Virtual Assistant and Outsourcing Glossary
The terms below come up when you start delegating work to a virtual assistant or outsourcing provider. Each definition is written in plain English.
- Virtual Assistant (VA)
- A trained professional who handles business tasks remotely, part-time or full-time, without being an in-house employee.
- Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
- Contracting a specific business function, such as customer support or bookkeeping, to an external provider rather than running it in-house.
- Outsourcing
- Having work done by an outside person or company instead of an employee on your own payroll.
- Offshoring
- Having work done by a team in another country, often to access skilled talent at a lower cost.
- Employer of Record (EOR)
- A company that legally employs a worker on your behalf, handling payroll, tax, and compliance, while you direct the day-to-day work.
- Managed Virtual Assistant
- An assistant employed and supported by an agency that handles recruitment, payroll, leave cover, and replacement.
- Freelancer
- A self-employed worker you hire and manage directly, usually for a defined project rather than ongoing work.
- Dedicated Assistant
- A virtual assistant who works only for your business, rather than splitting time across several clients.
- Time-Zone Overlap
- The hours during which your assistant's working day matches your own, so requests are handled in real time.
- Pre-Vetting
- Screening and testing candidates for skills, reliability, and communication before they are presented to you.
- Onboarding
- The process of bringing a new assistant up to speed on your tools, processes, and expectations.
- Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
- A documented, step-by-step guide for a recurring task, so it is done the same way every time.
- Scope of Work
- A clear description of the tasks an assistant is responsible for and the results expected.
- Retainer
- A fixed monthly arrangement that reserves a set amount of an assistant's time for your business.
- Delegation
- Handing a task and the authority to complete it to someone else, freeing your time for higher-value work.
- Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
- A signed agreement that keeps your confidential business information private.