Virtual Assistants Vs Personal Assistants
Sep 1 – Written By Stephanie Sheargold
Toying between virtual assistants and personal assistants? Hereās everything that you need to know about the two.
No matter your lifestyle or job, we all need assistance at some point. Perhaps you canāt handle the paperwork or need help making phone calls and sending emails. Without help, your work-life might start to spill over into your personal time and impact your work/life balance.
But the question is, do you have a virtual assistant or a personal assistant? While both have the same aim in supporting you, their benefits vary and can determine whether or not virtual assistance or in-person help is most suitable for your needs.
Keep reading for a closer look into the pros and cons of both types of assistance, as well as how us here at Timpi can provide you with all of the assistance that you need for both your work and personal lives.
Affordability
An important factor you need to consider when thinking about assistance is how much you are willing to spend. Everything in life has a budget, and you need to pinpoint yours as this could be a deciding factor in your choice of assistance. A personal assistant, if hired through your business, would be added to your company’s payroll.
But if you hire them outside of work for more at-home personal assistance, then you would be expected to pay their wages. However, youāre not just paying their wage, but national insurance, tax, pension contributions and perhaps other employee benefits too. All of these costs add up, and it can soon become very costly, and unless your company has the budget to spare, you may not see it as a worthwhile investment.
Here at Timpi, we pride ourselves in being an affordable solution to all of your needs. From just Ā£140 per month, you will have access to virtual staff who can take care of all of your personal and professional tasks. Whether you need someone to take care of your overflowing inbox or find you the ideal hotel for business or pleasure, we are always ready to support you. Working with us is easy, and it feels very similar to having a personal assistant sitting outside your office. Cut back some of your work and stress, and request a call through our website for a personal quote.
Communication
Communication is important for ensuring everything is being done correctly. If you want an assistant to handle emails, phone calls or bookings, you want them to know exactly what they are doing. You might fear that a virtual assistant canāt handle this as they are robots. But this is incorrect! At Timpi, although we arenāt in-person assistants, we are still real people who understand your struggle of juggling work and your personal life.
As your virtual assistant, we can establish a relationship with you and foster effective communication. You can set your assistant detailed tasks, letting them know exactly what you need and when. And virtual assistants are convenient too; if you are in a rush or a sudden task pops up, all you need to do is send a quick message to your virtual assistant when you need them. You donāt have to worry about an in-person assistant needing to leave work early or dash away for an emergency as virtual assistants are always there when you need them. And you can still form a great, healthy work relationship with virtual assistants despite the distance.
Flexibility
If you hire a personal assistant to work with you in the office or at home, they are likely to work the same hours as you. While you are at work, they will be there too, carrying out the tasks you have set them. Although this is exactly what you think you need, there may be times you need assistance outside of typical working hours or maybe you work flexible hours as it is. A personal assistant may not be able to assist you during odd hours, leaving you lost and needing support.
With a virtual assistant, you donāt have this issue. Virtual assistants donāt work fixed hours, and if you require them to work certain hours a week, you can agree working times with them from the start. And if you need more help as your business grows and the workload becomes unbearable, you can take your support from three hours to ten if youād like – all you have to do is ask! Set the hours and the times yourself, no matter the hectic work schedule you follow.
Privacy
Whether you work from home or the office, you still want some privacy from everyone else. Maybe you have to make personal calls every so often you want private, or have a health condition which you would rather not let others know about. Most often, we are naturally private people and donāt want even those we work with knowing everything about our lives. With an in-person personal assistant, they are always close by, so privacy can soon become an issue.
Timpi virtual assistants are remote-based, meaning they deliver the same top-quality services without needing to be over your shoulder all day. They only need to know what you tell them, and even then, our system is entirely confidential and private. We pride ourselves in offering a service which considers your privacy at all times, making our virtual assistants reliable and trustworthy.
Do you need expert support in your work or home life, from clearing inboxes to paying bills and booking hotels for business trips? Here at Timpi, our virtual assistants are there for you no matter what you need. We tick off your daily to-do-lists and clear your weekend of paperwork so that you can enjoy your free time with friends and family. Take a look at our website for more information on our virtual services or to enquire about a virtual assistant to suit your needs.
