They schedule meetings, monitor calendars, communicate with clients, and prepare social media posts. They also create graphics and send newsletters. The hardest part is when all of your clients need something urgently. We checked how virtual assistants work and how much their support costs.
They say that sometimes they feel like a “one-man band.” Their daily duties include correspondence with clients and subcontractors, keeping calendars, scheduling meetings, coordinating video conferences, and preparing necessary documents. They also often support marketing and design activities.
Specialization comes in handy
According to Julia Byra, who has been working as a virtual assistant for four years, most people in this profession specialize in something.
– I mainly deal with social media and administration. However, it can also be customer service, contact with accounting or creating websites – says Bankier.pl Julia Byra.
In turn, Ms. Alicja’s work mainly involves comprehensive administrative and organizational support.
– On a daily basis, I manage calendars and meetings. I also coordinate video conferences to improve communication within the company and with clients – Ms. Alicja tells Bankier.pl – I also handle correspondence, answer inquiries and filter information, which allows my clients to focus on key tasks. I also acquire clients for them, prepare documents and reports, and support marketing and design activities.
They will remind you about the anniversary and order a specialist
According to Agnieszka Rudak, co-founder of the e-delegate agency, virtual assistants relieve companies and their owners of everyday duties.
– These are often “orchestra people”, but also people with narrow specializations – Agnieszka Rudak explains to Bankier.pl.
Employees in this position also deal with tasks related to the personal lives of clients.
– These include, among others, planning family events, arranging doctor's visits for the client and their family, reminding about important anniversaries and birthdays, searching for gifts for special occasions, reserving tables in restaurants or sending flowers. It can also be ordering cleaning services or necessary specialists – informs Bankier.pl the Zalatwione.pl team.
They help you get your time back
According to a representative of the e-delegate agency, the services of virtual assistants are most often used by people who, due to the excess of tasks in their company, no longer have time for business development or private life and need real relief from everyday tasks.
– These are owners of small businesses, larger companies, managers, and sometimes also freelancers or startups who cannot afford to expand their team, but need support, e.g. administrative or marketing – says Agnieszka Rudak. – We meet with clients from various industries, from companies selling digital products, through services, to manufacturing or construction companies. All of them have areas that can be delegated. The virtual assistant supports them fully remotely, using e-mail, instant messaging, video calls and all kinds of cloud solutions, including cloud drives, CRM systems, task and team management systems or online stores.
Virtual assistants from Zalatwione.pl also work fully remotely, which allows for flexible customer service regardless of their location.
– Communication takes place via e-mail, instant messengers such as Signal, WhatsApp or Slack, as well as task management systems such as Trello and Asana. If necessary, we also organize online meetings via Google Meet – informs the Zalatwione.pl team.
Growing demand
It turns out that the demand for the services of virtual assistants is systematically growing.
– After the pandemic, more and more companies and entrepreneurs are deciding on administrative outsourcing, which allows them to save time and reduce the costs associated with hiring employees on a full-time basis – claims the Zalatwione.pl team. – The popularity of this profession is also increasing due to the ongoing digitization and development of remote work models. Companies and individuals are increasingly willing to delegate tasks in order to focus on their priorities, which makes such assistants extremely desirable on the market today.
The customer pays only for the actual working time
According to Agnieszka Rudak, one of the distinguishing features of virtual assistance is that the client pays for the actual working time devoted to completing the task, and not for breaks or idle hours, as is sometimes the case with full-time employees.
– Prices for services start at PLN 50-60 net per hour for beginner assistants. – says an expert from the e-delegate agency. – The hourly rate for an experienced, specialized assistant with fluent knowledge of a foreign language is higher. It can be around PLN 100-150 per hour of work, but it is worth remembering that an experienced assistant can often complete 2-3 times more tasks in an hour. Prices for services in a virtual assistant agency can also be at a similar level, but in this case the client has access not to one assistant, but to a whole team of experienced assistants and specialists, thanks to which they gain the support of an interdisciplinary team with knowledge of a foreign language.
Agencies offering virtual assistant services often offer services in the form of a subscription – packages of hours to be used by the client. At the Zalatwione.pl agency, in the standard package, an hour of work costs PLN 99.99/h gross.
They value flexibility and no commute
– A big advantage of this job is the time flexibility. Although emails most often have to be sent during the working hours of companies or offices, I can make various graphics even at night – says Julia Byra. – The advantages certainly include the possibility of choosing clients and people with whom you work, as well as great opportunities for development and satisfaction from successful projects.
In Ms. Alicja’s opinion, it is important that you can work from anywhere and adjust your schedule to your own needs.
– This allows for a better balance between professional and private life – says Ms. Alicja. – The lack of daily commute saves time and money, which is especially valuable in today's busy world. Remote work also gives you the freedom to choose projects and clients, which often translates into greater satisfaction with the duties performed.
It's not always rosy
Working as a virtual assistant also has its downsides.
– The downside is that you have to work too hard when you have to serve a large number of clients and they all need something urgently at the same time – says Julia Byra. – It happens rarely, but then it can be really intense. You often have to work longer than eight hours, and sometimes even on weekends.
– Working remotely can lead to a sense of loneliness, especially when there is a lack of regular, direct contact with other people – admits Ms. Alicja. – Performing duties from home often makes it difficult to set clear boundaries between work and personal life, which can lead to overload. In addition, in the case of freelancing, income can be variable, which requires additional financial discipline and planning.
A good option for young mothers
According to the co-owner of the e-delegate agency, the virtual assistance industry is heavily dominated by women.
– This is partly due to the fact that this profession is chosen by many young mothers returning to the job market after a break related to the birth and raising a child. They can work remotely and have more flexible working hours before their child goes to kindergarten or school – says Agnieszka Rudak. – However, to take up such a job, you need really solid digital experience and knowledge of remote work tools. Of course, you don't have to know every program and system, but it is this freedom in moving around in the digital environment that allows you to quickly find your way in the work environment of a given company.
Although education is less important here, you can notice many assistants with degrees in administration, marketing or management.
– The basic personality traits are communication skills, resourcefulness and problem-solving skills, meticulousness, and a positive attitude. Knowledge of foreign languages is also still appreciated. Of course, mainly English and German. With such a set of skills, you can confidently try your hand at virtual assistance – adds the expert.
They say that sometimes they feel like a “one-man band.” Their daily duties include correspondence with clients and subcontractors, keeping calendars, scheduling meetings, coordinating video conferences, and preparing necessary documents. They also often support marketing and design activities.
Specialization comes in handy
According to Julia Byra, who has been working as a virtual assistant for four years, most people in this profession specialize in something.
– I mainly deal with social media and administration. However, it can also be customer service, contact with accounting or creating websites – says Bankier.pl Julia Byra.
In turn, Ms. Alicja’s work mainly involves comprehensive administrative and organizational support.
– On a daily basis, I manage calendars and meetings. I also coordinate video conferences to improve communication within the company and with clients – Ms. Alicja tells Bankier.pl – I also handle correspondence, answer inquiries and filter information, which allows my clients to focus on key tasks. I also acquire clients for them, prepare documents and reports, and support marketing and design activities.
They will remind you about the anniversary and order a specialist
According to Agnieszka Rudak , co-founder of the e-delegate agency , virtual assistants relieve companies and their owners of everyday duties.
– These are often orchestral people, but also people with narrow specializations – Agnieszka Rudak explains to Bankier.pl.
Employees in this position also deal with tasks related to the personal lives of clients.
– These include, among others, planning family events , arranging doctor's visits for the client and their family , reminding about important anniversaries and birthdays , searching for gifts for special occasions , reserving tables in restaurants or sending flowers . It can also be ordering cleaning services or necessary specialists – informs Bankier.pl the Zalatwione.pl team.
They help you get your time back
According to a representative of the e-delegate agency , the services of virtual assistants are most often used by people who, due to the excess of tasks in their company, no longer have time for business development or private life and need real relief from everyday tasks.
– These are owners of small businesses, larger companies, managers, and sometimes also freelancers or startups who cannot afford to expand their team, but need support, e.g. administrative or marketing – says Agnieszka Rudak. – We meet with clients from various industries, from companies selling digital products, through services, to manufacturing or construction companies. All of them have areas that can be delegated. The virtual assistant supports them fully remotely, using e-mail, instant messaging, video calls and all kinds of cloud solutions, including cloud drives, CRM systems, task and team management systems or online stores.
Virtual assistants from Zalatwione.pl also work fully remotely, which allows for flexible customer service regardless of their location.
– Communication takes place via e-mail, instant messengers such as Signal, WhatsApp or Slack, as well as task management systems such as Trello and Asana. If necessary, we also organize online meetings via Google Meet – informs the Zalatwione.pl team.
Growing demand
It turns out that the demand for the services of virtual assistants is systematically growing.
– After the pandemic, more and more companies and entrepreneurs are deciding on administrative outsourcing, which allows them to save time and costs associated with employing full-time employees – claims the Zalatwione.pl team. – The popularity of this profession is also increasing due to the ongoing digitalization and development of remote work models. Companies and individuals are increasingly willing to delegate tasks in order to focus on their priorities, which makes such assistants extremely desirable on the market today.
The customer pays only for the actual working time
According to Agnieszka Rudak, one of the distinguishing features of virtual assistance is that the client pays for the actual working time devoted to the task, and not for breaks or idle hours, as is sometimes the case with full-time employees .
– Prices for services start at PLN 50-60 net per hour for beginner assistants. – says an expert from the e-delegate agency . – The hourly rate for an experienced, specialized assistant with fluent knowledge of a foreign language is higher. It can be around PLN 100-150 per hour of work, but it is worth remembering that an experienced assistant can often complete 2-3 times more tasks in an hour. Prices for services in a virtual assistance agency can also be at a similar level, but in this case the client has access not to one assistant, but to a whole team of experienced assistants and specialists, thanks to which they gain the support of an interdisciplinary team with knowledge of a foreign language.
Agencies offering virtual assistant services often offer services in the form of a subscription – packages of hours to be used by the client. At the Zalatwione.pl agency in the standard package an hour of work costs PLN 99.99/h gross .
They value flexibility, they don't like
– A big advantage of this job is the time flexibility. Although emails most often have to be sent during the working hours of companies or offices, I can make various graphics even at night – says Julia Byra. – The advantages certainly include the possibility of choosing clients and people with whom you work, as well as great opportunities for development and satisfaction from successful projects.
In Ms. Alicja’s opinion, the ability to work from anywhere and adjust the schedule to one’s own needs is important.
– This allows for a better balance between professional and private life – says Ms. Alicja. – The lack of daily commute saves time and money, which is especially valuable in today's busy world. Remote work also gives you the freedom to choose projects and clients, which often translates into greater satisfaction with the duties performed.
It's not always rosy
Working as a virtual assistant also has its downsides.
– The downside is that you have to work too hard when you have to serve a large number of clients and they all need something urgently at the same time – says Julia Byra. – It happens rarely, but then it can be really intense. You often have to work longer than eight hours, and sometimes even on weekends.
– Working remotely can lead to a sense of loneliness, especially when there is a lack of regular, direct contact with other people – admits Ms. Alicja. – Performing duties from home often makes it difficult to set clear boundaries between work and personal life, which can lead to overload. In addition, in the case of freelancing, income can be variable, which requires additional financial discipline and planning.
A good option for young mothers
According to the co-owner of the e-delegate agency , the virtual assistance industry is heavily dominated by women.
– This is partly due to the fact that this profession is chosen by many young mothers returning to the job market after a break related to the birth and raising a child, who want to work remotely and have more flexible working hours before their child goes to kindergarten or school – says Agnieszka Rudak. – However, to take up such a job , you need really solid digital experience and knowledge of remote work tools. Of course, you don't have to know every program and system, but it is this freedom in moving around in the digital environment that allows you to quickly find your way in the work environment of a given company .
Education is of less importance here, but you can notice many assistants with degrees in administration, marketing or management.
– The basic personality traits are communication skills, resourcefulness and problem-solving skills, meticulousness, and a positive attitude. Knowledge of foreign languages is also still appreciated. Of course, mainly English and German. With such a set of skills, you can confidently try your hand at virtual assistance – adds the expert.
