What is a Virtual Office Professional/Virtual Assistant?

“A Virtual Assistant (VA) is an independent entrepreneur providing administrative, creative and/or technical services. Utilizing advanced technological modes of communication and data delivery, a professional VA assists clients in his/her area of expertise from his/her own office on a contractual bases.”
- The International Virtual Assistants Association

The VA is a skilled professional who is actually in business to support the client and his or her business. The core service and true value of a Virtual Assistant is the collaborative working relationship between the VA and the Client.

Services to give you the freedom to focus on what matters most: Your Business!


Garcia Business Services FAQ

What are some of the advantages of hiring a you?
As a Virtual Office Professional I am available to support you on an "as-needed" basis, which means I am here when you need me and you only pay for time spent on your project. And since it is my business to support you, you can depend on high quality work.

Do you work out of my office?
No. A Virtual Office Professional (or Virtual Assistant) works from his or her own office and communicates with you via email, instant messaging, or telephone. This frees you from all the issues that go along with having an on-site employee, like benefits, insurance, office space and equipment.

How do I know you are working if I can't see you?
Remember that this is my business, my reputation. I am highly motivated to complete your projects in a timely and professional manner. Plus, you will always receive a time sheet with detailed information on the amount of time spent on each project.

Is my company information secure and confidential?
Yes. Keeping client information safe is a high priority for me. I have Norton Anti-virus and Norton and Windows firewalls to prevent virus and hacker attempts. I also have a standard non-disclosure agreement that is signed by all parties.

 

Some informative links:

The International Virtual Assistants Association
www.ivaa.org/

VA Networking
www.vanetworking.com

"The Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Assistant"
http://www.opportunitiesplanet.com/

"How a startup should leverage a virtual assistant"
www.asmartbear.com

"7 Secrets for Outsourcing Effectively to Virtual Assistants"
www.startupnation.com

 

Some useful terms:

Transcribe
-to make a typewritten copy of dictated material, notes taken during a lecture, or other spoken material.
Blog
-a Web site containing the writer's or group of writers' own experiences,
observations, opinions, etc., and often having images and links to other Web sites.
SEO
-Short for search engine optimization or search engine optimizer, SEO is the
process of increasing the amount of visitors to a website by obtaining a high-ranking placement in the search results page of a search engine
Social Media
-forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos)