MEMBER NEWS
Don’t put your business at risk when outsourcing during coronavirus
The virtual assistants (VA) industry has grown at an incredibly rapid rate over the past few years. Now, due to the recent increase in homeworking due to the coronavirus pandemic, many more people are considering a change of career or growing their virtual teams. Overall, this is great news for the
industry and economy: those who have worked in it for the past few years know how beneficial virtual working can be and the results and support given to clients. Charlotte Wibberley, founder of the
Association of Professional Virtual Assistants (APVA), says that while most VAs are set up professionally and robustly, she has seen a growing number of new VAs moving to the industry following redundancy or furlough who don’t meet the essential criteria for running a safe online business. APVA is the first officially registered,
not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting the virtual assistant and freelance community as it grows. Launched in 2015 as a membership organisation for the VA industry, it has expanded to offer training and coaching to existing and aspiring VAs looking to enter the market Charlotte said: “Unfortunately, not everyone is aware of what they need to
have in place to protect themselves and their clients and in some cases, not everyone is prepared to comply. “During these uncertain times, it is
essential that any support you take on for your business will enable you to continue to operate safely in the online world. Therefore, your VA must be set up correctly and meet industry standards.” To help business owners understand
what the minimum requirements are to keep businesses safe, the team at APVA has put together a list of essentials you need to check before agreeing to work with a new VA. These include making sure you sign a
robust client contract and have read their terms and conditions, checking their business insurance is up to date and asking if they are registered for data protection with the Information Commissioner’s Office. If they offer financial support, you
should make sure they are registered for anti-money laundering regulations with HMRC.
For more help and advice, download the free APVA ebook, Choosing and Working with the Right VA, at
https://bit.ly/2X0R9l8
APVA founder Charlotte Wibberley
business network June/July 2020
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