Essential Support: What Does a General Virtual Assistant Do?

Running a business is more demanding than ever. Today, business owners juggle numerous responsibilities—from managing their own schedules to overseeing every aspect of daily operations. As the demand for efficiency grows, more business owners look for cost-effective and skilled support to help them adapt to today’s unique business needs.

That’s where General Virtual Assistants (General VAs) come in—providing versatile, reliable help that allows business owners to focus on driving growth. What does a general virtual assistant do, and can they really provide the essential support your business needs to thrive in the modern marketplace? Let’s dive deeper into their role and discover why engaging with a General VA could be the right move for your business.

Curious about virtual staffing? Book a free consultation call with the 20four7VA team to learn the many benefits of working with a VA.

What is a general virtual assistant?

A general virtual assistant, or general VA, is a type of virtual assistant who supports businesses by taking on routine back-office tasks. The bulk of their tasks fall under administrative support, but they can also provide personal assistance and basic creative support.

Compared to onsite employees, VAs work remotely. This setup not only offers great flexibility but also helps businesses significantly reduce costs associated with hiring and maintaining onsite staff. In a nutshell, general VAs can offer the same essential support that traditional hires can do, but at a fraction of the price.

What does a general virtual assistant do? Their core responsibilities

General VAs can wear many hats, providing versatile support that keeps businesses running smoothly. While their exact responsibilities will depend on your needs, their core responsibilities typically include:

Administrative support

• Managing emails and filtering important messages
• Scheduling appointments and managing calendars
• Preparing reports, presentations, and other business documents
• Handling data entry and maintaining organized digital files

Customer support

• Responding to client inquiries via email, chat, or phone
• Managing support tickets or live chat platforms
• Following up with customers and prospects to ensure satisfaction

Basic marketing assistance

• Creating simple graphics
• Creating newsletters
• Assisting with email marketing campaigns

Back-office tasks

• Conducting online research
• Managing databases and spreadsheets
• Coordinating with vendors and suppliers
• Basic bookkeeping
• Invoice tracking

Need help figuring out what you can delegate to your general virtual assistant? Schedule a free consultation session with us, and we’ll help you build your VA’s scope of work.

Why hire a virtual general assistant? The key benefits

There are plenty of benefits to working with a general VA and virtual staffing in general. Here are the key benefits you can expect when you hire a virtual general assistant:

• Save on costs

Despite working from different parts of the world, VAs deliver the same high-quality support as onsite employees—often at a fraction of the cost. VAs work remotely, so their clients won’t have to worry about investing in additional office space, new equipment, and other expenses related to traditional staffing.

• Flexible solutions

The modern business landscape is constantly changing, and staying competitive means adapting just as quickly. Working with general VAs gives you that flexibility. You can scale VA support up or down as needed. For example, you can increase a VA’s hours during peak seasons or delegate new tasks as your operations expand, all without the long-term constraints of traditional staffing.

• More time and energy to focus on functions that move the needle

Tasks like data entry, chat support, and calendar management are essential to keeping your business running smoothly. But they can also consume a large portion of your day. Delegating this part of your operations to a general VA will help you free up valuable time and mental energy.

Moreover, with back-office tasks taken care of, you gain the time and headspace to focus on your core and more strategic responsibilities. You can work on key drivers of long-term success, nurturing client relationships, mentoring your team, and exploring new opportunities—all drivers of long-term and sustainable success.

Who can benefit from working with a general VA?

General virtual assistants are versatile professionals who can support businesses across different industries. Here are some of the sectors and professionals that can benefit from engaging with a General VA:

• Coaches

Coaches’ main focus should be their face time with clients. A general VA can work on tasks, such as appointment setting and appointment scheduling, freeing up time for coaches to focus on delivering value to clients.

• Solopreneurs and small business owners

When running a small business on your own or with a small team, it’s easy to get caught up in the large volume of back-office tasks. A virtual general assistant can step in to manage admin work, customer support, and other routine tasks, allowing you and your internal team to focus on strategy and growth. A VA’s help can also keep burnout at bay.

• Real estate professionals

Real estate professionals bring more value to their business when they’re out in the field—meeting clients, showing properties, and closing deals—not stuck behind a desk. A general real estate VA can handle essential but time-consuming tasks like managing listings, scheduling appointments, and routing documents. Their support allows agents and brokers to maximize their face-to-face time and focus on revenue-generating activities.

• eCommerce businesses

The eCommerce industry is highly dynamic. To keep up, eCommerce store owners can enlist the help of a general VA. They can scale up their VA’s hours to handle increased demand during peak seasons. With a virtual assistant’s support, an eCommerce store owner can dedicate more of their time to core functions such as product development and scaling their online business.

• Professional services (photography, law, consulting, accounting)

Photographers, Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), lawyers, and other professionals are experts in their field. They add more value to their business when they use their time practicing their profession—not managing emails, scheduling appointments, or handling paperwork.

A general VA can manage these administrative and back-office tasks, allowing professionals to stay focused on their core functions and hone their expertise. This type of VA can lessen its clients’ administrative workload and ensure day-to-day operations run smoothly.

The above are just some examples of the type of businesses that can benefit from working with a general VA. In reality, most modern businesses have recurring administrative duties that can be handled by a skilled virtual assistant. No matter your industry, a general VA will be able to provide the essential support you and your team need to work smarter and more efficiently.

Work with a skilled virtual assistant and regain control of your time. Book a free consultation session with the 20four7VA team to get started.

Best practices for working with a general VA

Hiring a General VA can transform the way you run your business—but only if you create the right environment for both you and your VA to succeed. Here are some best practices to ensure a smooth and productive partnership:

• Define clear roles and expectations.

It’s important to outline the specific tasks and responsibilities they’ll handle. This scope of work should be included in your job ad and discussed during the recruitment phase. Providing a detailed job description and setting clear expectations from the start helps avoid confusion and ensures both parties are aligned.

• Don’t skip onboarding.

Even the most skilled VAs need time to get to know your business and understand your processes, tools, and culture. As part of the onboarding process, make sure to give walkthroughs of your workflows and answer potential questions that may come up.

It’s also important to provide access to resource materials and SOPs. These serve as guides that your VA can refer back to, ensuring consistency and efficiency in completing tasks. Investing time in the onboarding phase sets the foundation for how well they can perform and contribute to your business success.

• Use the right tools for collaboration.

Project management tools like Trello and Asana are used to keep tasks organized and ensure clear visibility of top priorities, deadlines, and progress. Apps such as Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams, on the other hand, are essential for real-time and asynchronous communication. Together, these tools enable seamless collaboration and keep projects moving smoothly—even when working with team members across different time zones.

• Communicate regularly.

Consistent communication builds trust and ensures your VA stays on track with priorities. Regular check-ins also provide opportunities to give constructive feedback, clarify expectations, and celebrate wins—helping your VA continuously improve and stay motivated.

Find your general virtual assistant with 20four7VA

Managing a business doesn’t have to mean doing everything yourself. With the right general virtual assistant, you can reclaim valuable time and focus on growing your business.

However, finding the right VA for your needs can be challenging, especially when you’re already busy running your business. At 20four7VA, we specialize in matching business owners with highly-skilled, pre-vetted remote talents. Let us do the same for you!

Simply book a free consultation call with our team to get started.

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