Comments on: Ultimate Virtual Assistant Guide

By: Mark Shead

Mark Shead — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:25:27 +0000

Simply call your credit card company and tell them what happened.

By: steve

steve — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:28:27 +0000

A WARNING ABOUT TIMESVR VIRTUAL ASSISTANT SERVICE:

Timesvr is very dishonest in their billing. it is virtually impossible to cancel the service. I tried to cancel for three months consecutively via the online dashboard. While every request for a task was responded to quickly, my request to cancel went unanswered. They continued to bill me for three months until I called them. I was assured on the phone that my service was canceled. Shortly there after, I was billed again. Only after I was billed for a fourth month, did I receive a letter saying that my subscription was set to be cancelled. I immediately emailed Timesvr. This is an excerpt from Timesvr’s email response:

“We don’t facilitate cancellations via phone (or IM), cancellation is at the onus of the client who can do so at anytime through their dashboard. ”

Before calling, I had attempted to cancel my service three times via the dashboard. As Timesvr’s policy states that they do not issue refunds, I can’t help but feel that they are using recurring billing and ignoring cancellations to rip customers off. My advice: DO NOT USE TIMESVR.

By: Best Career Advice

Best Career Advice — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 08:51:27 +0000

Though this is an old post, the list is still quite accurate. However, my experience using VAs from some of those sites has not been as satisfying as I had hoped. I think this had to do with the amount of time required to locate one that’s right for the job, and then ensuring you are providing clear and detailed instructions. My colleagues seem to have had better luck though in procuring VAs.

By: Albert Sparks

Albert Sparks — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 01:30:50 +0000

I personally and professionally believe this is a significant part of our future working style. E commerce and business has improved not only for business, but for the individual to work within the home environment and still remain financially viable.

By: Mark Shead

Mark Shead — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 03:35:52 +0000

Yes, but look at it this way. I live in a town of 7,000 people. In scenario A, I spend $1,000,000 on local salaries in a year. In scenario B, I spend $1,000,000 on salaries in India. Under which scenario do you think I will see a difference in my small town’s economy? The same thing applies if I’m spending $100,000, $10,000 or $1,000. (Although it may be harder to measure at the smaller amounts.)

By: Lao Tzu

Lao Tzu — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 17:28:28 +0000

Your comment about spending local currency is fallacious. Did you ever take economics 101? Indians buy American products and they buy products from people who buy American products. Likewise, Americans buy things outside their community or buy from people who buy outside the community.

Money never stays put.

By: virtual assistants

virtual assistants — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:56:13 +0000

Hey,
Great work.
This blog provides full information about virtual assistants.
If anybody wants to become virtual assistant they must go through this blog.
Thanks for this awesome information…………

Regards,
Virtual Assistant

By: seymour

seymour — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 16:17:33 +0000

“Several days after I showed her how to do this, I got an email from her, saying, “I see there is a new event scheduled like the one I previously sent out a campaign for. Would you like me to do the same for it?” I was very impressed with this because she wasn’t just working off of a task list. She was anticipating future actions based on previous ones”

Shocking! You mean she wasn’t a complete moron and gave a shit? Wow…. did you throw her a treat, or just decide to right a patronising blog?

By: Kerstin Rios

Kerstin Rios — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:56:55 +0000

Thanks for your explanation. I’m afraid it was a bit of a knee-jerk reaction. I live in a college community where most of the secretarial- type positions require a degree, or I find later that I was over qualified for a position, so there is a lot of confusion. Some days I think I can, and others I don’t.

You sound like the type of person I would like to work for.

Again, good luck and thanks.

By: Mark Shead

Mark Shead — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:57:48 +0000

@Kerstin – Unskilled labor can mean quite a few different things to different people. Skilled work is something that you can’t sit down and teach a reasonably smart person how to do in a few weeks. For example, a reasonably smart person with a high school degree isn’t going to become a doctor or programmer with a week of training.

Some of the tasks a virtual assistant performs can be done by a reasonably smart person with a week of training. For example, learning how to do mail merges, book travel, file documents, etc. are all things that can be taught fairly quickly. Other tasks that some VAs perform can’t be taught quickly. For example, creating a filling system from scratch, organizing a large event, proof reading technical writing, etc.

Most people have parts of their job that are skilled and parts that are unskilled. If a prospective client only needs the unskilled part of what you do, then they may be better off paying for someone without the additional skills. Don’t get too bent out of shape if someone doesn’t need your skills–concentrate on finding clients where your skill set matches their needs.

By: Kerstin Rios

Kerstin Rios — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:48:47 +0000

I found your article very informative as I am contemplating becoming a VA and I think I would be good at it. I have many years experience but am still researching the safest way to accomplish my desire. I find the references to “unskilled labor” from some of the comments insulting. I hardly think that working all your adult life at something you are really good at classifies anyone as “unskilled”. Just because we don’t have a piece of paper that says we can, doesn’t mean we can’t. I commend you on seeking a VA on home turf, especially with the economy the way it is. Good luck.

By: Kim

Kim — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:52:52 +0000

Thanks for your article. I am starting a Virtual Assistant business and will find your information quite helpful.

By: Remote or Local Assistant? : Productivity501

Remote or Local Assistant? : Productivity501 — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:01:07 +0000

[...] has been a lot of interest in virtual assistants. The idea sounds great. You hire someone to do the work you need remotely. Since you [...]

By: Greg / Wise Bread

Greg / Wise Bread — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 01:56:23 +0000

Mark, this is an AMAZINGLY HELPFUL post. Thank you for taking the time to write this up!

By: Outsourcing Ideas : Productivity501

Outsourcing Ideas : Productivity501 — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:26:41 +0000

[...] suggestions for hiring a cook/chef via Craigslist. Sacha Chau has a review of TimeSvr and oDesk for Virtual Assistant work and a list of tasks she has assigned to [...]