What is a VA?

Where are you located?  Will time zone differences affect the service you provide?

Do you need to come to my office?

What if I don’t know how much help or time I’ll need?

What if I don’t use all of the hours I paid for?

Can I just pay as I go?

What is the average turnaround time?

How do I know that I’m getting what I paid for?

What is your payment policy?

Do you have a privacy policy?

Is my confidential information secure?

I’m still not convinced.  What else can you tell me about improving my business with a virtual assistant?

1.        What is a VA?

"A Virtual Assistant (VA) is a highly trained independent entrepreneur who provides a myriad of business support services virtually by phone, fax and internet based technology to support and meet the growing needs of businesses worldwide.  Partnering with a VA reduces stress, protects cash flow, eliminates administrative hassles, and enables business people to find the success they originally set out to achieve."

*Source: Virtual Assistant Networking Association

2.       Where are you located?  Will time zone differences affect the service you provide?

We are an American-owned and operated company based in Houston, Texas.  Unlike many of our cheaper counterparts, we do not rely on third-world workers to complete tasks for our clients.  We do not have employees on the other side of the planet who have to function with a 12-hour time difference.  And more importantly, English is the first language of all of our VA’s.  You will never experience any kind of language barrier with those assisting you, and your clients will not be annoyed by speaking with someone they do not understand.

3.       Do you need to come to my office?

If you are in the Houston area, we would be glad to meet with you, and even have the capacity to handle on-site work if necessary.  However, our strength is in getting the job done virtually. That’s also what keeps our costs down, so we can pass the savings on to you.  By avoiding drive-time to your office, wait time in your lobby, and chit-chat with your receptionist, we can get right to work on your business!

4.       What if I don’t know how much help or time I’ll need?

You can always start out with the package that has the number of hours that you know you’ll use, and upgrade when you need to.  There is never any penalty for requesting more hours than your package includes, so choose the package that makes you feel most comfortable.  If you only need to add a few hours, and not upgrade to the next level, those hours will be pro-rated at your regular package rate.  This way, you can rest assured that you will never be subject to a higher bill than you are expecting.

5.       What if I don’t use all of the hours I paid for?

We know mistakes happen and workload waxes and wanes from time to time.  And since we are in the business of relieving your stress, we never want you to worry about losing hours.  Therefore, hours can be rolled-over to the next month, but for one month only.  This is not a long-term solution, so if hours need to be carried over beyond that, a change in packages must be addressed.

6.       Can I just pay as I go?

We realize that not every business is ready to leap into regular virtual assistant assignments.  So just for them, we have our “Just Let Me Breathe” package.  There is no commitment to the number of hours you must use each month, only that you keep a balance of 2 hours on your account.  Your hours will never expire.

7.       What is the average turnaround time?

Most work can be completed in less than 48 hours.  However, this can change due to the nature of the project, the size, or the current workload of our team.  Turnaround time is usually addressed when the assignment is given, and deadlines are always honored.

8.       How do I know that I’m getting what I paid for?

At 36 Hours In A Day^SM, we pride ourselves in professional, high-quality work, and we want to maintain that reputation.  If you are ever dissatisfied with the quality of the work performed, please contact us immediately to discuss fixing any problems at no cost to you.

9.       What is your payment policy?

A 50% deposit is asked for all projects that are paid by the hour, and the remaining balance is due upon completion.

For clients who wish to buy a package, our team must set aside the predetermined number of hours for each month.  Therefore, it is necessary that packages are paid in full at the beginning of each month, prior to any work being done.  A monthly payment is considered late if not received by the 7th day of the month, and will receive a 1% penalty fee for each 7 days thereafter until it is received.

36 Hours In A Day^SM reserves the right to discontinue services at any time for non-payment.

10.      Do you have a privacy policy?

All personal information is guarded as confidential, unless we are advised by you to do otherwise.  Your contact information will NEVER be sold or shared with other parties.  A legally secure privacy statement is signed by both parties before our initial assignment begins.

11.      Is my confidential information secure?

With 36 Hours In A Day^SM, you can be assured that the highest standards of confidentiality will be kept at all times.  All confidential information, both electronic and on paper, is kept in a secure location at all times, and will never be disclosed to any third parties without your permission or a court subpoena.

12.      I’m still not convinced.  What else can you tell me about improving my business with a virtual assistant?

It is a strange concept, isn’t it?  That’s why we have some links below that will take you to independent articles about the benefits of VA’s and how they can work in different situations.  Check them out, let it all soak in, and give us a call! 

http://sbinfocanada.about.com/cs/management/qt/outsourceva.htm

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/the-truth/#_top10stats