Freelancers vs Virtual Assistants

As entrepreneurs' businesses expand, they will be given more and more responsibilities to ensure that operations run smoothly. These business owners can either hire more in-house employees or use freelancers or virtual assistant services from a reputable VA company.

Both virtual assistants and freelancers are arguably better than regular in-house staff for a variety of reasons, particularly when hiring freelancers or virtual assistants from the Philippines. One major factor that business owners consider when outsourcing processes to virtual assistant companies or freelancers is cost-effectiveness in comparison to hiring full-time employees, particularly during the height of the pandemic when businesses needed to cut costs.

Many businesses were helped and kept afloat by virtual assistants and freelancers during the pandemic. While both professions may appear to be similar, they have distinct differences that address different needs that a business may have.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

Virtual assistants, as the name implies, help business owners with a variety of tasks, such as small and individual projects and tasks. VAs typically do not take the lead on large projects and instead only handle small projects while assisting with various tasks.

Virtual assistants first appeared after technological advances brought reliable internet connectivity to homes in the 1990s. The first virtual assistants appeared when businesses realized they didn't necessarily need to hire an employee to work in the office.

Virtual assistant companies hire VAs, who can be hired by connecting with a company. Virtual assistant companies in the Philippines can help business owners find dependable VAs.

What is a Freelancer?

Freelancers are individuals who have the specialized skills and knowledge that business owners may require. Some former modern-day soldiers may still freelance today, but they are more commonly known as private military contractors, so the term "freelancer" is now widely used for other self-employed people who sell their skills to businesses.

Freelancers are more specialized than virtual assistants, but they are largely self-sufficient. Businesses will need to work directly with freelancers rather than through an intermediary.

Pros and Cons of Hiring Virtual Assistants

People who work with a reputable VA company in the Philippines have immediate access to a diverse set of skills because they don't usually work with just one person. Businesses will have access to a talent pool to assist them with a variety of tasks such as accounting and content creation.

Hiring a virtual assistant has its advantages and disadvantages, which are summarized below:

Pros:

-Can assist with nearly any task

-Have access to a large pool of talent

-Allow businesses to collaborate with vas who are best suited to their specific requirements.

-Have people available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Cons:

-Do not allow clients to view the portfolios of individual virtual assistants.

-Make it more difficult to maintain a regular working relationship with a VA.

-The possibility is that the company does not have a specific VA that meets specific needs.

-Is usually more expensive than hiring freelancers.

Pros and Cons of Hiring Freelancers

While working with virtual assistant companies provides businesses with access to a large pool of talent, it is still possible that the virtual assistant company does not have the right people for the job. Freelancers are more likely to be specialists, whereas VAs are more adaptable.

Hiring a freelancer has its advantages and disadvantages, which are summarized below:

Pros:

-Can provide highly specialized skillsets

-Will have direct contact with its client/s

-Will become accustomed to the client's working style

-Is frequently open to negotiating availability.

-Is typically less expensive than virtual assistant services.

Cons:

-Have fewer skill sets and are less well-rounded in general

-They may only be able to work certain days and hours.

-Businesses may need to hire more people.

Why Virtual Assistants Can Outperform Freelancers

Hiring Filipino virtual assistants and freelancers benefits businesses, but hiring VAs may be preferable to hiring freelancers. Because they are generally all-rounders, virtual assistants can outperform office workers and freelancers. VAs may have more applications than freelancers, and a virtual assistant company may be able to better meet the needs of its clients than an individual freelancer.

Some of the reasons why virtual assistants are likely superior are as follows:

Replacements

If a company is dissatisfied with the work of a virtual assistant, a VA company can replace the assistant with a better fit. If a company is dissatisfied with a freelancer's work, it must look for another freelancer.

Scalability

Should a company grow and expand, freelancers may be unable to adjust to an increase in workload or the likely scarcity of resources. VA firms are more flexible and scalable than individual freelancer and can provide the right people for extended periods.

Because freelancers are specialists, they may not be able to meet the changing needs of their clients as they grow. VA firms, on the other hand, have a large talent pool for their clients, allowing them to meet changing needs.

Conclusion

Virtual assistants and freelancers can help businesses, but their services won’t likely be interchangeable. Hiring both VAs and freelancers can be suitable for businesses as the freelancers focus on more time-sensitive projects. At the same time, virtual assistants help with the business’s day-to-day operations.

Elysium Virtual can help provide the best virtual assistant services for different businesses and help them with their needs while also looking around for an excellent freelancer. Hire a virtual assistant today and benefit from high-quality virtual assistant services.

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