There seems to be a common misconception about virtual assistants, in that they’re nothing more than glorified receptionists. This is unfair on both virtual assistants and receptionists, as both do an important job, without which many companies would struggle to cope.

Perhaps the reason virtual assistants have such a hard time being taken seriously is the term “virtual”, implying that it’s not a real person, merely the result of some computer program. However, not only is a virtual assistant a very real person, they offer a unique yet rewarding service for any company.

In fact, it’s more likely that a virtual assistant has many more professional skills than a “normal” office worker would. After all, not only do they have to have a wider range of I.T. skills to be able to work in any given situation, they also have to possess excellent communication skills and administrative nous. Indeed, if you were to take a look at the office of a virtual assistant and compare it to your everyday office block environment, it’s a fair bet that the “virtual office” would be far more high-tech and organized.

This is just one of the reasons that the role of virtual assistant is slowly becoming more respected, at least as far as the people that count – the company bosses and directors. These are the people that are using virtual assistants more and more, as the traditional role of the company administration changes to keep up with the ever-changing business needs.

Now, instead of the company secretary handling the likes of emails, mail and other forms of communication, a professional virtual assistant can do all that and more. What really makes this role even more effective is that it can now turn any business into a fully-fledged 24-hour company, even the smallest one-man bands.

Thanks to the Internet, time zones no longer have any meaning – so, a business in the US can close down for the day, while a virtual assistant in Europe, India or anywhere in the world can keep their business moving. Emails can be answered, meetings can be arranged – anything that a company needs, a virtual assistant can pretty much handle.

On top of this, a virtual assistant offers far much more, by their very nature. For example, a sales person might be great at sales, but could they provide a graphic report using desktop publishing? Or perhaps you have a good customer service team, but can they design your web page for you? Many virtual assistants incorporate this into their overall package, making them an ideal all-in-one solution for any company.

With the specialised skill sets that a virtual assistant brings to any business, but particularly the smaller-to-medium sized company, they offer a value far beyond their fees. Allowing directors to concentrate on the other parts of a company to ensure success, the virtual assistant can be as important an "employee" as the founders are themselves.