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What's a Virtual Assistant?
An artificial intelligence following your bidding ... unfortunately we are not really there yet ... in the meantime we have to redefine the term to "somebody doing your bidding" ... and because we should incorporate the "virtual" ... that somebody is located somewhere else and you communicated with him/her using any means of telecommunications ... nowadays the internet ...What tasks would/could you delegate to an assistant?
Anything you do not want to do yourself? Small things, you have not time to do? Tedious tasks which take much time and which you could spend better? Tasks you are not qualified for and your assistant can fulfill better?What tasks would/could you delegate to a virtual assistant?
Basically the same but limited to tasks which do not need to physically at your place. Your virtual assistant situated at the other end of the world will not be able get your laundry, etc ...Why you should use a virtual assistant?
Typically your "normal" assistant will be a "normal" employee which you have to pay for a 9-to-5 job. A virtual assistant is available on a per task or hourly basis ... and you are not limited to a local pool of possible assistants, but can pick assistants from all of the world.Why you should not use a virtual assistant?
If you have a problem delegating (nearly everybody has) and do not trust that somebody else will do a task at least as well as you could, this will multiply when delegating that task to somebody you have never met, and is thousands of miles away ...Your local assistant is bound by the same laws you are, your virtual assistant might not ... which could end up that confidentially issues and intellectually property rights might be handled differently in other countries. Even if they laws are similar, would you want to travel to a far away country for a law suit?
Pat uses virtual assistants for multiple purposes and is happy ...
Tim Ferrris does, too ...
Will you? You will not know till you try ... but please, be careful ...
