Virtual Assistance Gaining Momentum in Western New York

    /24-7PressRelease/ - BUFFALO, NY, November 30, 2007 - For a growing segment of professionals who have decided to offer their skills and experience to business owners who will appreciate the value of their assistance, work means never having to set foot in an office or utter a single face-to-face hello to their employer.

From a home office in Buffalo, and throughout the United States, thousands of people, including Tracy Lynn, are helping businesses in Western New York and the world as a virtual assistant, also known as a VA.

Virtual assistants are professional office assistants who provide office services and support without being physically present by using the Internet, email, fax, and telephone. Since much of their work is done online, they can work locally or globally.

Tracy Lynn began her VA business, Virtual Alliance 2U, in 2006. Previously a Florida-based company, the move to Buffalo proved to be a wise business decision as Virtual Assistance is a fairly new industry to many towns across the United States. "I am glad to have the opportunity to bring this professional and desirable service to the business community here in Western New York. I find that clients typically hire virtual assistants so they can focus on what they do best, and business owners in Buffalo have a definite desire to carry out the primary functions of their business without worrying about the back-end administrative tasks," says Tracy.

She got into the profession after years of work in various industries such as Airport Retail Concessions and Managed Healthcare turned her off to cubicles, commuting, and office politics.

Since the term "virtual assistant" surfaced in the mid-1990s, an estimated 5,000 VAs have hung out their shingles. And unlike temporary employees, VAs are entrepreneurs and small start-up businesses - just like many of their clients.

Virtual Alliance 2U offers a variety of services including Document Management, Forms Creation and Conversion, Writing Services - Administrative and Technical, PowerPoint Presentations, Desktop Publishing, and many other administrative services.

Tracy Lynn says that many companies that are hesitant to use a VA are usually unaware of the tremendous talent pool available through independent contractors. "With advancements in technology, the VA industry now consists of enterprising individuals -- many of whom have elected to leave corporate positions in order to provide highly skilled services virtually."

She points out that it's also quite cost effective to hire a VA. "Studies have shown the real cost of hiring and keeping a full-time assistant at your own site is 2 to 2 ½ times the cost of his or her salary," Tracy Lynn explains. "Since a VA is a contractor, employers don't have to pay taxes, insurance, or any fringe benefits. There's no need for extra office space or equipment. And the employer only pays for 'time on task.'"

About Virtual Alliance 2U
Virtual Alliance 2U offers virtual administrative support to small businesses and entrepreneurs. For further information, please contact us at 716-570-6517.

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