Exactly what is a Virtual Assistant?

There has been much discussion recently about what exactly a virtual assistant is, with many different takes on the term ‘virtual assistant’. It has been said that if you are a web designer, bookkeeper, or graphic designer and you work ‘virtually’ then you are a virtual assistant. A better description would be a ‘virtual professional’.

Renee Schup has posted a great article on her blog about this, and you can read it here:

http://www.reneeshupe.typepad.com/smallbiz_administrivia/2007/02/virtual_assista.html

For me the term ‘virtual assistant’ is a very general term and doesn’t explain fully what we do. You know what a web designer does – they design websites. You know what a bookkeeper does – they ensure that financial transactions are properly recorded. But are you clear on what a virtual assistant does? They virtually assist? Assist who? How?

I would like to share with you my view of what virtual assisting is and what being a virtual assistant means to me.

Think back to your pre-solopreneur days, when you were employed. What role did the secretary/office manager/administrative staff play in your organisation – and there had to have been administrative staff otherwise your company wouldn’t have been able to operate efficiently. Maybe you even had your own Personal Assistant – somebody who carried out secretarial and administrative tasks for you. What tasks did she do for you on a day-to-day basis to enable you to carry out your job effectively?

Before I became a ‘virtual assistant’ I was employed as a Personal Assistant/Office Manager, and have spent the whole of my career in an administrative function. I carried out a variety of tasks from scheduling appointments to designing databases and everything else in between!

Today I carry on this exact same role supporting my clients. I:

• schedule appointments with their clients
• keep their diaries up-to-date
• design and maintain their contact management and other databases
• transcribe their letters and reports
• and a whole host of other administrative jobs.

The only difference between what I now do and what I did when I was employed is that I work virtually! What does that mean? Well simply put, it means that technology has enabled me to work from my home office rather than being sat in the office next to my boss. Whilst my clients and I may never meet face-to-face (we are located too far away from one another) we do communicate regularly via phone and email.Â

I provide exactly the same administrative support services to my clients today as I did to my boss who was sat in the office next to me when I was employed. In short, I am their Personal Assistant!

So next time you hear the term ‘virtual assistant’ think Personal Assistant!