What is a virtual assistant?
A virtual assistant (VA) is a professional assistant who works remotely and supports entrepreneurs with recurring or time-consuming tasks — from administration and calendar management to email, customer service and online marketing. You hire the expertise flexibly per week or per month, without the costs and obligations of a permanent employee.
A virtual assistant (VA) is a professional assistant who works remotely and supports entrepreneurs with recurring or time-consuming tasks — from administration and calendar management to email, customer service and online marketing. You hire the expertise flexibly per week or per month, without the costs and obligations of a permanent employee.
The term virtual assistant literally means "assistant at a distance". In practice it is an experienced business support professional who takes over your tasks without being physically present at the office. Everything runs digitally: via email, shared calendars, project tools and secure access to the systems you use.
The big difference with a permanent employee is flexibility. You pay only for the hours you need, scale up or down whenever it suits you, and don't have to arrange employer costs, holiday pay or a workplace.
What does a virtual assistant do?
A VA takes over tasks that cost you a lot of time but aren't your core activity. At Your Virtual Assistant.eu these tasks fall under ten specialisms:
- Administration — invoicing, data entry, expense management and working with your accountant.
- Calendar management — scheduling appointments, preventing double bookings and structuring your week.
- Email management — cleaning up your inbox, sorting and handling standard messages.
- Customer service — answering customer questions by email, chat or phone.
- Online marketing & SEO — content, newsletters and visibility in Google.
- Social media management — scheduling posts, community management and growth.
- Travel management, planning, webshop management and website support.
You'll find a full overview in the article which tasks you can outsource to a virtual assistant.
How does working with a VA work?
You work with one fixed point of contact (at Your Virtual Assistant.eu that's Chris), so you don't have to keep re-explaining how you work. The collaboration starts with an introductory call in which we map out your tasks. After that you grant secure access to the necessary systems — work is done on secure networks with data on European servers, and a non-disclosure agreement can be signed if desired.
Communication happens however you prefer: email, phone or a tool like Trello, Asana or Slack. You get a reply within 24 hours.
Who is a virtual assistant right for?
A VA is ideal for freelancers, self-employed professionals and SMEs who are growing but don't (yet) want to hire staff. Think of the entrepreneur whose inbox is overflowing, whose calendar is bursting and whose admin keeps piling up. Read more about a virtual assistant for freelancers and SMEs.
What does a virtual assistant cost?
You work with transparent weekly packages, without setup fees or a long-term contract:
| Package | Hours per week | Price per week* | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | 2.5 hrs | €199 | Getting started & first tasks |
| Basic | 5 hrs | €375 | Recurring tasks |
| Premium | 10 hrs | €700 | Structural support |
| Advanced | 15 hrs | €999 | Broad, ongoing support |
More on how pricing is built up and what makes a VA cheaper than a permanent hire in what does a virtual assistant cost.
Frequently asked questions
Is a virtual assistant the same as a secretary?
Not quite. A secretary usually works in employment at the office with a fixed set of tasks. A virtual assistant works remotely, is flexibly deployable per week or month and often covers a broader set of specialisms, from administration to online marketing.
Where does a virtual assistant work from?
Fully remotely, from their own workspace. All collaboration happens digitally via email, shared calendars and project tools, on secure networks with data on European servers.
How quickly can a virtual assistant start?
Often within a few days. After a short introductory call and arranging access to your systems, a VA can pick up tasks right away — without a recruitment process or weeks of onboarding.
In which languages does Your Virtual Assistant.eu work?
The service is available in Dutch, English and Swedish.
You may also like
What does a virtual assistant cost?
Hourly rates, weekly packages from €199 and the cost comparison with staff.
Get startedHow to hire a virtual assistant in 5 steps
From mapping your tasks to scaling up — start within days.
TasksWhich tasks can you outsource?
A complete overview per specialism, from administration to webshop management.
ServiceBook an introductory call
Find out in a free call what a VA can do for you.
Ready to win back your time?
Book a free introductory call and discover which tasks a virtual assistant can take off your plate today.
Book an introductory call