Copyright (c) 2010 Nick Clipton
Hiring off shore virtual assistance may be good idea, if you know what the company needs and are willing to work with staff living in a different time zone. Here are some things to consider when your company does decide to hire virtual assistants (VA) in India and the Philippines.
India is the leader in offshore or distance assistance and they ask for $15 an hour. Your company can get a discount of $12 an hour if you sign up for a 40 hour work per week. That said, here are some of the things that your company might meet. It's not all bad, but it can be if you are a newbie in hiring offshore staff.
The popularity of Indian VA services may make it hard to hire them. There are just too many companies hiring them that sometimes clients are turned away on the first call. That is where the Philippines come in; they hardly turn away anybody and would even advice you to go to another or an affiliate company just so they don't lose the client.
Second, the payment is painless, but it can be difficult if the VA providers do not accept credit cards. The usual payment mode is through payment services like PayPal. If you insist on using banks, they can charge for $30 to $40 wire transfer charges. If you ask for PayPal payment, the providers may or may not include PayPal charges (around 3-4% of the total charges) so you may have to pay higher.
Third, if your company signs up for a certain number of work hours to avail of the discount, then you have to pay that fee per month. If your company cannot come up with the number of hours that it signed up for, you still have to pay the same amount, if not, you lose your credibility and lose the service, instantly.
Indian and Philippine VAs are professionals. They have the skills, they can communicate, they can adapt to the demands of the hiring company. They are also not hesitant to clarify matters with their 'bosses' and if there is a problem with meeting a schedule because of some unfortunate event, they can easily get replacement or ask for someone just as capable to take over the job.
The Philippines has one thing over the Indian VA when it comes to telecommunication services. The Philippines uses English as the mode of teaching on all levels of schools, private and public. They are also fast learners and are flexible when it comes to difficult situations. Their ability to speak the English language is fast gaining a reputation in offshore staffing.
The time zone may be difficult at first; there is a 12 hour difference so morning in India and the Philippines is night for the United States.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.