Virtual Assistant: What One Is and What One Does

Technology has changed the world. Businesses in today’s modern world have started to adopt the latest technologies and trends to avoid falling behind. One such thing is collaborating with virtual assistants. VAs are renowned for their affordability and flexibility. But what is a virtual assistant? 

Let’s take a look: 

What is a Virtual Assistant?

For starters, virtual assistants can either be human or AI-powered software programs. They can help with various types of tasks in an organization. For example:

• Managing administrative tasks, like scheduling meetings, answering phones, setting appointments, and managing calendar management.

• Helping with client management, including handling customer inquiries, complaints, and more.

• Assisting with social media management, creating a content calendar, monitoring progress, etc.

• Online research, collecting and analyzing data

• Keeping track of financial transactions, making invoices, and managing accounting records.

• Creating high-quality SEO content, social media creative copies, and more. 

• Supporting digital marketing, creating strategies, running campaigns, and tracking performance. 

Aside from that, some VAs have niche expertise, helping you with more specific tasks.

How are Human VAs different from AI-powered VAs?

Both human VAs and AI-powered help organizations manage repetitive tasks that also take a long time to finish. However, the capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses vary vastly. Here’s a glimpse: 

1. Understanding contexts and emotions

When it comes to client handling, empathy, and emotions are nonnegotiable. For such cases, it might be preferable to work with a human virtual assistant. They can understand content, emotions, and tone better, making the right call. 

Even though AI-powered VAs have shown many positive aspects, these operate based on predefined logic and data. The systems can’t comprehend the delicate emotional nuance. 

2. Training and learning

For human VAs it may take some time to learn. And they may occasionally need breaks to function at their best. AI VAs are trained using large datasets and improve through iterative use. The performance of these models depends on data quality and algorithm design.

3. Availability

AI VAs are truly available 24/7. Unlike humans, they don’t need time to rest, eat, or take breaks. As long as the system is functioning, you can receive their assistance. 

4. Security & Privacy

Human VAs are susceptible to making mistakes. AI VAs, on the other hand, can be highly secure with robust cybersecurity measures. However, risks like hacking or software bugs still are an issue. For human VAs, you can ask them to sign on NDAs to protect your privacy. 

5. Tasks variation and adaptability

Human VAs are more versatile than AI VAs. They can easily adjust to new processes and adapt to new environments. However, AI VAs require software updates or retraining for significant adjustments.

Are human VAs better than AI VAs?

With the advancement of technology, the demand for AI VAs has grown rapidly. A large number of companies are adopting AI VAs for project efficiency. Saying that the importance of human VAs is still undeniable. 

A professional not only understands emotions but also has the knowledge and experience to handle an angry or unsatisfied customer. They have critical thinking skills that AI can’t mimic. Moreover, human VAs are more affordable than AI VAs. For small as well as medium-scale companies that have a limited budget, the upfront development or subscription costs can seem overwhelming. 

You may also like: Why You Should Hire A Virtual Assistant For Small Business?

Final Thoughts

So, to answer the question “What is a virtual assistant” the answer is pretty clear now. A VA can be a human or an AI system that supports business virtually. Human VAs are much more flexible and can handle complex tasks. However, in terms of project accuracy and business efficiency, AI VAs might be more ideal.