Hey everyone,

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, or it may have even been posted before, but I'm really upset right now. I got an email from another VA about some subcontracting work, and went to check out her website and blog. She had a post about the benefits of working with a VA in the US rather than outsourcing the work to a country where the VA's only charge $3 an hour, such as the Phillipines (and no offense to any VA's outside the US, you'll see my point below). A guy posted a rebuttal to her blog about all the reasons why working with a $3 an hour VA is great, how he trusts his entire business to a guy who he pays only $3 an hour, how his team averages $3-$10 an hour, and how all business owners should consider doing this instead of giving the work to the VA's here in the US. His blog is:

http://howtohireavirtualassistant.com/blog/?p=6

I can't believe, with how bad the economy is here in the U.S., that a business owner is not only sending his own business out of the country, but also trying to get other US business owners to do the same. People can't even buy gas for their cars here (right now in Pittsburgh it's $3.70 a gallon), some people couldn't pay for heating oil this winter, and all you hear on the news is the housing crisis and how people are losing their homes. Our economy is in a terrible state and instead of trying to help out fellow US business owners, he's telling everyone to send their work to someone outside the US who only makes $3 an hour! I posted my opinion to his blog, and of course, everyone is entitled to work with whoever they choose, but America is in trouble right now. I think we should be helping each other out, as fellow Americans and fellow business owners. If anyone has an opinion on it, I urge you to post it on his site as well.

With all the great things his offshore VA supposedly does for $3 an hour, clearly proofreading what his boss writes isn't one of them. I had to force myself not to post that, as well. I saved my snarky comments for you guys instead!

Wanting us all to succeed,
Yvone

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Yvone M. Kon
M.Y. Marketing & Design
Your Virtual Marketing Assistant - At Your Service!
www.mymarketingdesign.com

I wonder just how far $3 U.S. an hour goes in places like the Phillipines. If it's basically slave labor, then shame on him on two counts - he's promoting sweat shops. I think it's disgusting when businesspeople wallow in others' misfortunes.

My mortgage broker friend gave a little presentation to a small real estate company in a neighboring area. She was basically saying how part of the reason we're in the market jam and we're at an all-time high foreclosure rate is because of all of the "creative financing" that was allowed to happen in the past. Many people were stretched to "fit" into homes that they couldn't afford. This man challenged her (and not in a very nice way) saying that, as a real estate agent, he loves foreclosures because he can resell the foreclosure home and make even more money on it. He reminded me of the people that take advantage of the elderly and look for homes where the owners have recently died. Truly disgusting frame of mind, IMO.

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Stephanie
New VA in the research phase

It's appalling to me when people behave in such an unethical manner. I can't believe someone would even say that OUT LOUD - that he likes when people foreclose. What a disgusting example of a human being.

This guy claims that $3 an hour in Phillippines is good money and from everything I know and understand, I think that's true. They have a much lower cost of living and we could never accept wages that low here. I mean, what is that, HALF of what our minimum wage is? It really has me ticked off. I understand that is his opinion, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but what makes me angry is how he's urging other people to do the same thing he is. A number of his blogs were all about how businesses should send their work outside the US. We need people here telling others the benefits of working with US VA's, not the other way around.

Wow, I have a headache.

Yvone

__________________
Yvone M. Kon
M.Y. Marketing & Design
Your Virtual Marketing Assistant - At Your Service!
www.mymarketingdesign.com

Hmmm. That was interesting. I completely understand your points Yvone about supporting "local" business. I know the Ford workers in my area have been sporting bumper stickers lately that complain about those who buy foreign cars putting Ford workers out of a job.

I subscribe to the newsletters of some of these folks and they are very pro offshore outsourcing. (read cheap labour) That's what they're all about. Their whole premise is to buy cheap. They admit that. Reading their newsletters helps me understand their mentality a little better. Knowing how they think puts me in a better position.

Just as there are those who support off shore outsourcing there are those who don't. I don't feel threatened by it. I think there is plenty of work to go around and I specifically chose my target market because I know they can afford my prices and they want to work with a North American. I prefer to think of it as the difference between shopping at Discount or shopping at Designer shops. Both stores provide products and services for everyone. But, not everyone will shop at both stores. Some people prefer discount because that's what their budget can afford. Probably not the best analogy but it's the best I can come up with right now

Being on the internet puts a different spin on things for a lot of people. Because it is global many people don't see the impact of their choices being made on other people. The US economy is case in point, or any economy for that matter.

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Shari Sultana
Online Business Manager (marketing for retail ecommerce)

I just read your comment and I thought you sounded very professional. Even if he can get the same quality and level of support for $3 per hour, it shows that he has absolutely no sense of community or patriotism for the people in our country that need help. One thing he said was something to the effect of, "I was fully prepared to pay between $10 - $15 per hour" as if it was equal to $50 per hour (and, maybe it is overseas, I don't know).

I just know that I've had to deal with outsourced customer service and tech support overseas and I did not receive the same level of service. I found that the language barrier (in some cases, not all) was impassable and had to ask to be referred to someone I could understand better. Also, I can remember my boyfriend having to spend weeks training technicians from overseas to prepare them to take over a lot of our customer service and techy jobs at the company that I worked for. Talk about low morale.

On that note, please don't think that I'm against my overseas counterparts, so to speak. I'm all for diversity. I just think that we should be more aware of what's going on in our own country and take care of ourselves first. And, if overseas counterparts are worth $30+ U.S., then they should get paid that amount wether they live here or not. Why do you think so many people enjoy working overseas? Tax free income of course. We take advantage of the benefits, why shouldn't other people take advantage of what the U.S. has to offer in the form of wages?

And, keep in mind that this doesn't just apply to the U.S. there are many other countries out there that are charging far more than $3 per hour (or whatever the equivalent is)

On that note, I'll step down from my soapbox...lol

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Stephanie
New VA in the research phase

Shari,

I agree with what you're saying about the business you target, etc. The people you want to work with are willing to pay what your rate is and the same goes for the people I work with. (I personally shop at Target, btw, somewhere between Wal-Mart and Saks. OK, well below Saks truth be told!) LOL!!!

I'm just ticked off though. Things are SO bad here. It seems very irresponsible to me to be promoting this as the majority of us are struggling to keep our heads above water. All you hear is how people are upset with what's going on with products coming out of China and how we should boycott, and how we should buy American instead, because of the low quality and safety standards of these foreign goods. We have so many great VA's here, people opening their own businesses and trying to make a better life. As if things weren't enough of a struggle, now we have to fight agains $3 an hour outsourcing.

I'll get off my soapbox now, too!

Yvone

__________________
Yvone M. Kon
M.Y. Marketing & Design
Your Virtual Marketing Assistant - At Your Service!
www.mymarketingdesign.com

Originally Posted by StephanieP

I just read your comment and I thought you sounded very professional. Even if he can get the same quality and level of support for $3 per hour, it shows that he has absolutely no sense of community or patriotism for the people in our country that need help. One thing he said was something to the effect of, "I was fully prepared to pay between $10 - $15 per hour" as if it was equal to $50 per hour (and, maybe it is overseas, I don't know). I just know that I've had to deal with outsourced customer service and tech support overseas and I did not receive the same level of service. I found that the language barrier (in some cases, not all) was impassable and had to ask to be referred to someone I could understand better. Also, I can remember my boyfriend having to spend weeks training technicians from overseas to prepare them to take over a lot of our customer service and techy jobs at the company that I worked for. Talk about low morale. On that note, please don't think that I'm against my overseas counterparts, so to speak. I'm all for diversity. I just think that we should be more aware of what's going on in our own country and take care of ourselves first. And, if overseas counterparts are worth $30+ U.S., then they should get paid that amount wether they live here or not. Why do you think so many people enjoy working overseas? Tax free income of course. We take advantage of the benefits, why shouldn't other people take advantage of what the U.S. has to offer in the form of wages? And, keep in mind that this doesn't just apply to the U.S. there are many other countries out there that are charging far more than $3 per hour (or whatever the equivalent is) On that note, I'll step down from my soapbox...lol

Thanks Stephanie! I tried to remain calm and professional when I posted it!

Yvone

__________________
Yvone M. Kon
M.Y. Marketing & Design
Your Virtual Marketing Assistant - At Your Service!
www.mymarketingdesign.com

Originally Posted by eve_k0802

Shari, It seems very irresponsible to me to be promoting this as the majority of us are struggling to keep our heads above water. All you hear is how people are upset with what's going on with products coming out of China and how we should boycott, and how we should buy American instead, because of the low quality and safety standards of these foreign goods. We have so many great VA's here, people opening their own businesses and trying to make a better life. As if things weren't enough of a struggle, now we have to fight agains $3 an hour outsourcing. I'll get off my soapbox now, too! Yvone

I totally understand your frustration. I suspect that the blog writer is of the generation after us that grew up online and doesn't see the world the same way.

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Shari Sultana
Online Business Manager (marketing for retail ecommerce)

Originally Posted by eve_k0802

Shari, I agree with what you're saying about the business you target, etc. The people you want to work with are willing to pay what your rate is and the same goes for the people I work with. (I personally shop at Target, btw, somewhere between Wal-Mart and Saks. OK, well below Saks truth be told!) LOL!!! I'm just ticked off though. Things are SO bad here. It seems very irresponsible to me to be promoting this as the majority of us are struggling to keep our heads above water. All you hear is how people are upset with what's going on with products coming out of China and how we should boycott, and how we should buy American instead, because of the low quality and safety standards of these foreign goods. We have so many great VA's here, people opening their own businesses and trying to make a better life. As if things weren't enough of a struggle, now we have to fight agains $3 an hour outsourcing. I'll get off my soapbox now, too! Yvone

I do understand your point Ms Yvone. Reminds me of the Japanese rice, apt analogy I think.

For so long, Japan refuses to import rice, choosing instead to grow and patronize their own. What resulted today is excellence in quality; many Japanese would eschew rice grown from other soils. Simply put, theirs is superior, with good reason. Their research and development is still ongoing.

Anyway, the difference comes with the field: that is rice and this is vast array of services. Its nigh impossible to ban the competitive services of other VAs in foreign countries. And of course, this is the US, the banner of business competition.

What really lies in the future is a step-up in the kinds of services and skills that US VAs can offer that would separate them from the rest. We have to think, that low quality and safety standards of services and goods that comes from other countries are quickly rising, whether we want to or not. that's whats going to happen anyway, sooner or later.

As Americans, we have the edge of being trailblazers, entrepreneurs, being the first in line to offer something new.

As a foreign VA I thought I would let you know that I didn't take offense but agree with what is said here.

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Kylie Short
Tilda Virtual Services - Making virtual personal

Phew! After posting, I had to step back and remember just who my collegues are and that not everyone here lives in the U.S. and that I am not the kind of person that boycotts items imported from other countries. I love discounts and shopping at Wal-Mart and Target, but I have to admit, I do own one item from SAKS...Well, ok, it was actually bought from a SAKS outlet in FL and is just a teeny tiny umbrella that I paid $30+ for (I just had to get something...lol).

Anyhow, maybe $3 per hour is plenty to get by on, but if you could charge even $20 U.S. and be rich. Why wouldn't you? I know I would...lol

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Stephanie
New VA in the research phase

I was just thinking about this the other day. I understand that some businesses can't afford anything above $3 an hour for administrative work and I think it's kinda nice that they have another option. I mean look at us (VAs). A lot of us are doing things on a shoestring budget so I can relate to that standpoint.

However, it's when larger businesses and even big corporations that are making millions do this. That really makes me angry. They could very well afford to pay $30-$45 per hour to someone like us to do the work. But because they want to maintain a certain lifestyle and status they shave as much as they can off their bottom-line.

If enough of this goes on eventually, (I think) we'll be in a Nation where there are only 2 classes: the rich and the poor. Offshore outsourcing has been responsible for loads of lay-offs and displaced workers. Some of these people have held these jobs for 20+ years and it's all they know. So where do they go? How do they survive? Meanwhile, the owners of these corporations are living lavish because now they can pay an employee $3-$5 an hour as opposed to $10 - $20. They've destroyed families and communities and couldn't care less. And that's not even touching on virtual jobs. Think about it.... Here's a new industry that has an enormous amount of growth potential. Loads of benefits as far as work-at-home moms, environmental (less cars on the road), and even more that I can't think of now. Yet, the industry gets a kick in the side because of the big-players being greedy. That's what it all boils down to IMO, greed. "I'll pay out as little as possible, so I can keep as much as possible." Yes, that's a good strategy but how much money do you really need to maintain a comfortable lifestyle? There are plenty ways to help third-world countries without crippling ourselves.

You all are right. It takes a messed up individual to do that with a clear conscience. But what I think needs to happen is people need to start to organize against this type of practice and take it to the White House steps. That may not help immediately but at least the word will be out because I don't think it's being talked about as widely as it should be. I mean we've heard about the walmart sweatshop scandal but after it all blew over everyone forgot. I think that was only scratching the surface. I don't think a lot of people realize what's happening. The scumbags that are doing it don't care.

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Rhonda M. Manning, VA
Agape Business Solutions
Bridging the gap between your business and the solution!

Originally Posted by eve_k0802

His blog is: http://howtohireavirtualassistant.com/blog/?p=6

You'd think with all of that inexpensive VA help he's getting, he could have one of them create a nicer blog for him rather than his just using the default.

Okay - I admit it... MEOW!

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Jeanne
NowAssistingYou.com
Virtual Assistant :: Web/Blog Design & Hosting :: Writer

I'm thinking the gentleman from the blog would not be someone any of us would want to be working with in the first place.

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Jeanne
NowAssistingYou.com
Virtual Assistant :: Web/Blog Design & Hosting :: Writer

You're absolutely right. Not the kind of client I'd want. Plus, his great $3 an hour VA obviously doesn't proofread anything he writes. There was one post there that was chock full of spelling errors and typos. Or, maybe it is one of his VA's is posting it and they don't understand English as well as he claims they do!

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Yvone M. Kon
M.Y. Marketing & Design
Your Virtual Marketing Assistant - At Your Service!
www.mymarketingdesign.com