How a virtual assistant can help your business
A virtual assistant takes on admin remotely, so you can spend your time on the work that earns money.
Many owners spend a large part of their week on admin: emails, diaries, invoices, chasing payments, booking travel. A virtual assistant (VA) can take much of that on, working remotely for a set number of hours, so you can spend your time on the work only you can do.
What a VA can do
- Manage your inbox and diary, and book meetings
- Answer routine enquiries and calls
- Prepare invoices and chase overdue payments
- Keep customer records and spreadsheets up to date
- Schedule social media posts and newsletters
- Arrange travel and events
Some VAs specialise, for example in bookkeeping, marketing or a particular industry.
Why it can make sense
A VA is usually paid only for the hours or tasks you agree, so you get help without the commitment of a full-time hire, office space or equipment. You can start small, with a few hours a week, and grow the arrangement as you see what works.
Work out what an hour of your own time is worth. If a VA costs less than that and frees you to win or serve more customers, the numbers usually add up.
Getting started well
- List what you want to hand over. Note every task for a week and mark the ones someone else could do.
- Write down how you like things done. Short notes or screen recordings save hours of back and forth.
- Agree the terms in writing. Hours, rates, response times, confidentiality and who owns the work.
- Protect your data. Give access through shared accounts or a password manager rather than sharing your own logins, and remove access when the arrangement ends.
- Start with a trial. A month on a defined set of tasks tells you more than any interview.
Most VAs are self-employed. If someone works only for you, on your terms and under your control, check their employment status using HMRC’s guidance, because the rules on employment and tax depend on how the work is done, not on what the contract calls it.
VAs and AI tools
AI assistants now handle some tasks that once needed a person, such as drafting replies or summarising documents. Many VAs use these tools themselves. The value of a good VA is judgement: knowing which emails matter, which customer needs a call, and when to check with you.
This guide is general information, not professional advice. For decisions about tax, law or finance, speak to a qualified adviser.