Virtual assistants are basically the individuals or organizations who offer professional services to others from a remote location, especially from the home offices. The first organization of virtual assistants was introduced in the year 1997. The budget requirements are competitively low to start such home based business but it is not as easy as it appears.These days we can see rapid increase in the numbers of virtual assistant services.In this article we will try to give you an understanding on how virtual assistant services operate and also try to figure out the reasons for the increase in their numbers.Description on virtual assistant services:Virtual assistants mostly operate from their homes. In virtual assistant services, the entrepreneurs offer administration and support services personally. Here they mostly deal only with a handful of clients but they work for long term collaboration.This job might not suit everyone. An entrepreneur looking to start a virtual assistance business must indulge in adequate research and consider the critical requirements before starting the venture.The primary resources of virtual assistance are internet, phone, fax and e-mail. The biggest advantage of this type of home based business is that you will not need to be in the client’s places for work.Job of virtual assistants: Virtual Assistance agencies are small start ups which exploit current technology in order to establish a lucrative business. They mostly communicate with their clients through email, chat and the telephone.Experienced people with virtual and none virtual business profiles such as administrative assistants, secretary, paralegal etc, for several years, have the potentials of becoming virtual assistants. Many home based business higher the services of these individuals.Clients normally hire virtual assistants to check and answer emails or to pay their bills but in some cases virtual assistants even run a part of company operations. Virtual assistants are not employees. They are independent contractors who have a business relationship with the client. They organize their own operations, policies and rates. Most of them focus in one area like the web development, bookkeeping or writing jobs. A typical Virtual Assistant provides across-the-board administrative and other services.Its Rapid Growth:There is vast difference between home based business models of Virtual Assistants (VA) and Business Support Services. VA has many advantages compared to the latter. This is the main reason for its exponential growth. Some of the major advantages with VA are listed below:
Business Support Services are task based performers and focus on a single functional area whereas VA works with clients for long term on multiple areas.
Business Support Services have an inherent lack of stability working for many clients whereas VA works for a small number of decent clients over a period of time.
For Business Support Services providers it is not essential to understand and accept client terms to complete a project whereas for VA, understanding is the key note for tie-up.
Business Support Services fees are often project orientated whereas VA charges per hour.
These are just a few advantages of virtual assistant services. This is the reason for the popularity of this type of home based business