What can you tell me about this industry, and who’s
utilizing it?
As part of the growing area of business process outsourcing,
Virtual Assistance has become a significant part of that
industry in the last 10+ years. As organizations look for high-
quality, cost-effective solutions to grow, they are turning to
“virtual” professionals as an alternative to the cost and
commitment of hiring on-site staff.
Just about anyone can use a virtual assistant – businesses,
organizations, entrepreneurs, executives, students,
nonprofits. The list is endless. Learn more
What's the difference between working with a VA and
hiring an on-site, on-staff employee?
A VA can do almost anything that an on-site employee would
do, except we work remotely from our own offices.
Additionally, like any service provider, VAs work with more
than one client at a time, and usually partner with clients for a
set number of hours per week or month. It's a very high-
quality, cost-efficient solution to get the professional business
support you need. You're adding skilled, focused, professional
assistance to your team, but only when you need it.
How do you support my business if I don’t see you
every day?
This is a valid concern, and is common among entrepreneurs
and small business executives who have built their companies
from the ground up. These concerns generally stem from
being unfamiliar with what kind of work can be done off site.
But, once you learn how your support can be outsourced, the
list of what can be delegated gets longer.
The key to working with VAs is simple − communication. By
being clear about what you need, you can leave the rest to
your VA while you focus on realizing the full potential of your
business. Thanks to the tools available for real-time
communication and information transfer, you aren't more
than a click away from your VA.
VAs, in turn, provide progress reports, ask questions, and
take the initiative to use their resources to get the job done.
After all, their practices depend on providing quality business
solutions in order to grow their businesses to their full
potential.
Are you part of my daily operations?
That’s up to the client. While we are available on a project-by-
project basis, we strive to develop a relationship that allows
us to regularly help you with your increasing workload. Like
on-site staff, we want to be a partner in your success.
What services does Rescue Desk provide?
Our role is to take on tasks that are supportive in scope and
nature. Our primary services include providing support in the
areas of communications, marketing, creative projects and
executive assistance.
If there is something you need that we’re not completely
confident we can do or if it’s not part of our service listing, we
will share that with you … and help you find someone who can!
utilizing it?
As part of the growing area of business process outsourcing,
Virtual Assistance has become a significant part of that
industry in the last 10+ years. As organizations look for high-
quality, cost-effective solutions to grow, they are turning to
“virtual” professionals as an alternative to the cost and
commitment of hiring on-site staff.
Just about anyone can use a virtual assistant – businesses,
organizations, entrepreneurs, executives, students,
nonprofits. The list is endless. Learn more
What's the difference between working with a VA and
hiring an on-site, on-staff employee?
A VA can do almost anything that an on-site employee would
do, except we work remotely from our own offices.
Additionally, like any service provider, VAs work with more
than one client at a time, and usually partner with clients for a
set number of hours per week or month. It's a very high-
quality, cost-efficient solution to get the professional business
support you need. You're adding skilled, focused, professional
assistance to your team, but only when you need it.
How do you support my business if I don’t see you
every day?
This is a valid concern, and is common among entrepreneurs
and small business executives who have built their companies
from the ground up. These concerns generally stem from
being unfamiliar with what kind of work can be done off site.
But, once you learn how your support can be outsourced, the
list of what can be delegated gets longer.
The key to working with VAs is simple − communication. By
being clear about what you need, you can leave the rest to
your VA while you focus on realizing the full potential of your
business. Thanks to the tools available for real-time
communication and information transfer, you aren't more
than a click away from your VA.
VAs, in turn, provide progress reports, ask questions, and
take the initiative to use their resources to get the job done.
After all, their practices depend on providing quality business
solutions in order to grow their businesses to their full
potential.
Are you part of my daily operations?
That’s up to the client. While we are available on a project-by-
project basis, we strive to develop a relationship that allows
us to regularly help you with your increasing workload. Like
on-site staff, we want to be a partner in your success.
What services does Rescue Desk provide?
Our role is to take on tasks that are supportive in scope and
nature. Our primary services include providing support in the
areas of communications, marketing, creative projects and
executive assistance.
If there is something you need that we’re not completely
confident we can do or if it’s not part of our service listing, we
will share that with you … and help you find someone who can!
Do you take on every project or assignment?
Sadly, no. In order to fulfill our mission of providing a
valuable business solution by offering executive business
support, we work with a limited number of clients at a single
time. Our primary goal isn't to grow our client list, it's to
provide the best service possible to those we serve. In
addition, if there's work to be done that we're not completely
confident we can do successfully (i.e., if it's not part of the
service listing), we won't accept the project.
How much do Virtual Assistants charge?
It varies and depends on the services the VA offers and the
market he or she serves. VAs generally charge from $20-$60
an hour. Some charge per project, while others are on a flat
hourly rate. It’s common to find discounted rates if you have
a weekly or monthly retainer arrangement.
Fees may initially appear to be high, but compare that with
the real cost of hiring an on-site assistant. Studies show an
on-site employee can cost between 2 and 2½ times their
salaries because of equipment and space needs, benefits,
taxes, legal requirements, unproductive time, professional
development, training, etc.
Who are your ideal clients?
We love working with people – whether a soloist, small
business owner or an executive leading a small staff – who
are creative, have a positive energy, and are open to working
in a virtual world. We are dedicated to cultivating long-lasting,
peer-to-peer partnerships and working with clients who want
to share ideas and come up with solutions together.
We certainly don’t shy away from someone who may need
our help, but Rescue Desk tends to be well-equipped to work
with sole proprietors, “micro” businesses, and other small
organizations with small, dedicated staffs.
I see you're based in Madison, Wis. Do you only work
with clients in the surrounding area?
While our primary market is south central Wisconsin and
stretches throughout the state (allowing us to visit with
clients on-site when we can), it certainly isn't our only
market. Like any VA, we are equipped with the tools to stay
in touch and work with clients just about anywhere.
How do you support me if you’re not familiar
with my industry?
That’s easy – we ask! VAs are a bright and insatiably curious
bunch, and we don’t hesitate to do research, ask questions
and learn about each client's challenges and goals.
Remember, VAs generally have years of business-related
experience and are seasoned professionals when it comes to
finding and using our resources. We aren't much different
than someone you'd hire on-site, in that it's part of our job to
learn yours. The biggest difference is we simply do it from a
distance, and we work only when you need us to.
In addition, VAs generally work with only a handful of great
clients at a time so we can dedicate as much time as
necessary to learning your business and offering the support
you need.
Sadly, no. In order to fulfill our mission of providing a
valuable business solution by offering executive business
support, we work with a limited number of clients at a single
time. Our primary goal isn't to grow our client list, it's to
provide the best service possible to those we serve. In
addition, if there's work to be done that we're not completely
confident we can do successfully (i.e., if it's not part of the
service listing), we won't accept the project.
How much do Virtual Assistants charge?
It varies and depends on the services the VA offers and the
market he or she serves. VAs generally charge from $20-$60
an hour. Some charge per project, while others are on a flat
hourly rate. It’s common to find discounted rates if you have
a weekly or monthly retainer arrangement.
Fees may initially appear to be high, but compare that with
the real cost of hiring an on-site assistant. Studies show an
on-site employee can cost between 2 and 2½ times their
salaries because of equipment and space needs, benefits,
taxes, legal requirements, unproductive time, professional
development, training, etc.
Who are your ideal clients?
We love working with people – whether a soloist, small
business owner or an executive leading a small staff – who
are creative, have a positive energy, and are open to working
in a virtual world. We are dedicated to cultivating long-lasting,
peer-to-peer partnerships and working with clients who want
to share ideas and come up with solutions together.
We certainly don’t shy away from someone who may need
our help, but Rescue Desk tends to be well-equipped to work
with sole proprietors, “micro” businesses, and other small
organizations with small, dedicated staffs.
I see you're based in Madison, Wis. Do you only work
with clients in the surrounding area?
While our primary market is south central Wisconsin and
stretches throughout the state (allowing us to visit with
clients on-site when we can), it certainly isn't our only
market. Like any VA, we are equipped with the tools to stay
in touch and work with clients just about anywhere.
How do you support me if you’re not familiar
with my industry?
That’s easy – we ask! VAs are a bright and insatiably curious
bunch, and we don’t hesitate to do research, ask questions
and learn about each client's challenges and goals.
Remember, VAs generally have years of business-related
experience and are seasoned professionals when it comes to
finding and using our resources. We aren't much different
than someone you'd hire on-site, in that it's part of our job to
learn yours. The biggest difference is we simply do it from a
distance, and we work only when you need us to.
In addition, VAs generally work with only a handful of great
clients at a time so we can dedicate as much time as
necessary to learning your business and offering the support
you need.
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| Rescue Desk Virtual Assistant Services PO Box 8882 Madison, WI 53708 Phone: 608.358.7991 Fax: 608.237.2566 Email: Info@RescueDeskVA.com |
