of absence.
In fact, the same Stanford study cited above mentioned that remote workers take fewer sick days and breaks, resulting in a 13% increase in their productivity.
You would definitely want a reliable assistant who can deliver their tasks on time with great quality. Getting a VA online can be the best decision you can make at minimal cost and proven efficiency.
VAs are highly-trained, educated, and experienced
Many virtual assistants are multi-disciplined experts. They can do more than just data entry, scheduling meetings, and taking calls. As a matter of fact, almost 60% of virtual assistants have a college education. Several are fully equipped to handle core business responsibilities, such as email marketing, content creation, project management, and social media campaigns, just to name a few.
However, not all VAs will possess the same qualities, so finding one with the skills you need the most is the best way to guarantee you will find a match for your business.
More than half of VAs are doing their job full-time
One of the common misconceptions about virtual assistants is that entrepreneurs will not find a person who will dedicate their time to the job. While it is true that part-time or freelance VAs exist, 59% of these professionals actually treat this as their full-time job. So, if you need someone rendering around 40 hours of work for your company per week, it is possible.
It all boils down to your company’s needs. Getting a part-time VA does not always mean that their attention will be divided. VAs are skilled in time and project management. More importantly, you will be gauging their work with the quality of results they deliver, not the time they punch on the clock.
Hence, having a trustworthy outsourcing partner to hunt for the perfect virtual assistant for you is critical.
VAs are happy and content with their careers
Any entrepreneur would say they value stability and working with someone long-term. With 97% of virtual assistants reportedly happy and content with their jobs, you are less likely to come across job-hoppers who may cause problems to your operations in the long run. It can be quite a headache to train a new employee every few months or so, which can take away time from focusing on getting the work done.
It may be because of the level of flexibility and control VAs have over their professional and personal lives, likening it to a freelancer’s, but with a more defined career path and benefits. Virtual assistants can stick with their jobs for longer, and 82% say they are proud of their vocation, too.
Of course, it should go without saying that having a positive working relationship with your VA can contribute to this, instead of merely taking these stats at face value.
Partner with Outsource Access for Your VA Needs
One of the roadblocks you might stumble upon after deciding that you want to hire a VA is where you can actually find and hire one.
If you need help selecting a virtual assistant for your company’s needs, you are in the right place! Outsource Access is a reputable agency in the industry, and we pride ourselves on our selection and matching process for entrepreneurs and VAs. Here’s a brief overview of how we do it:
- A pool of top-tier talent – The best applicants are screened, tested, and interviewed to ensure there are always viable candidates for clients.
- A thorough business assessment – Outsource Access identifies your company’s pain points and areas that need outsourcing.
- Time to make a match – The company’s custom matching system will match your requirements in our database of qualified VAs.
- You have a virtual assistant – Outsource Access handles onboarding to get your new hire up to speed with your company’s needs.
Want to know more about Outsource Access’ process? You can find more information here.
Finding the Right Virtual Assistant is a Few Steps Away
While it may be tempting to do everything on your own at the start, remember that no business flourishes without the help of a reliable team. Getting a virtual assistant is heaven-sent for busy entrepreneurs.
A VA will prove to be indispensable in helping you grow your business. Hire a talented VA who can help you with the tasks your business needs the most—all with less cost and more stability.
