Running a business is no easy task. Business owners need to concentrate on core activities like making deals, concentrating on sales, idealizing concepts in the pipelines, and other similar crucial tasks. Hence, they have little to no time to put their minds into tasks that require day-to-day upkeep.
It can take up a considerable amount of time to hunt for the right resource with adequate skills and experience. So, more and more businesses, whether large, medium or small, are now either opting for freelancers or outsourcing virtual assistant services to offshore partners.
In this blog, we find out why business owners are resorting to freelancers and virtual assistants that are outside the purview of an in-house team. We will also see which one brings in more impactful business benefits and how. So, let’s get started.
How are Virtual Assistants different from Freelancers?
Both virtual assistants and freelancers offer industry-specific skills to assist an organization to run its business operations smoothly. While both of them can offer the same assistance, there are several differences in their nature of work.
Virtual assistants are experts who offer assistance virtually. They use communication solutions like Skype, Google Meet, Zoom, etc. to remain in constant communication with the clients so that they can meet their expected quality and results. Usually, there are offshore outsourcing firms that provide high-quality virtual assistant services, where the resources can handle a varied range of requirements for clients belonging to different industry verticals.
Freelancers, on the other hand, are individuals who offer their skills as independent workers. Hence, a freelancer can cater to only one or two clients at a single point in time. Freelancers can provide their work remotely and even on-site, as per clients’ requirements.
Here are some other crucial differences between the two:
Level of skills
Virtual assistants can handle a wide array of tasks as they are provided by an outsourcing company that hired them based on their expertise in the industry. They may also undergo necessary training and workshops as a part of their job.
Freelancers may offer a skill or two, but with a VA you get several such professionally refined skill experts in one.
Level of administration and management
When companies hire a virtual assistant, they have an outsourcing partner who does the homework for them. Clients can tell their requirements, and the offshore outsourcing partner will provide a list of eligible resources. The client can do a further screening and pick one they deem fit. Once the project starts, the project manager checks the quality of work and maintains transparent communication with the client.
With freelancers, organizations will have to take the traditional hiring route. As freelancers could be resources that do not have much industry experience, organizations will likely be able to determine their quality of work only after a considerable amount of time has passed.
Ease of availability
Virtual assistance services can be accessed from anywhere in the world. The outsourcing partner will ensure that the virtual assistants work in sync with the clients’ preferred time zone.
Freelancers may not be able to provide consistent availability as there is no one managing and administering them. Hence, they are free to take up more than one client at a time.
Affordability factor
When organizations hire a virtual assistant through an outsourcing company, they give their clients flexible pricing options. Here, organizations pay for what they are getting and the quality of the work. Clients can even scale up the team of virtual assistants and scale it down as per their requirements. This is a great benefit of outsourcing virtual assistance services.
However, freelancers will have to be paid as long as they are on the payroll of the company. Clients cannot negotiate the prices of a freelancer once they are onboarded.
Data security and privacy factor
Outsourcing companies make their virtual assistants sign NDAs and other security-related contracts before starting a project. Hence, when a company opts to hire a virtual assistant, their business data is safe. Several offshore outsourcing providers also have relevant ISO certification on data security and quality,an added benefit.
Data security is one of the biggest concerns with a freelancer on the team. As freelancers are not full-time employees of the organizations, one can never be sure if their data is safe when there is a freelancer around.
Quality of work
Choosing to hire a virtual assistant is ideal if one is looking for uncompromised superior work quality. As there is an outsourcing company involved, they make sure that they hire experienced resources for their virtual assistance services. Such resources have adequate industry experience, professional training, and certifications. They are also equipped to handle a higher volume of work without breaking any sweat.
On the contrary, a freelancer could be just starting in the industry and does not have the required professional experience. It could be just a hobby for them or a medium of earning some extra money. Hence, freelancers rarely have the expertise to handle work professionally at all points of time.
Cost efficiency
Virtual assistant cost versus that of a freelancer is another primary concern for businesses. Opting for virtual assistant services is usually more cost efficient than going for freelancers. This is because organizations do not have to pay for space or utilities while hiring virtual assistants. However, this may not be the case with freelancers. Also, offshore outsourcing partners who provide virtual assistants allow flexible options like scaling the team up or reducing its size according to the project requirement. However, with freelancers, organizations need to pay them as long as the contract states.
Final thoughts
Now that we have gone through the detailed discussion on the freelancers versus virtual assistant debate, we know that VAs are a better investment indeed. They are reliable assets for organizations looking for quality and consistent output through a long-term association. Offshore outsourcing partners offer a sound platform for VAs and link them with relevant businesses according to their skills.
So, if you are looking for high-quality virtual assistance services at affordable rates, you have come to the right place. Virtual Assistant India offers premium virtual assistance services for verticals like eCommerce, social media, SEO, Facebook SEO, content writing, etc. With over 20 years of industry experience and serving more than 4000 clients across the globe, we provide business-relevant virtual assistants that will boost our clients’ industry dominance holistically. Our highly scalable teams ensure assured data security with zero concealed charges.
Write to us today at info@virtual-assitant-india.com and ask for a free trial now!