Juggling a hundred business tasks and dreaming of some extra hands? UK-based virtual assistant (VA) companies could be the simple solution. These companies allow you to remotely outsource business tasks – ranging from call handling to social media marketing – to seasoned professionals. It’s cheaper than hiring in-house staff and you may even get access to better talent than if you tried recruiting someone.
But which UK VA company should you use? A quick Google search will reveal a dizzying array of companies to choose from. In this post, we’ll compare some of the top players in the VA market
1. Oneresource
Oneresource stands out for its tailored all-in-one support. Business owners can choose from a range of services including meeting scheduling, data entry, bookkeeping, email marketing, telemarketing and much more. Each of these assistants is fully employed by Oneresource and based in the UK (unlike many other companies that use freelancers, franchise models or offshoring). The company’s focus is on supplying VAs to sole traders, solopreneurs and micro business owners – and as a result they have very reasonable costs.
2. Virtalent
Birmingham-based business Virtalent prides itself in hiring highly experienced VAs with an average of 15 years experience each. Many of their VAs have worked with top brands in the past like KPMG, BBC and Nike and are carefully vetted. Expect to pay slightly more for their service than other VA companies – they market themselves as a premium service and aim to provide startups and small companies with an executive-level polish. That said, they do have some more reasonably priced basic service options.
3. Time etc
Time etc allows you to choose from UK or US-based assistants. They provide a range of different services including admin, research, bookkeeping and customer support. This is another VA company where you’ll be working with highly-experienced dedicated assistants and as a result the price tag is a bit higher. Very small businesses may not be able to afford their rates, but scaling startups may find them an excellent choice worth investing in.
4. SmartPA
Corporations looking for dependable basic services may find SmartPA to be a good choice. You can choose from a range of services here from virtual receptionist services to inbox sorting. They have an extensive network of assistants that they link you up with and each of these assistants is trained in-house, with recurring training provided to stay up-to-date with the latest tools and regulations.
5. The Virtual Assistant UK
Budget-conscious entrepreneurs may want to consider looking into The Virtual Assistant UK. Their hourly rates hover around £25 to £30 per hour with flexible pay-as-you-go models, which makes them very accessible to smaller businesses. The service options you can choose from are a bit straightforward, however this no-frills approach may suit some companies. All of their assistants are based in the UK, unlike some low cost VA services that rely wholly on offshoring cheap labour.
6. Teambuild Consultancy
Teambuild Consultancy offers wallet-friendly monthly rates to clients in the real estate indusry ranging from £500/month for part-time assistants to £900/month for full-time assistants. Although UK-based, their talent is outsourced via The Phillipines, which has gained a reputation for its high quality of virtual assistants. To ensure that you only work with the best, Teambuild Consultancy has a six-step vetting system in place, which includes personality and cultural fit tests. This has enabled them to outpace many VA companies with UK-based staff that charge much higher rates.
7. Pink Spaghetti
Ran as a franchise network, Pink Spaghetti can help connect you with local assistants across the country who you can do business with virtually or potentially in-person. They’re an excellent choice for small businesses looking to do some local marketing – they can connect you with marketing assistants from your region that understand the audience in your area. They have a pay-as-you-go payment model, which is well-suited to one-off tasks and short-term services that you may not want to pay monthly for.
8. Verbatim
Verbatim was founded all the way back in 1997. They’re primarily a virtual call answering service, however in recent years they have branched out into other services like diary management and web chat handling. With the option of 24/7 call handling, Verbatim is an excellent choice for companies wanting to develop an around-the-clock customer support service. They offer bespoke plans and also free trials to test out their service.
9. Tasktide
Tasktide is a UK-based company that provides access to offshored talent for more affordable rates, while maintaining high quality operations. Their assistants are all highly-skilled, undergoing careful vetting. You can choose to outsource a range of different tasks while choosing from flexible monthly plans. They even have some industry-specific assistants that you can work with, which may appeal to certain businesses.
10. Get Ahead VA
Get Ahead VA matches you with an expert from a curated pool of 80 assistants from across the UK. They offer scalable support options and allow you to outsource a range of different tasks including minute taking, diary management, proofreading and transcription. You pay by the hour, making it an economical option for short-term and one-off tasks. The company uses a franchise model.
Choosing the right UK VA company
While these could all be great solutions for your company, it’s important to find a service that is the right match for your needs. Different VA companies charge different rates and have different payment structures – with some requiring a monthly subscription, while clothes pay by the hour. Work out what is best suited to your budget. Then consider whether you want to hire UK talent, or use a UK company that offshores its assistants. Some people are happy to work with talent around the world, while others want to keep everything local. Finally, think about the level and depth of service you need. Some companies offer basic services aimed at smaller companies, while others provide more complex and niche services for bigger corporations. You may also have the flexibility of choosing a part time assistant or full time assistant when working with some companies.
