The keys to a successful workplace include accountability, cooperation, training, performance monitoring, supervision, support, and socializing with coworkers in a quiet office atmosphere. Most business owners do not have the time, patience, knowledge, or interest to give this level of assistance to their virtual assistants. As a result, a fully managed, office-based VA service is the best option.
If you’ve stumbled upon this blog post hoping to clear out any contemplations on hiring a managed or unmanaged virtual assistant. Then this blog post will definitely help! Continue reading to find out more
Difference between managed and Freelance Virtual Assistants
With unmanaged VAs, you need to engage, onboard, train and supervise their performances. While with managed virtual assistants, the agency is responsible for all of these processes. This means you do not have to stress and go through all the hassle!
Freelance virtual assistants are perfect for short-term projects since they often work for several clients and cannot guarantee devoted time for you. They can also be a great option if you are looking for individuals with specific skills and qualifications that some agencies can’t provide. It includes professional digital artists, certified accountants, and more. However, since freelance VAs work anytime they want, many of them would work at times when you are asleep, making quality control difficult.
With fully managed virtual assistants, account managers collaborate with you on the hiring stage and train virtual VAs on the different tools used once they go on board. The account manager then receives client feedback and advises the VA to improve more.
Things to consider when hiring a Virtual Assistant
Take note that you can only hire one freelance VA at a time in contrast to fully-managed virtual assistants that you can access a team. Moreover, staff retention is critical in every organization, and a high turnover rate means higher expenses and reduced productivity. When you utilize the services of fully-managed VAs, their company takes up this obligation. They place a great value on employee well-being and retention since it is critical to the success of their organization.
Another thing to consider is employee security, as it is critical. Are you willing to provide office equipment such as computers, or do you want them to use their own? How will they gain access to your systems? How can you know if it’s secure when these VAs live from across the world? Is their working environment good enough to make them productive? These, along with other questions, should be taken into account while making a decision between freelance or fully-managed VAs.
Pros and Cons of Managed and Unmanaged Virtual Assistants
Managed
Pros:
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- Highly specialized recruitment and training
- Hardware and quiet workspace
- Software and security
- Strong and stable internet connection
- Backup power
- Timekeeping for attendance management
- Desktop monitoring
- Conducting background checks
- Daily social interaction with other VAs
- In-house IT support
- Staff development
Cons:
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- Services are available in bundles with defined monthly hours.
- Hiring a fully-managed VA is not the least expensive choice compared to some freelancers.
Unmanaged VAs
Pros:
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- Cheaper choice
- Possibility of price negotiation
Cons:
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- Risk of disappearing
- Possibility of doing other things while working (taking care of children, cooking, etc.)
- They might have a noisy workspace
- Some freelancers have an unstable internet connection and no backup power
- No in-house IT support to help fix problems with software, hardware, and the like
Delegate Tasks to one or more Fully-managed Virtual Assistants today!
While doing everything yourself saves money, it also costs a lot more than you realize. Every hour you spend on tasks that could be outsourced is an hour you could be spending on achieving your company goals. Therefore, hiring a fully-managed virtual assistant is the best decision!
This is where Global OfficeWorks would come in. We provide, train, and manage virtual assistants to help you focus more on important tasks and be free from the mundane ones!
Get your FREE consultation call today to start!
