Hello Everyone,

I am very concerned here, should I be?
I'm starting my VA business, I have a Bachelor in Business Administration, speak 3 languages and have a secretarial degree.
I decided to start my own business to have freedom, I was very excited until now....

I see everywhere VA's from the Philippines advertising for only $6 an hour!
I didn't see this as much as I see it now, I now even see them on this forums, which is great but has the VA industry changed and I'm not aware?
Has the opportunity for an American VA gone out the door?


Are your clients aware of this other market? Are you afraid they will leave you?


All your thoughts will be highly appreciated!

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Your Virtual Assistant--Bilingual
www.AssistantOffice.com

It is the same in Australia too. I have applied for some jobs only to be knocked back due to being grossly undercut by OS competitor. The wage for them is comparable to their cost of living, but that doesn't help us much.

People tell me that their work is inferior and that our prices reflect our professionalism. Maybe.....?

I think that in alot of cases they are as professional as us but just don't need to earn as much to survive.

Bummer I know!

Fiona

I am starting up as a VA and saw those adds as well. Yes I was shocked and NO I will not work for 6 dollars an hour. Sorry. So I decided to trust my own strengths and capabilities instead of worrying about the "cheap" PA. There must be a place in the VA market for both of us.

I had some of thos e concerns as well when I first started out, but to be honest the really good clients realize that there are many language and cultural differences to work with someone from the Philippines. They want someone American that understands American business. Foreign countries have different ways of conducting business. As an example, the India real estate market does not have the restrictions that we have on real estate transactions. There is room for everyone!

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Serita Diana, the List 2 Close Assistant
REVA Academy

I must admit, when I first started out I took one of those low paying project at $7 just to get the job. I came in actually below what I saw was the average bid. Many of the bidders were not in the US. At the end I felt overworked and extremely underpaid. I wouldnt do that again.

Girls I would not lower your rates to compete. I realize that I am still a newbie here, but I am here to tell you that the clients are out there for everyone.

I also see a lot of ads that say they will work with someone from the USA only.

This is free enterprise ladies and this is how it works. Potential clients can work with anyone they want, and likewise we can work with anyone we want.

I think that there will always be a need for us as many only want to work with USA, well spoken English citizen's.

VA's from no matter where they are I'm sure it is pretty much the same thing for them, as I also see ads for only someone from the Philippines as the poster is from the Philippines, etc.

I think this would be true in any country that there will always be people who want to work with people from their own country.

The important thing to remember is to provide the best service you can and have really good customer service and your clients will keep coming back to you because they like the comfortable relationship they have developed with you. If you are new don't worry you will find clients.

As I have been saying I am new and I already have 5 clients. Three of my clients are client referrals, one I sent a proposal for, and the other found me on my website. I have 3 PC's right now. One found me on here, and the other two are from local networking events.

I have also been asked to speak to the IAAP. I am telling you this because I want you to know that if you are willing to work hard and put the effort into it that it deserves you will succeed regardless of what other VA's are charging.

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Rhonda Holscher, Owner
Rhonda's Virtual Office - Hire a Virtual Assistant

Do not get discouraged as there are many business owners out there who will pay your rates and enjoy your experience. I have found that those who are looking for cut rate service where never in my "ideal client" range so I am not missing anything there. The only time I will discount my rate is for a non-profit organization.

Job boards are just that, you would be better to build your business by F2F networking, attending workshops and seminars and building your social networks. Some hit the jackpot and get a client right off the bat and others take months. Hang in there, with dedication and a purpose you too will find the ideal clients for your business.

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Lee Drozak
My Office Assistant

At first glance, it can be discouraging to new VAs entering the field. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. I have been seeing more and more RFPs where native English is required. Some PCs have also told me that they started out with offshore VAs and were not happy with the results and decided not to repeat that again.

Not even getting into the quality of work that offshore VAs produce, there are many other differences that come into play, as already mentioned. Such as: cultural differences, time zones and different holidays. These all big factors that may work for some clients but not all. Maybe some clients can work around these differences, preferring to pay the lower rate especially if they are just starting out. But as their business starts to make money, they are able to afford a professional VA that is closer to home.

I just had this experience with a PC, emails were sent back and forth and at the end the PC told me that they were a startup company and gave me two rates they received from offshore VAs and I couldn't beat their rates. I wished him good luck, and he said he would be contacting me in the future for "more professional services" but right now he couldn't afford it!

Also, many clients just want the luxury of picking up the phone when there is an emergency situation. This cannot be done if the VA is halfway across the globe, sleeping!

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JoCarole
http://www.shoreofficeservices.com

I would not worry about it. Our services are not like cheap clothing, where if it gets destroyed after once wash it's ok because it was cheap and you can just throw it away. We are handling people's businesses and helping them with their livelihood.
From what I hear overseas' services are just not that good because of language and cultural differences to US clients, so when their business is affected in a negative way, they are cut off right away.
Most clients, after one bad experience, will never go that route again because it is such a serious matter they realize that quality matters most.

I don't worry about those ads because each person has their own capabilities and as mentioned already the cultural and language barrier is a huge plus for us.