How We Work
Virtual Assistants are perfect if you don’t want the risk and hassle of employing more permanent employees, or you only need admin support from time-to-time.
A Virtual Assistant (VA) provides professional administrative, management, technical or creative assistance to clients remotely. Quite often a VA can be engaged for only a few hours a week. The beauty of this is you decide how little or how often to call on your VA. Most clients will opt for a minimum number of fixed hours per week, other clients have a ‘full-time/dedicated’ VA (depending on the size of your business and tasks undertaken). You can, of course, adjust the VA’s role as you go – giving you the flexibility to adjust and change your services to suit you and your business.
A Cost Effective Solution
Forget paying sick leave, annual leave or ACC levies. Don’t worry about an office, computers or training. The amount you will save in set-up, maintenance and overheads will be huge!
Part of Your Business
Your VA will operate under your company brand as one of your team members, with the title you assign them (for example Executive Assistant, Project Manager, Client Relations), so the fact that your VA isn’t physically in your offices doesn’t matter, no-one knows any different. However, the fact that we are also based in NZ means we are working on the same days and time-zone.
Usually, if your VA is assisting you with calendar or email Inbox, a company email address or login is assigned to your VA, along with the appropriate email signature so that they can operate consistently under your company brand.
Of course all of this is discussed before kicking off your VA service. We discuss how you would like your VA to conduct themselves (i.e. book in client appointments on a Wednesday only, leave Friday’s free for Business Development etc), we run through any company processes or policies in relation to the tasks being undertaken plus we provide you with regular updates and arrange review meetings to ensure we are still on the same page & tracking well.
Live, Real-Time Support
With today’s technology and comprehensive online systems, it is easy for your VA to access your calendar, inbox & other applications remotely. We can also share files and synchronise our work through a number of great applications such as Dropbox, Box & Google docs, to name a few.
The fact that we are based in New Zealand is also a huge advantage for your business as well will respond to your call or email immediately.
Set-up is simple and you can of course control your VA’s level of access to the areas of your business required.
Confidentiality
One of the hallmarks of any experienced corporate Executive Assistant is confidentiality. Our Smart Assistant VA’s pride themselves on confidentially. As VA’s are often involved in the daily workings and ins & outs of a business, with Directors or management.
VA’s will often sign an NDA or a similar document to give the company piece of mind that their information is safe. Your VA does not store/retain any of the company’s information personally. Your VA will follow all company protocols concerning confidentiality – as this is extremely important.
Pricing
We offer two transparent, easy to manage pricing options.
Fixed Fee
You nominate the tasks to be handled by your VA, we then negotiate and agree on a weekly price for that service. This gives you assurance on the amount you will be paying each week – regardless of time taken to complete the tasks. This also gives both parties certainty and sets clear expectations plus it helps with cash-flow forecasting and budgeting, as costs remain the same month-to-month.
Hourly Rate
Depending on the service requested an hourly rate for a VA can range anywhere from $50+gst per hour through to $120+gst per hour, depending on the level of support required.
It goes without saying, that when the scope of the work changes (up or down) the fee is reviewed and agreed on where appropriate.
Skilled Networks
Our Business Reach
Throughout the years we have trialed and worked with a wide range of business suppliers, service companies and specialists to build an exceptional network. If Smart Assistant doesn’t have the skill-set, we can connect you with the right person for a specific business project or on-going support.
This could be:
- Graphic designers
- Copywriters
- An SEO Agency
- Corporate gift suppliers
- Conference venues
- Bookkeepers
