Onshore and Offshore Virtual Assistants, And Why Does It Matter Which You Choose?
Our sector has spent years debating the relative merits of employing virtual assistants based onshore as opposed to those based abroad. Which of these choices is going to benefit your company the most? What are the positives and negatives associated with each option?
For us, the answer is straightforward: we are certain in our belief that retaining all of our personnel onshore offers the greatest benefit to our customers while also fostering constructive social change in the communities where we live. The following are a few of the reasons why we choose to maintain our virtual assistants based in-house:
Qualifications
Working with onshore virtual assistants gives you the peace of mind that the education, training, and qualifications held by your assistant are commensurate with the levels of success expected in the North American culture. Virtual assistants from the Philippines will bring the credentials you need and anticipate, allowing them to hit the ground running and begin making meaningful contributions to your company on the very first day they are hired.
Market knowledge and communication
When doing business with a certain audience or community, it is almost always beneficial to assemble a team comprised of individuals who have in-depth familiarity with that market. It works the same way with virtual assistants; if the majority of your prospective clients are located in North America, you will get the most out of working with a North American VA who is familiar with your particular markets and demographics.
Your virtual assistant (VA) will be able to complete projects in a manner that is more appealing to your audience, adapt to your culture, and successfully develop successful working relationships with your team, customers, partners, and vendors to the extent that they have a deeper understanding of your audience’s cultural norms, shopping behavior, business practices, or local trends. This will allow your VA to better serve your needs.
The study of languages is another topic that is relevant. Those who are fluent in a language have an innate understanding of the subtleties that are embedded within it, whether it be sarcasm, humor, or overall tone. When it comes to communication with you and your team, as well as with suppliers, partners, or consumers, these may make a major impact. If your virtual assistant (VA) will be responsible for any sort of writing, customer service, email management, outbound phoning, social media posting, or other communication obligations, it is extremely important to work with a native English speaker.
If you hire an onshore virtual assistant (VA), you will have a lower risk of wasting time editing and revising work and resolving communication misunderstandings than if you hire a VA located offshore. It also helps you protect your reputation and brand from being damaged by mistakes in communication.
Managing deadlines
Working with virtual assistants in (or close to) your time zone is imperative for managing deadlines effectively, especially for time-sensitive queries and tasks. It can be difficult to ensure deadlines are being met if the individual you’re working with is operating a full or half day ahead of you, in a completely different time zone.
Real-time conversations via chat, phone calls, and video conferencing can have a great impact on the timeliness and quality of work. Problems can be resolved instantly or within a shorter timeframe, giving you more freedom to focus on what’s important. These conversations are much easier to arrange when your time zones are compatible.
Supporting local communities
Perhaps the most important reason VA FLIX works exclusively with onshore assistants is to create positive social impact in our local communities across the Philippines. We believe in providing fair wages and creating sustainable employment opportunities, particularly for underrepresented communities.