Number of Billable Hours - Virtual Assistant Forums

McCaul Assistance · #1 (**permalink**) 01-05-2009

For those of you who provide hourly support, I am curious as to your average weekly billable hours per client. I'm looking into the future to decide how many clients I want to work with at one time. I already have one that I've been working with for about 10 hours per week. I have another possible who wants 15 hours. I know it will depend on how many hours I want to work but I like to see what everyone else does.

Thanks!

lanelt · #2 (**permalink**) 01-05-2009

I provide hourly support and my billable hours vary based on the client. I have one client that averages 20 hours per week and I have some that average 2 hours a month. It all depends on the client. I try to keep my billable hours to around 30 which leaves me an additional 10 hours a week for overhead work. I do my best to only work 40 hours a week.

Not sure if that really answers your question.

Tricia · #3 (**permalink**) 03-17-2009

I have to agree it is hard to say just how many I bill them a week. A lot of it depends on home much stuff they want done. I keep my billable hours at 20 a week and then like Lanel said I have an additional 10 hours blocked out for certain things or if some project comes up.

Sorry if this did not help much.

virtualWebConcepts · #4 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009

I am having a hard time trying to figure out what is truly "billable" and what is not. How does anyone out there determine this?

Total Resource Connection · #5 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009

If you are doing work for other people - it's billable.
Invoicing, marketing, trying to up sell your services, not billable.

Kerans VA · #6 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009

Originally Posted by Total Resource Connection

If you are doing work for other people - it's billable.

Exceptions to this would include things like training unless your client has agreed in advance to pay for it. Example: Client wants a PowerPoint and you're a little rusty, so you spend half an hour or an hour fiddling around getting reacquainted with program. I personally wouldn't bill for that time.

There are probably a multitude of other exceptions, I can't think of any more off the top of my head, but you get the idea of where to draw the line.

HTH!

Total Resource Connection · #7 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009

Agreed, although if it's a client proprietary software that I am learning specific for them (billing software, or something along those lines) I do charge for the time.

Kerans VA · #8 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009

Originally Posted by Kerans VA

Exceptions to this would include things like training unless your client has agreed in advance to pay for it.

Originally Posted by Total Resource Connection

Agreed, although if it's a client proprietary software that I am learning specific for them (billing software, or something along those lines) I do charge for the time.

We actually have had this exact scenario recently with one of my clients hiring a bookkeeper and have had it go both ways. The first one we hired agreed to learn the billing software for free as it would enhance her skills and the second one did not. Either way, it was clarified before the project started what the expectations were for both parties.

Good luck!

virtualWebConcepts · #9 (**permalink**) 05-08-2009

Great, that helps me alot. I was doing a big project and felt like I was going to be charging too many hours because the project was more complicated that originally planned.

virtualWebConcepts · #10 (**permalink**) 05-08-2009

Originally Posted by Kerans VA

Exceptions to this would include things like training unless your client has agreed in advance to pay for it. Example: Client wants a PowerPoint and you're a little rusty, so you spend half an hour or an hour fiddling around getting reacquainted with program. I personally wouldn't bill for that time.

There are probably a multitude of other exceptions, I can't think of any more off the top of my head, but you get the idea of where to draw the line.

HTH!

I did have that situation come up where I was a little rusty with Photoshop Elements, spent half of my time fiddling around with it and getting back into it - the real project only lasted about 2 hours and the rest of it was re-training myself.

virtualWebConcepts · #11 (**permalink**) 05-08-2009

That makes sense, the training definitely would need to be discussed up front and what the cost would be if it was client specific, I guess it just depends on the project.