How To Find a Virtual Assistant in the Philippines

Monday morning rolls around, and your secretary calls in to tell you she’s quitting.

You’ve got paperwork, business lunches, and administrative meetings. There’s no time in your busy schedule to answer calls and arrange appointments. Besides, your clients won’t be happy if there’s no one at the front desk!

Luckily, the internet is here to save the day with a solution all the way from the Philippines.

Virtual Filipino assistants are growing rapidly in popularity. You need someone you can trust. Someone who can quickly adapt to your business. Read on for some tips to find a virtual assistant perfect for you!

Find a Virtual Assistant: Why Hire From the Philippines?

It’s difficult enough deciding whom to hire, so hiring an employee from another culture adds an extra level of stress to the equation. There are language barriers, customs, and differing views on what constitutes respect. Foreign employees might commit a faux pas that could put off customers.

Fortunately, Filipinos are known to be some of the friendliest people in the world. Courtesy is not just something they will be providing your customers out of financial incentive, it’s a part of who they are.

Further, Filipinos have experienced extensive contact with the Western world. They are the only Christian nation in Asia, and their second language is English. You need not worry about a cultural divide.

To top it off, Filipinos are hard workers. They’re known for showing up early and staying late to get the job done. They excel in multi-tasking and apply the “Filipino touch” of crossing all the t’s and dotting the i’s.

Filipinos are stalwart in the face of adversity and don’t crack easily under pressure. There’s a reason this tropical paradise is a popular location for call centers from companies around the world.

And it’s hard to be unhappy surrounded by white sand beaches and crystal-blue water!

What About the Time Difference?

While the sun is setting on this island nation, you might be just waking up. However, many Filipinos work in call centers, or remotely, and thus have sleeping schedules that will align perfectly with your business needs. Your virtual assistant will be ready to work the hours that fit best with your business.

How Well Do They Speak English?

Exceptionally well. While most Filipinos natively speak Tagalog or another regional dialect, the vast majority have a strong English level due to the aforementioned Western influence. Many Filipinos who immigrate to the US assimilate easily with the local population–evidenced by a large diaspora in California and other states.

Most Filipinos do not have a noticeable accent. You shouldn’t worry about them struggling to comprehend customers who speak different dialects of English. Often they have extensive prior experience in call centers, talking with people who speak very fast or very poorly–or worse, who are upset.

How Do They Handle Pressure?

Given that call centers often involve aggressive, indignant customers, Filipinos don’t blink at the everyday stress that comes with navigating difficult emotional slopes. They live and breathe this.

Can Filipinos Handle Different Tasks?

Absolutely! Virtual assistants are not just limited to virtual secretaries or bog-standard customer service. There are virtual assistants for practically any type of remote work.

When it comes to small businesses, web development can often be a significant cost. Hiring from the Philippines may help a blogger or small online store owner to keep down on programming overhead.

Need to hire a graphic designer to work with that web developer? There are plenty of virtual assistants to fill that role as well. You will also find copywriters experienced in writing website descriptions that keep readers engaged.

There are virtual assistants for digital marketing who will work as freelance social media managers, ensuring your SEO is getting you the right amount of traction. You can find a virtual assistant to manage your Amazon store and make sure your product listings are organized.

Of course, if you just need someone to answer phones and live chat, there are plenty of VAs perfectly suited to your customer service department.

So What Benefit Is There to Hiring Filipinos Over Others?

The Philippines has a much lower cost of living than Western countries, which means it’s more affordable for you to hire them as virtual assistants. With all the benefits mentioned above, this is a very cost-effective solution.

How to Hire Your Virtual Assistant From the Philippines

So you’ve decided you need a virtual assistant from the Philippines. However, now you’re not sure where you can find reliable people. Anyone can claim to provide the service you need, bill you, and then disappear, right?

There are many freelancing websites out there claiming to provide high-quality virtual assistants, but not all of them go as in-depth with their applicants as others. Freelancers who want to bolster their resumes also want to find a service that will get their name out to as many people as possible.

Some freelancing websites have a rigorous vetting process that ensures you’re only seeing the top 1%. You’ll be able to choose from levels of expertise, depending on how established your business procedures are. These services will pair you with your ideal candidate in a matter of hours, allowing you to hire them within days.

You should seek out a service that helps to facilitate payment between your virtual assistant and you. Further, some services offer extra support in the event that your VA quits.

Finishing Up

Hiring can be a daunting task, but with the assistance of online talent acquisition services, it doesn’t have to be. A VA from the Philippines is out there waiting for you! Make your business shine with expertise from one of the friendliest island nations.

Find a virtual assistant that’s perfect for you in a few short clicks!