What Does A Virtual Assistant Do?

Do you find it difficult to manage your emails, appointments, and other administrative tasks, and are you looking for an assistant to help you or perform them on your behalf? Then it is time to hire a Virtual assistant for your business. 

This blog post is about who is a virtual assistant and what a virtual assistant does to promote and grow your business.

The virtual assistant (VA) role is becoming increasingly important for businesses and entrepreneurs alike. In fact, the global virtual assistant market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 24.3% from 2023 to 2030, reflecting the rising demand for remote administrative and operational support.

But exactly what does a virtual assistant do? How can they transform your daily operations and boost your productivity?

Research shows that hiring a VA can reduce operational costs by up to 78% compared to hiring an in-house employee. Their primary responsibility is to assist their clients in managing their daily tasks effectively, allowing businesses to focus on strategic growth rather than time-consuming administrative duties.

Let’s dive into the world of virtual assistance and uncover the myriad ways these remote professionals can revolutionize your work life.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

Before we explore the tasks and responsibilities, let’s define what a virtual assistant is. A virtual assistant is a remote professional who provides diverse administrative, technical, or creative services to clients. 

They are capable of handling a wide array of tasks that keep businesses running smoothly.

To ensure effective and clear communication, your Invedus virtual assistant communicates and collaborates with clients using the latest technology. This encompasses email (Outlook, Gmail), video conferencing (Zoom, Google Meet), project management software (Trello, Slack), and instant messaging.

The Expanding Role of Virtual Assistants

The virtual assistant industry has exploded in recent years, with the global market expected to reach $25.6 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 11.7%. In the United States, the VA industry is particularly robust, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 7% growth rate for administrative assistants (including virtual assistants) from 2020 to 2030. 

In the United Kingdom, the VA market has also seen significant growth. According to a report by the Society of Virtual Assistants, the number of VAs in the UK has increased by 35% since 2019. This growth isn’t surprising when you consider the versatility and value that VAs bring to the table.

So, what do virtual assistants do? Let’s break it down into further areas.

Tasks that VA does to promote your business

A virtual assistant (VA) works remotely to assist you with email, calendar, appointments, bookkeeping, phone calls, and task lists. A virtual assistant can also help with tasks like writing, editing, design, marketing, and social media. 

They carry out their tasks remotely, and to perform their tasks perfectly, VAs use cutting-edge technologies. These virtual assistants complete their tasks regardless of whether the employer is present in the office or not.

Due to their ability to work from home and without physical office space constraints, virtual assistants have flexible work schedules. 

Top 14 Tasks, You Can Assign to Your VA from Invedus

It is a little challenging to summarize the tasks completed by VA in a few sentences. So, check out the list below of VA tasks’ performance. 

1. Hire a virtual assistant to handle your administrative tasks.

Do not waste time managing your mailboxes, scheduling calls, and planning events with clients. These tasks will not only waste your time but will also keep you from gaining a competitive advantage. So, it is best to delegate these administrative tasks to your chosen virtual assistant. Your VAs can excel below your executive tasks.

Administrative Tasks that VA Can Manage.

• Email management and correspondence
• Calendar management and scheduling
• Travel arrangements and itinerary planning
• Data entry and database management
• File organization and document preparation

By handling these responsibilities, VAs free up valuable time for business owners and executives to focus on core business activities.

2. Customer Service

If a user persists with any issue with your product and services. In this case, your user will contact customer service to find a solution to their problem rather than coming straight to you. So, let your Invedus VA handle all these below tasks and refrain from any issues from the user end. 

Tasks that VA Can Perform to Support Customer Service

• Answering customer inquiries via email, chat, or phone
• Managing customer feedback and reviews
• Handling basic troubleshooting and support tickets
• Maintaining customer databases and CRM systems

By providing prompt and professional customer service, VAs help businesses maintain positive relationships with their clients and improve overall satisfaction. In fact, a study by Zendesk found that 84% of customers say the experience a company provides is as important as its products or services.

3. Allow your VA to boost social media to improve your online presence. 

These days, social media presence determines user engagement and market presence. VAs often take on the role of social media managers.

Tasks that VA will do to improve your social media presence

• Creating and scheduling posts across various platforms
• Engaging with followers and responding to comments
• Monitoring social media trends and hashtags
• Creating basic graphics and visual content for posts
• Analyzing social media metrics and reporting on performance

This social media prowess helps businesses maintain a consistent online presence and connect with their audience effectively. According to Sprout Social, 90% of consumers buy from brands they follow on social media, highlighting the importance of a strong social media strategy.

4. Allow your virtual assistant to efficiently convey your business message to the right audience.

Content writers are vital for companies trying to increase their online visibility and streamline processes. They handle various tasks, including content creation (blogs, articles, captions), social media management, and visual content design. VAs offer versatility and can tailor their services to meet specific business needs. VAs will do the following to amp up your company’s voice for the appropriate audience: 

Tasks that virtual content writer can do to increase your business awareness

• Blog post writing and editing
• Newsletter creation and distribution
• Proofreading and copy editing
• Basic graphic design for marketing materials
• Content calendar management

By producing high-quality content, VAs help businesses establish authority in their niche and improve their SEO performance. HubSpot reports that businesses that blog receive 55% more website visitors than those that don’t, emphasizing the value of consistent content creation.

5. Perform Research & Analysis

R&D is core to any business growth. Without analyzing the state of the competitors and the current market, you can never obtain an accurate estimate. Do not waste your time conducting market research as a business owner. Let your virtual research assistant finish this task. 

What Tasks Does VA Do as R&D

• Conducting market research
• Competitor analysis
• Gathering data for reports and presentations
• Researching industry trends and news

This research helps businesses stay informed and make data-driven decisions. According to a Dresner Advisory Services survey, 91% of companies believe that data-driven decision-making is critical to the expansion of their business, highlighting the importance of careful investigation and analysis.

6. Bookkeeping and Financial Support

Managing finances is crucial for businesses. Hiring a virtual bookkeeping assistant can streamline financial tasks and offer expert guidance. A skilled virtual accountant ensures efficient fund management and provides valuable advice for business growth. This is a cost-effective and reliable solution for new entrepreneurs.

Tasks Under Virtual Assistance’s Handling

• Managing your bills and invoicing.
• Creating and managing the budget for your organization.
• Tracking business expenses.
• Bank statement and credit card reconciliation. 
• Manages and tracks the sales and spending in organizations.
• Keep track of your every expenditure in the ledger.
• They also help you in processing payroll entries.
• Also, processing accrual entries during the month-end closing.

By keeping financial records organized and up-to-date, VAs help businesses maintain healthy financial practices. This is particularly valuable for small businesses and startups. According to a U.S. Bank study, 82% of business failures are due to poor cash flow management, highlighting the importance of solid financial practices.

7. Project Management

It is not easy for you to manage the employees, make the strategies, handle the new employees, and provide training to the juniors and others. So, to manage all these tasks, one must need a project manager who can make strategies for your business, handle employees, and perform other tasks. All these tasks can be performed well by offshore virtual project managers. 

Tasks Performed by the Project Manager

• The project manager develops the plans and ensures that the project is completed on time.
• To ensure that the project’s tasks are completed efficiently, virtual project managers place a strong emphasis on the team and available resources.
• It assists you in budget-conscious resource management.
• Virtual project managers are able to assign tasks, establish milestones, make project plans, and track advancement.
• They keep an eye on the updates regarding their projects and also give updates about the project to the higher authorities.
• Manage the project documents and track expenses. Additionally, they also communicate with stakeholders.

Their organizational skills make VAs excellent at keeping projects on track and ensuring deadlines are met. The Project Management Institute reports that organizations that undervalue project management report an average of 67% more project failures, emphasizing the importance of effective project management.

8. Technical Support

Whether you work from an office or remotely, you will always need to maintain your website. Technical VA can quickly resolve any basic application problems that your staff members encounter, such as login problems, leave requests, attendance tracking, or any other problem they may encounter.

Activities that Technical Support Perform

• Website updates and maintenance
• Basic troubleshooting of software issues
• Setting up and managing online tools and platforms
• Creating and managing databases

This technical know-how can be invaluable for businesses that don’t have in-house IT support. In the UK, a survey by the Federation of Small Businesses found that 26% of small businesses lack basic digital skills, making technical VA support particularly valuable in this market.

9. Managing Human Talent and Other Resources

Different levels of expertise are required for different tasks. You need different experienced candidates who can possess different skills according to their job role. For this, you need to find a candidate matching your business-required skills. This job can be done smoothly by remote or virtual HR. To ensure that your project is not derailed by employment concerns, you must not only locate the candidate but also analyze the other factors.

Tasks Accomplishments by Virtual HR

• Finding the candidate according to your business suitability is one of the daunting tasks. Your virtual HR is responsible for finding the best candidate for the project.
• Recruit new employees
• Works as a bridge between management and employees.
• Manage the employment records.
• Act as a communicator between management and employees. Who makes sure that messages are delivered correctly from both sides? 

Human resources are an essential component of any business, regardless of whether you plan to hire new staff or simply want to facilitate communication among your current workforce. Your virtual assistant will handle everything with ease.

10. Graphic Designing

Your website designs will determine how long customers and users will interact with your business. If you can deliver your thoughts with the perfect representation of designs, then congratulations; you have added a feather to your cap. 

Tasks Done by Virtual Graphic Designer

• For your websites, create and design interactive page designs.
• Reach your message to a broader audience by creating unique designs.
• Use visualizations to present your services and work to clients.
• Designing content for social media platforms.
• Incorporate your content into the visuals.

Remember, if you fail to incorporate with your current market. You’ll not only lose your clients and users but also get a huge loss in your business. A talented and reasonably priced designer is a valuable asset to any team. Allow your virtual assistant’s graphic designer to make a stir and help you grow your user base.

11. Overseeing Administrative and Accounting Responsibilities in CPA firms

A Virtual Assistant (VA) can perform a wide range of administrative and accounting tasks for a CPA firm, including basic bookkeeping, data entry, managing emails, scheduling appointments, preparing financial reports, client support, research on potential leads, invoice creation, and handling phone calls, essentially freeing up the CPA’s time to focus on more complex client work. 

Tasks from VA for CPA firms

A virtual assistant can help a CPA firm with a range of tasks, such as:

• The virtual assistant’s duties as an administrator include organizing meetings, handling effective communication, and handling paperwork.  
• Managing invoices, balancing accounts, and entering data are all aspects of bookkeeping.
• Financial reporting entails preparing statements, producing reports, and analyzing data.
• Client support includes responding to inquiries, onboarding clients, and managing communication.
• Research involves identifying potential clients and conducting market research.
• Tax-related tasks include gathering documents, assisting with filing, and ensuring compliance.

The specific tasks a VA can handle will depend on their skills, experience, and the needs of the CPA firm. It’s important to clearly define the scope of their responsibilities and provide adequate training and support.

12. Data Entry Virtual Assistant

Your entire business record is available on your system. A single click can erase your data in a snap. However, finding the correct person with expertise in running the computer smartly and accurately is difficult. But you can get the solution to this problem by hiring a virtual data entry specialist, as they are experienced in doing data entry-related tasks. 

Tasks Done by Virtual Data Entry Specialist

• They are managing your employees’ records.
• Can edit or manage client data.
• VA can monitor social media accounts for businesses, including the number of retweets and channel followers. 
• Scanning documents and keeping a record of them.

Time is a critical component for all entrepreneurs. So, when you can assign boring tasks to others, why let them weigh you down and drain your energy? Virtual data entry helpers free up your time so you can concentrate on other crucial duties.

13. Business Development Executive

You need a well-rounded personality with patience, effective communication skills, intelligence, the capacity to handle decisions, and other qualities to grow your business to new heights. You need someone who possesses every quality necessary to propel your company forward for this. In addition, they are also responsible for developing growth and creating a lead in sales generation.

Virtual Business Development Executive Tasks

• Responsible for managing your social accounts to connect with customers.
• Representative of your company.
• Arrange calls and meetings for the company business.
• Responsible for generating leads in sales.
• Works as a mediator between clients and management. 

Generating leads is only a cup of tea for some. You will need a VA who understands your business model and language and is very patient. 

14. SEO Services 

Becoming visible in the top searches is crucial for any organization. SEO is responsible for bringing your websites to the top searches of Google or any search engine. For this, you require an experienced SEO strategist. The ability to customize the requirements to fit your business needs is the best thing about hiring a virtual assistant. 

Tasks Done by SEO Virtual Assistant

• Make strategies for your website.
• Create or write content that is optimized for search engines.
• Develop bookmarks, backlinks, and other strategies for your website’s pages.
• Create attractive images and dashboards for your websites.
• Manage Google Analytics and then make strategies according to the dashboard.

These are just a handful of the things VA does to increase your company’s productivity. The list is too lengthy to go into detail about, though. You can, however, scale these assignments and the VA job role in accordance with your company’s needs.

Let’s find out now how your chosen VA spent their day.

Daily Routine of Virtual Assistant

Well, your hired VA is loaded with many tasks because they are personalities known for wearing multiple hats at a time. Their job role starts with the below tasks. Let’s find out what these are.

These virtual assistants start their day by checking emails and prioritizing tasks. Respond to urgent messages and update the to-do list.

They shift their attention to administrative duties at noon, such as managing calendars, setting up appointments, and filing. 

In addition, take on increasingly difficult assignments like research, social media management, or content production.

Afterward, VA responds to questions from customers, follows up on ongoing projects, and creates end-of-day reports in the late afternoon.

By the time you start your day, your virtual assistant (VA), who is most likely in a different time zone than you, will have completed projects, planned for tomorrow, and ensured that all deadlines are met.

Why You Should Hire a Virtual Assistant for Your Business?

Now that we’ve explored what virtual assistants do, let’s consider why hiring one can be a gamechanger for your business:

You’ll Hire the World’s Best Affordable Talent.

Compared to your on-site staff, a virtual assistant is far more affordable. Those who are just starting in the market or are in a growing phase will benefit from the VA far more. whose primary objective is to hire the best candidate rather than set up an office. 

In the US, the average hourly rate for a VA ranges from $15 to $30, compared to the median hourly wage of $19 for in-house administrative assistants.

Additionally, hiring a virtual assistant at Invedus costs far less than that. The best virtual assistant is available for just $799 per month or $6.99 per hour. 

Increase Your Business Productivity, Not Bills

By delegating tasks to a VA, you free up time to focus on core business activities. 

A study by Salesforce found that 86% of executives and employees cite a lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures, highlighting the potential impact of effective task delegation.

Build Your Flexible Team

VAs can work flexible hours, allowing for 24/7 coverage if needed. This is particularly valuable for businesses operating across different time zones or serving a global clientele.

Scale Your Team, Not Your Project Deadlines

It frequently occurs that you select your team for a project and, in the interim, the client requests changes to the project that is already underway. In this instance, you must scale your team per the demands of the project. 

Here, you have two choices: either manage your onsite team or what’s next after the project. Will you be firing the people you hired recently, or will you be able to let go of your current employees without feeling scared or anxious?

As an alternative, employ virtual assistants to grow your team without worrying about hiring and firing people. Letting go of VA is as easy as finishing your project. 

Reduce Your Stress, Not Your Team

Offload time-consuming tasks and reduce your workload and stress levels. According to the American Institute of Stress, 94% of employees say they experience stress at work, which highlights the possible benefits of assigning work to a virtual assistant.

Why Virtual Assistants Should Be in Your Team in 2025 and Upcoming Years

As technology continues to advance, the role of virtual assistants is evolving. We’re seeing trends like:

AI is deeply integrated and increases its roles.

VAs are increasingly using AI tools to enhance their productivity and capabilities. AI technologies, including virtual assistants, are being rapidly adopted across various industries due to their potential to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and enhance customer experiences.

You Have Global Access to Your Team.

The pool of available VAs is expanding globally, offering diverse perspectives and round-the-clock support. This global expansion is facilitated by improved internet infrastructure and the increasing acceptance of remote work.

Soar in Employees’ Job Preference.

As remote work becomes more common, the demand for skilled VAs is expected to rise. In the UK, 85% of VAs reported an increase in inquiries during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Society of Virtual Assistants.

Market Insights of VA

The virtual assistant market is projected to grow by $64.5 billion between 2023 and 2028, with a CAGR of 51%. This growth is driven by the demand for enhanced customer service, benefits for content stakeholders, and the prevalence of smartphones with intelligent virtual assistants.

The market is seeing widespread adoption across industries, including automotive, healthcare, marketing, and retail. Key players like Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple are leading innovation in this space.

Significant trends include the popularity of chatbots and the integration of AI and machine learning. However, technical concerns such as accuracy and personalization remain challenges. North America is expected to contribute 41% to market growth, owing to its high-end technology adoption and robust AI development ecosystem.

The market is segmented by type (spoken commands and text-to-speech) and end-user (automotive, BFSI, government, retail, and others). Despite technical hurdles, the virtual assistant market is poised for substantial expansion, reshaping customer interactions and business operations across various sectors.

Beyond AI-driven virtual assistants, hiring human virtual assistants (VAs) has transformed business operations, especially for startups, SMEs, and remote teams. By leveraging VAs and virtual employees (VEs), companies can reduce operational costs, improve productivity, and access a global talent pool without the constraints of traditional hiring.

Words Wrap-Up

Virtual assistants are no longer just a luxury for large corporations. They’ve become essential partners for businesses of all sizes, from solopreneurs to growing startups. By understanding what virtual assistants do and how they can benefit your business, you take the first step toward a more efficient, productive, and successful operation.

Remember, the key to success with a VA is clear communication, well-defined expectations, and a willingness to delegate. By embracing the virtual assistant revolution, you are hiring help and investing in your company’s growth and success.

Are you ready to transform your work life and take your business to the next level? Consider hiring a virtual assistant today from Invedus and experience the difference they can make in your daily operations and overall success. 

Whether you’re in the United States, the United Kingdom, or anywhere else, a skilled virtual assistant can be the key to unlocking your business’s full potential. Contact Us Today!