A Virtual Assistant is a short-term worker who works for businesses and organizations online. The employer could be at a great distance from the assistant. He is an independent contractor offering administrative, technical, or in some cases creative assistance to clients.
A freelancer, on the other hand, is a self-employed person working in an industry or profession in which full-time employment is usually common.
What’s the difference?
Virtual assistant services employ professionals that are assigned to several clients. You typically check with a project manager. Freelancers are generally self-employed and work independently. You work directly with them without an intermediate firm. Both VA service providers and freelancers could be of great benefit to your company. They can take care of the additional workload that’s suffocating your staff when you just can’t take on another employee.
Virtual Assistants can undertake projects that require expertise and skills that deliver exceptional results. Making a choice between the two will depend on your specific needs and unique requirements but here are some of the most important criteria in the selection of a virtual assistant company or a freelancer.
Services offered
The primary factor in deciding on an external contractor is whether they are able to accomplish the task effectively.
Virtual assistant services
Once you partner with a VA company, you will get instant access to a wide selection of skills, because you’re not working with one person, but with an entire talent pool, you can use their services for tasks as varied as accounting and blog writing. This could be structured under one contract. Although you are getting access to a great set of skills, you can’t verify the portfolio of the VA that will be allocated to your project. Hence there’s a high risk of dissatisfaction with the services or the employee.
Freelancers
You have complete control over who you work with. It is possible to choose a freelance virtual assistant that has the specific knowledge and expertise necessary for the projects on hand. This is particularly helpful if you need an external contractor to assist with a task that requires a particular skill set.
In addition, given that you talk directly to them, you could better evaluate if their personality matches the style of your team.
One-on-one support
Another significant standard when selecting between a virtual assistant service and a freelancer is the standard of any time support you get!
Virtual assistant services
If you use a VA service provider, you usually are assigned to a project manager who delegates projects to assistance on a case-by-case basis. The project manager is your only point of contact for subsequent projects. If you’re not pleased with the work of an employee, you could ask for a replacement. Typically, you also have a refund guarantee if you’re not satisfied with the services. When you get assigned to a VA from the service, they have to get acquainted with your project, which makes it difficult to know exactly what you’re getting.
Freelancers
If you work with a freelancer for quite a while, they’re going to get accustomed to your style of work and the sorts of tasks you have. They could invest time in adjusting to your preferences. You talk directly with your assistant, making it convenient to clarify your expectations directly to them. In other words, you’ll build a more stable work relationship with a freelance virtual assistant. If you’re not satisfied with the services of a freelancer, you don’t have a lot of options. In most cases, there’s no refund guarantee, and you can’t take the issue to anyone else.
Availability
Undoubtedly, you need the right skills and the required level of work quality from your virtual assistant. What you might not recall looking at is their availability.
Virtual assistant services
VA service providers usually have people at work 24 hours a day. Because they have big teams that take care of a number of projects, they have to make sure they cover all unfinished work quickly. This implies they’re going to react quickly when you have a task for them.
Freelancers
It is possible to work out your availability needs ahead of time. Usually, you’ll be able to reach a working model that suits both of you. Some freelancers can also work from your office and that means you get time together. Freelance virtual assistants usually have specific time frames they work on your projects. They are generally serving numerous clients at the same time and need to balance their priorities.
Conclusion
There are no predefined rules with regard to choosing the right services for you. Before making a choice ensure you consider your work needs and then compare them to what both VA’S and Freelancers can offer you. The result will be strictly on a case-by-case basis.
