Is there a minimum commitment or contract with a virtual assistant? Long story short – it depends on the individual. There are many virtual assistants out there that are independent contractors. Many times, a client wouldn’t want to a hire a contractor without having a legit contract in place. As you know, virtual assistants aren’t full-time employees that are going in and out of the office on a daily basis. Often times, they are doing their work from home, and that can be half-way across the world from the client. VA’s often handle numerous tasks for the clients.
The specific duties of a VA will vary from updating websites and handling social media to editing blog posts and scheduling appointments. Some of the tasks they handle will have the accessing accounts and information at different levels of confidentiality.
On the same note, a wise virtual assistant isn’t going to start working for a client until they have a contract in place. In some cases, they may be fine with relying on verbal agreements. However, it is important to note that a verbal agreement isn’t appropriate because with a verbal agreement, there is a possibility of misunderstandings. Misunderstandings can be costly to not only the VA, but also to the client. Therefore, the need for signing a virtual assistance contract is suggested.
Reasons to Have a Contract
Starting out, a contract will clarify issues. Confusion can easily pop up in terms of what should be provided and what is to be provided. A contract will also clarify the responsibilities of the virtual assistant and who owns the rights. The contract will also cover issues such as the payment that is expected from the client. It can even clarify the role the client expects the assistant to perform. In the contract, the duties and responsibilities of both parties will be covered. You see, without all of those clarifications, it will be hard to know whether the client or the assistant has failed on their behalf.
While the roles are important, as we previously stated, a contract will normally delve into the payment terms. It will specify the amount that the client is supposed to pay and whether it is time-based or a flat fee. It may even specify whether there is a nonrefundable or refundable deposit that needs to be paid, the timelines for payment, and the payment method.
Conclusion
On an ending note, whether you’re a business owner or a virtual assistant, it is important that you understand the different agreements that are available. First, you have the independent contractor agreement. This agreement is used when the VA is only needed for a specific project. Next, you have the retainer agreement. This agreement is normally used when virtual assistance is needed for a long period of time. Last, there are the non-disclosure/confidentiality agreements. These agreements are there to guard confidential information that the virtual assistant will be accessing while working for the client.