Virtual Assistants perform tasks performed by office personnel. However, unlike office personnel and employees, virtual assistant work from a different or remote location from the company hiring them.

Another difference between office assistants and virtual assistants is that the latter’s tasks are more computer-based and more centered on basic support for the virtual marketing, branding, and increasing the company's virtual visibility through social media and social networking updates like Facebook and Twitter. Virtual assistant also perform other administrative, and technical tasks. Among them are bookmarking, datamining and database administration, article marketing, telemarketing, cold calling, customer support, research, customer service, and updating blogs.

Companies in need of virtual assistants today have the option of directly engaging freelance virtual assistants or going through companies with virtual assistant services. Let us look at some advantages and drawbacks from both options:

Freelance Virtual Assistance

Freelance virtual assistants are everywhere online. If you’re lucky, you may get someone who has had an extensive background on the task you are about to assign him or her with, else you will need to train them to perform these and other specialized tasks. The downside to getting freelance virtual assistants is that although they may be hired directly, there is no guarantee as to their accountability, work ethics, and work performance. These factors must be considered knowing you may have to pass the freelance virtual assistants with crucial and confidential data and key information to your business operations. Furthermore, not all freelance virtual assistants are equipped adequately, in terms of office technology, to handle technology-based tasks. This is why company-based outsourced virtual assistants have an edge over freelance virtual assistants who work from home.

Virtual Assistants From Outsourcing Companies

By getting virtual assistants from outsourcing companies, client companies are guaranteed of getting people who have been screened and trained thoroughly to perform company-specific tasks. Outsourcing companies and business process outsourcing companies are also equipped with enterprise grade network infrastructure like redundant data and voice generator, and other tools of the trade that allow these virtual assistants to perform their tasks more efficiently and effectively.    

Hired virtual assistants can start immediately on urgent projects. With office assistants, client companies have to wait for the office to be set up. With employing office assistants, companies also have to deal with employment requirements before office assistants can begin with working on urgent projects. Unlike freelance virtual assistants and office employees, hiring virtual assistants from outsourcing companies lets them start on projects immediately and with less the cost of setting up offices and purchasing equipments that do not directly generate income or revenue for the company.

The trend of hiring virtual assistants is relatively new, and more advantages and disadvantages are yet to be observed from utilizing one for business and office operations. However, from what has already been observed in the industry, the advantages of hiring virtual assistants far outweighs its disadvantages. This is the reason why virtual assistants remain one of the rising services being offered in outsourcing companies today.