Why Hire A Domestic Virtual Assistant?
Time is money. Your small business can only do so much in the workday, and if you find yourself in need of extra help, you may want to consider hiring a virtual assistant. As internet infrastructure improves, so has the ease of hiring a virtual assistant. Last week we discussed hiring a foreign virtual assist, but this week we will discuss why hiring a U.S.-based virtual assistant may be beneficial for small business’s growth.
What Is A Virtual Assistant?
A virtual assistant (VA) is someone who provides support to your small business from a remote location. They can provide many different services to help support you and your clients. VA’s can be employed within the U.S. or anywhere in the world. Many are willing to work unique hours to meet the needs of your small business. Virtual assistants do many of the tasks a personal assistant would do, but remotely. This allows you to hire from a national or international talent pool and avoid overhead of an office of employees.
Reasons To Hire A Domestic Virtual Assistant
It is true that foreign virtual assistants can cost less, but a possible lack of communication and knowledge of American culture could cause issues. U.S.-based virtual assistants can help you combat many issues associated with hiring a foreign VA. There are websites like Upwork, which can assist you in finding a US-based virtual assistant who’s right for you. If you have a startup business, you may want to hire a virtual assistant to allow you more time to focus on getting your business off the ground. We offer startup consulting services to assist you in ensuring your startup business has the infrastructure to prosper.
1. No Time Zone Issues
Businesses need to run efficiently, and having a virtual assistant who lives halfway around the world can make it difficult to connect with them. Last minute tasks, having your virtual assistant present at a meeting or daily phone calls are much easier to coordinate within U.S. time zones. This allows you to schedule tasks and meetings at a time that’s convenient for both you and your domestic virtual assistant.
2. No Language Barrier
For many foreign virtual assistants, English is not their first language. This can make it difficult to effectively communicate with a foreign VA, and in turn, make it difficult for them to effectively communicate with you and your clients. Hiring a U.S.-based virtual assistant avoids this potential obstacle, and ensures that language isn’t a barrier to communication.
3. No Cultural Barriers
Each country has it’s own unique culture, regional dialects and traditions. A foreign virtual assistant may not know enough about U.S. culture, or the culture of a specific region in the U.S., which could result in issues in understanding American money, accents, travel, pop culture, slang, measurements or media. An American virtual assistant will most likely understand American culture better than a foreign VA. This knowledge can reduce the amount of explaining or information you’ll need to provide to get tasks done properly the first time.
4. Supporting U.S. Employment
Hiring a domestic virtual assistant will likely cost more when compared to hiring a foreign VA, but you will be supporting U.S. employment. It tends to look better to clients or customers when a small business employs U.S. workers, and this could potentially increase your sales. While employing strictly American workers could increase the cost of your services or products, many people are willing to pay a higher cost to support a small business.
Common Services Provided By A Virtual Assistant
- Graphic Design
- Social Media Management
- Customer Service
- Recruiting
- Administrative Work
- Bookkeeping
- Data Entry
- Public Relations
- Online Marketing
In Conclusion
Hiring a U.S.-based virtual assistant allows you to avoid possible issues with timeliness and communication, while supporting American jobs. If you are looking to hire a virtual assistant for your small business, or have small business coaching needs, please CONTACT US at North Consulting Services.
