Assigning to A Virtual Personal Assistant Can Make Your Life Easier. Here’s How.

There are 24 hours in a day. But if you’re an entrepreneur, you’ll always need more.

Between showing up for meetings, pitching to clients, or testing products, the hours just aren’t enough on most days.

Hence, they delegate non-core tasks to a virtual personal assistant, enabling them to focus on business growth and a healthier work-life balance.

Sounds simple enough, but how do you get started?

Read on to find out.

What is a Virtual Personal Assistant?

A virtual personal assistant (VPA) provides administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients from a remote location, usually to help them manage their personal lives better.

From VAs to VPAs: Expanding The Scope of Virtual Assistance

During its early days, virtual assistance was limited to administrative tasks such as scheduling, answering emails, and writing memos, among others.

At that time, a virtual assistant referred to freelance secretaries who help businesses organise, file, and maintain documents and other records.

However, virtual assistance has expanded to include specialised tasks such as digital marketing, IT support, and project management. VPAs who tackle a bigger variety of tasks these days, including their employer’s personal needs.

Differences Between Traditional and Virtual Personal Assistants

A traditional virtual assistant primarily takes on administrative tasks within a business. These include:

• Email Management – responding to routine inquiries and flagging important messages;
• Data Entry – maintaining records, updating databases, and managing spreadsheets;
• Customer Service – handling customer inquiries, resolving issues, and providing information;
• Document Preparation – creating, editing, and formatting reports, documents, and presentations;
• Research – gathering information on competitors, compiling data for projects, and conducting market research.

Meanwhile, a virtual personal assistant tends to various tasks, some of which aren’t always related to the business itself, including the following:

• Personal Shopping – VPAs can order gifts, groceries, and other items online on your behalf;
• Travel Arrangements – They can book your flights and accommodations, whether it’s for a business trip or family vacations;
• Event Planning – A virtual personal assistant can also organise events, such as business conferences or even birthday parties or anniversary dinners;
• Household Management – Some AU entrepreneurs even rely on their VPAs to schedule home maintenance tasks like paying bills and managing household staff; and
• Health and Wellness – They can set up your medical appointments and fitness classes depending on your preferred schedule.

Simply put, a VA helps take on administrative tasks at work. On the other hand, a VPA is more suitable if you want assistance with both professional and personal tasks.

Benefits of a Virtual Personal Assistant in Australia

Virtual assistants are the best-kept secret of many AU business owners for the following reasons:

Benefit #1: They Offer Cost-Savings and Efficiency.

Virtual personal assistants can perform many functions of several full-time household staff.

They can handle travel arrangements, stay on top of household bills, and coordinate family schedules, all while working remotely. This setup allows you to save on salaries, benefits, and other associated costs of hiring onsite, full-time employees.

An efficient virtual personal assistant frees you up to enjoy more quality time with your family, pursue hobbies, or simply relax.

Benefit #2: They Enable Flexibility and Scalability.

Entrepreneurs deal with changing needs and schedules daily. Thus, they need virtual personal assistants who can help them manage tasks outside of business matters.

For example, VPAs can handle last-minute flight bookings or surprise family events. They can also arrange for and manage household maintenance while you’re at work or on vacation.

In essence, a virtual personal assistant takes over millions of tiny tasks at home so you can focus on the things that really matter to you.

Benefit #3: You Get Access to Skilled VPAs Globally.

Many VPAs are skilled professionals from different parts of the world. They are experts at scheduling and balancing personal appointments, supervising your household management, and various related tasks.

You can even hire a VPA fluent in other languages to help you answer emails from international connections. You can also leverage their unique skill sets and cultural insights to get better ideas for personal projects or to help you grow your business.

Benefit #4: You Can Focus on Core Business Activities – and Spend More Time With Your Family.

Entrepreneurs are often bogged down by routine tasks and personal errands. This hinders them from concentrating on innovation, strategic planning, and business growth.

You can offload these time-consuming tasks by delegating scheduling and personal email management to your VPA. They can also take other tasks off your plate like scheduling appointments, paying your bills, and coordinating important events and dates.

This way, you can focus on running your business while spending more time with your family or pursuing your passions.

Services Offered by Virtual Personal Assistants in Australia

A virtual personal assistant services list covers a wide range of services tailored to the diverse needs of businesses and individuals.

And the best part? They offer flexible, remote support allowing you to enhance productivity and streamline operations in the most cost-effective ways.

Here are the services they offer:

Service #1: Administrative Tasks

Just like virtual assistants, VPAs are adept at handling various administrative tasks. These include the following:

• Managing emails;
• Scheduling appointments and organising calendars;
• Organising meetings;
• Handling data entry;
• Compiling and preparing reports;
• Assisting with event planning; and
• Providing overall comprehensive support.

Outsourcing these time-consuming administrative tasks enables you to focus more on client relationships and business growth initiatives.

Service #2: Personal Shopping and Errands

Many virtual personal assistants take care of errands like online grocery shopping and gift purchasing.

If you’re a busy entrepreneur, having a VPA who takes care of such things goes a long way. Some even have professional experience in selecting items for your exact needs!

You can also delegate the logistical requirements for dropping off parcels, picking up prescriptions, and coordinating your other appointments to capable virtual personal assistants.

Service #3: Travel Arrangements and Event Planning

You can also ask your VPA to book your flights and accommodations. They can create and arrange detailed itineraries, whether it’s for business trips or family vacations.

Furthermore, VPAs can organise parties and events by:

• Selecting and booking the venue;
• Coordinating with the catering services;
• Managing the guest list; and
• Planning and arranging for the speakers or the entertainment.

Thus, whether you’re organising a corporate conference, wedding, or milestone celebration, your VPA can execute these flawlessly.

Service #4: Household Management

Unlike virtual assistants who mostly take care of business-related tasks, VPAs focus more on the employer’s personal and household needs.

For instance, they help coordinate repairs and maintenance, oversee domestic staff, and even assist with meal planning. In some instances, you can also ask them to:

• Manage household inventories;
• Help organise your spaces; and
• Implement systems to reduce clutter.

By managing your household tasks, VPAs allow you to achieve a healthier work-life balance by alleviating the stress of daily responsibilities.

Service #5: Health and Wellness Coordination

Lastly, VPAs can provide invaluable support in scheduling your medical appointments, coordinating healthcare services, and managing your prescriptions.

Many business owners ask their virtual personal assistants to find reputable specialists or access relevant health resources. They can also schedule fitness classes, coordinate dietary plans, or arrange wellness retreats.

This way, you can prioritise your health and well-being amidst your busy life as an entrepreneur.

How to Hire the Right Virtual Personal Assistant in Australia

A good virtual personal assistant can run your household so efficiently from miles away that you won’t need to worry about a thing – so you can save your time and energy for the things that only you can do.

But, how do you make sure you’re hiring the right candidate? Here are tips on how to evaluate a virtual personal assistant applicant:

Tip #1: Identify Your Personal Needs.

VPAs need to understand which tasks you need help with. Therefore, it’s advisable to list the responsibilities of your virtual personal assistant.

Do you need help in managing your household schedules? Are you looking for assistance in organising family events? Or do you need help coordinating your travel plans?

Once you identify the tasks you want to delegate, it becomes easier to streamline the hiring process and ensure that your chosen VPA is equipped to meet all your needs.

Tip #2: Know the Key Skills to Look For in a Virtual Personal Assistant.

Your virtual personal assistant needs these skills to effectively manage your personal tasks:

• Organisational Skills – They should be adept in managing calendars, scheduling appointments, and organising different events.

• Communication Skills – Look for someone who can communicate clearly, written or verbal, to ensure clear and effective interaction.

• Tech Savviness – Proficiency in digital tools and platforms is also crucial since they would be organising virtual meetings and/or managing online accounts.

• Attention to Detail – VPAs should be meticulous since they usually manage household inventories and track expenses on their employer’s behalf.

• Problem-Solving Ability – They have to demonstrate initiative and resourcefulness in resolving issues or challenges that may arise.

• Discretion and Confidentiality – Given the personal nature of the tasks, VPAs should be able to handle sensitive information with utmost confidentiality.

Tip #3: Interview and Select Candidates Carefully.

Once you’ve identified your needs and required skill sets, it’s time to interview qualified candidates.

Virtual personal assistant success stories usually include candidates who have both excellent technical abilities and soft skills. Hence, assess both during the interview process. Ask candidates about:

• Their previous work experience;
• Specific tasks they’ve handled; and
• How they manage their workload.

It’s also strategic to ask behavioural questions. For example, ask applicants about how they handle multiple urgent tasks at once. Which task would they prioritise, and how do they ensure quality work throughout?

After the interview, you should also:

• Check references thoroughly;
• Speak with previous employers about the candidate’s work ethic; and
• Confirm if their self-assessment during the interview aligns with their previous performance.

Carefully interview and select candidates to find a VPA with the right technical and soft skills. This may take time, but it helps avoid mismatches and ensures a productive, long-term working relationship.

The Impact of Virtual Personal Assistants on Australian Entrepreneurs

Many AU entrepreneurs understand the need to delegate. Thus, there has been an increase in outsourcing non-core business functions as well as personal tasks to third-party providers.

Thanks to technology, virtual personal assistants can now provide seamless support to AU entrepreneurs running businesses of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises.

Personal Success Stories of AU Entrepreneurs with VPAs

With the rise of remote work, many entrepreneurs are delegating personal and professional tasks. Here are some real-life success stories:

• Kelvin N. – Aussie entrepreneur Kelvin appreciates the quality of candidates provided by outsourcing provider, Remote Staff. As early as day one, they already understood what their company needed and were very efficient.

• Andrew B. – Meanwhile, Andrew admires how his assistant was proactive. The partnership has worked out really well and if there are issues, Remote Staff is always available to assist.

• Michael – On the other hand, Michael prefers working with Filipino virtual personal assistants because of their honesty. According to him, they are “very very good workers” and are honorable.

How Virtual Assistants Simplify the Daily Lives of Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs often find themselves juggling multiple tasks such as meeting clients, developing products, and finding investors. However, despite their busy schedules, they still have personal errands to attend to.

This is where virtual personal assistants come in. They take care of your personal tasks, be it online groceries, house repairs, and even sending out gifts and cards to close friends and family.

With this support system, you can continue to grow your business while enjoying quality time with your loved ones.

The Future of Virtual Personal Assistance in Australia

Virtual personal assistants are becoming more critical to organisations – thanks to the support they provide to business owners.

Entrepreneurs are now delegating various tasks, particularly personal errands, to their VPAs. This gives them more time and resources to focus on important business matters.

As artificial intelligence advances, VPAs are expected to be able to handle even more tasks, increasing their value to business owners running SMEs or even large companies.

With the right VPA on their side, these business owners don’t need to worry about effectively running a household on top of growing their business.

FAQs about Virtual Personal Assistants in Australia

Here are some of the frequently asked questions related to virtual personal assistants:

Question #1: What is the Average Cost of Hiring a Virtual Personal Assistant?

Virtual personal assistants charge anywhere from AUD 20-50 per hour. However, experienced or specialised VPAs may charge higher rates, depending on the scope of work.

Thus, many AU entrepreneurs tap outsourcing providers like Remote Staff for experienced VPAs at the most competitive rates.

Question #2: How Do I Ensure the Security and Confidentiality of My Data?

Virtual personal assistants have access to their employer’s personal information to carry out tasks like booking flights, ordering groceries, and paying bills.

Due to the sensitive nature of these transactions, Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) are essential. They clarify what information should stay confidential, who can access it, and for what purpose. This legal framework also protects both parties.

Meanwhile, use secure communication channels, ideally with encrypted cloud storage to protect your data. Additionally, conduct thorough background checks before hiring a virtual personal assistant.

Lastly, provide ongoing training to your VPA on data security practices to ensure compliance with data protection standards.

Question #3: Can a Virtual Personal Assistant Work on Multiple Time Zones?

Yes! Virtual personal assistants can work across multiple time zones. They offer flexible working hours to accommodate different client needs.

Many Australians hire VPAs from the Philippines due to the relatively small time difference. This allows Aussie entrepreneurs to delegate tasks like scheduling appointments and handling correspondence to skilled professionals who can still accomplish these in real-time.

This way, their personal tasks are completed promptly by the next day.

Question #4: What Tools and Software are Essential for Managing a Virtual Personal Assistant?

Communication platforms like Skype or WhatsApp are great for instant messages and calls. This makes it easier to deploy and receive quick updates and instructions despite the difference in time zone and the geographical distance.

Project management tools like Trello or Asana are also useful for assigning tasks to VPA, such as booking flights, organising itineraries, and scheduling appointments. These platforms show real-time updates and help you track the progress of your virtual personal assistant.

Conclusion

Virtual personal assistants help business owners book flights, schedule repair services, shop for groceries, and even organise family events.

By taking these errands off your plate, entrepreneurs like you can focus on growing your business and spending more time with loved ones.

Thus, whether you run a small business or a large enterprise, a virtual personal assistant can free up your time so you can focus on the things that really matter.

Click here to find the right one for YOU.

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