As your business expands, your to-do list grows with it. Some of them always remain a high priority, while others can be accomplished gradually. While you focus on growing and expanding your business, you need to assign certain daily routine tasks to an assistant. This makes managing your business activities at a macro and micro level possible. However, hiring an in-house assistant can result in high expenses. That is precisely why many business owners are now choosing to hire remote personal assistants.
The first step towards choosing a remote assistant for yourself or your business is identifying your needs. This determines whether you need a virtual assistant or a virtual personal assistant. The main distinctive feature between a virtual assistant and a virtual personal assistant is that the former performs administrative tasks and the latter works on multiple tasks, including personal.
A virtual assistant and a virtual personal assistant are hired for different purposes, but there are some common expectations from both. Here are some points highlighting the same:
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Organization: Assistants are expected to perform tasks in a structured and organized way. Virtual assistants in India understand the need to work in a manner that is always organized. Bringing some order and planning to their daily work helps them achieve targets easily.
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Professionalism: It is needless to say that a professional attitude is absolutely necessary and enables an assistant to showcase his or her talent and capabilities in the best possible manner. When companies interview and recruit assistants, they seek someone who is sincere, dedicated, and honest about their work.
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Computer Skills: Having basic to advanced computer skills is required in almost every field. A virtual assistant would have to perform his or her tasks on a computer and share them with their employer. Cloud sharing, video calling, emailing, and researching are some of the common and necessary activities that need to be performed in order to accomplish tasks.
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Trustworthiness: It is quite common to see business owners relying on their assistants for daily work activities, setting up schedules, providing work information, and sharing other details of their organization. Being discreet and trustworthy is a crucial trait that every assistant must possess. If VAs and VPAs are dependable and responsible, they are able to achieve success and long- term partnerships.
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Communication Skills: The ability to communicate with clarity and patience holds the key to any successful personal and professional relationship. So when you look for an assistant, it is important to assess the person’s verbal and written communication skills. It is the only thing that can align the two parties in their activities.
Apart from these similarities between a virtual assistant (VA) and a virtual personal assistant (VPA), there are some distinctive roles they play.
Role of a virtual assistant:
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Calendar management: Time management is of utmost importance while running a successful business. Prioritizing meetings, meeting deadlines, and organizing events seems like a simple task, but it requires articulate planning. It is the job of your virtual assistant to plan your calendar, set reminders, and reschedule meetings if necessary. When you choose to hire an Indian virtual assistant, they come with this knowledge and realize the importance of your time and its optimum management.
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Expenses: When business owners set out to reach targets, meet goals, and perform other crucial activities, it is difficult for them to keep track of their expenses. As a business owner, you invest time in relationship-building exercises, traveling, and other similar work which leaves no room to budget and maintain an expense sheet. A virtual assistant ensures that your spendings are recorded and all expenses are on track. This allows you to plan for the future and get an idea of your investments and spending.
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Email Management: Managing emails and sending timely replies is one of those time-consuming daily tasks that is often ignored. Having a virtual assistant keep track of all your email communications and notifications can help you stay updated and never miss any important information regarding your business and industry.
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Organizational Support and travel management: Business expansion and growth plans will certainly involve traveling for collaborations, partnerships, conferences, etc. Your virtual assistant in India can take the task of booking and planning your trips off your plate. Apart from that, overall organizational support is given by a VA so you can function and operate in an effective and planned way.
Responsibilities of a VA:
Online research on various topics is one of the main responsibilities of a VA. They can conduct research in any given area on your behalf and save time. In addition, keeping records and performing data entry for all the operations of your business can be done efficiently by a VA. When you choose to hire an Indian virtual assistant, you receive flawless work because of their experience and training in performing these tasks. Any other documentation work and file management can also be given to a VA.
A virtual personal assistant (VPA), on the other hand, is often assigned administrative as well as personal tasks such as:
Roles:
Personal errands: Setting up personal meetings, appointments, and calls is a part of a VPA’s job; they help you maintain an organized personal life, which enables you to perform well in all spheres.
Shopping: VPAs can also be assigned the online shopping lists, and they will ensure they purchase and order your items. Buying gifts, booking reservations, and any similar activities can be assigned to a VPA.
Event planning: Your VPA can look after family functions and events by planning them on your behalf.
Responsibilities:
Since VPAs are hired to perform personal management tasks, their main responsibilities include setting up medical and personal appointments, planning events, booking reservations, shopping, etc. Hire a remote personal assistant from India to receive such services from some of the experienced and equipped VPAs offered by virtual assistant companies in India.
The above-mentioned points broadly define the roles of VPs and VPAs; however, these remain flexible and change as per the business and personal needs of the employer. The nature of the business would define the tasks and roles performed by a VA. Similarity: the requirements and needs would also define the roles and expectations of a VPA. To choose between a VA or VPA will depend largely on the goals you need to achieve and tasks that you wish to accomplish with the help of an assistant.