Frequently Asked Questions
The decision to outsource your administrative and other business
support tasks can be a tough one. While Thrive Assistant
Services would welcome the
opportunity to partner with your company, we do realize that not
every situation is suitable for an independent contractor
relationship.
Read below to find out if yo
Q: How does hiring a Thrive (Virtual) Assistant help me save money vs. hiring an employee?
A:
Hiring an employee can quickly add up to 50% of your compensation
expenses. Keep in mind that a full-time employee does not
necessarily mean a full week of productive time. A 40 hour work week
for an employee can quickly turn into a 15-20 hour week for a
virtual assistant. Why? Because a virtual assistant does not charge
you for idle time, lunch hours, sick days, vacation days and
personal time.
Due to the fact that THRIVE performs as an independent contractor, we incur all the overhead expenses typically incurred by those who hire employees. Overhead expenses you can save on include office space, office furniture, supplies, telephone lines, and other such equipment required to run an effective, efficient business office.
-You don't have
to make a commitment to hiring an employee.
-You don't have to pay any employee taxes, because a Thrive Assistant
pays their own taxes.
-You don't have to pay for an employee's vacation or holiday.
-You don't have to pay for employee benefits such as medical
insurance or 401K.
-You don't have to pay for an employee sitting around with nothing to
do or goofing off.
-You pay only for the time you need.
-You can utilize our services for a one-time project or hire for
long-term, ongoing projects.
-Simply, no hassles or headaches of having an employee that doesn't
work out.
Q: Can you give me an example of the savings?
A: The real cost of an employee is about twice the annual salary or hourly pay. Since you only pay a VA for time-on-task, your employee’s 8-hour day can be crunched into 3-4 hours with a VA! A virtual assistant does not charge you for idle time, washroom visits, personal phone calls, computer downtime, lunch hours, sick leave, vacation time, personal time off, etc., so a 40-hour work week can turn into a 15-20 hour week for a virtual assistant.
Here’s an example adapted from the book Consulting for Dummies of how you can save $48,446 annually with a virtual assistant:
| The Employee | The Virtual Assistant |
|
Hourly Pay Rate $ 20.00 |
Hourly Pay Rate $50.00 |
| Fringe Benefits @ 43% + $ 8.69 |
Fringe Benefits + $ - n/a |
| Overhead Rate @ 31% + $ 6.16 | Overhead Rate + $ - n/a |
| Effective Pay Rate $ 34.85 | Effective Pay Rate $ 50.00 |
| Hours per Year x 2,080 | Hours per Year x 480 |
| Total Annual Labor Cost $72,446 | Total Annual Labor Cost $ 24,000 |
Q: How do I know that a Thrive Assistant
is someone I can trust, keep my work confidential and be someone I
can depend on?
A: You will have peace of mind by knowing you're working with a professional. You would have the same contact whenever you need them. You are guaranteed complete security of all your information. A confidentiality agreement is included in every contract.
Q.: How does hiring a Thrive Assistant help me to "thrive" in my personal and/or professional life?
A: There is no need to get slowed down with the administrative and clerical tasks you shouldn't have to do. By hiring a Thrive assistant, you can focus on what you do best by directing your attention on your strengths, your success and your life! It will give you time to focus on YOUR sales along with the ability to stay on schedule with your customers, which gives you an distinct advantage over the competition. On a personal level, it allows you to free up your time to do the things you want to do, like having time to yourself or spending it with your family.
Q.: I prefer to have someone I can have control over. I have specific needs that are complicated.
A: We take our partnership with you quite seriously, as well as, our commitment to provide fast accurate work with the intention of frugality on all jobs. We want to make sure that you are aware of your options and will guide you to take advantage of our services in the most economical way. At the same time, we want to make sure you receive the level and quality of services you need for the investment you put into our company. We are committed to developing a long-term relationship with you that unfailingly achieves your objectives. We make an effort to personally communicate with you about your business. You will find we ask lots of questions in order to familiarize ourselves with your business goals so we can effectively execute your projects every time.
Q.: I don't think I would be comfortable working "virtually". How does it work?
A: A THRIVE assistant can do just about anything a regular administrative employee can do. You just won't see his or her face every day and the manner in which you send tasks to him or her will vary slightly. Instead of walking paper files into the next office, you can simply attach those same files to an email and hit send. Your assistant will work on those files according to your instructions and return them, mail them, or do whatever else you request.
