One question raised by potential clients when thinking about taking on a local Virtual Assistant is “how will the cost of this local option compare to me employing a Virtual Assistant based overseas in India or the Philippines where hourly rates appear to be well under those we can offer at home?”
The answer, I would suggest, is that there is more to be considered than just cost when making this decision and that a low hourly cost may be an illusion when it actually comes down to how long it is taking your VA to complete the work.
Obviously, a $5 per hour VA who takes 20 hours to complete an assignment is less affordable than a $25 per hour VA who does it in just 3 hours. Lack of experience, lack of local knowledge, more learning time, re-doing work, are just some of the reasons why the cheaper option will in the end cost you more.
Cultural differences and communication breakdowns also may add to the time it takes to complete an assignment and although Time Difference is often quoted as a benefit to Virtual Assistance, i.e., “go to bed and the work will be ready in the morning when you wake up” it can work against you if you are having to wait until your VA is up to be able to get something done quickly in real time not to mention the inconvenience of working in the middle of the night with them when you are trying to make a deadline!
There are many things to consider besides hourly rate when looking to appoint your VA – cheapest is not always best!
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