Security and confidentiality are big concerns for companies who want to outsource; so how secure is working remotely?
I believe security and confidentiality are understandable concerns for anyone thinking about outsourcing even the most basic of admininstrative duties to a virtual worker.
To begin with, how do you know that your virtual assistant is reputable and can be trusted to deal with your business documents?
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| Virtuoso Assistant: Professional virtual assistants |
Finding a Trusted Virtual Assistant
Here at Virtuoso Assistant we run a pretty tight ship; we are graduates and professional virtual assistants with years of office-based experience between us. Please do refer to our website for details, our qualifications and by all means contact us if you wish to talk about any issues that may concern you.
There are plenty of websites both in America and here in the UK where you can find registered Virtual Assistants such as The Society of Virtual Assistants, run by Caroline Wylie. In order to register as a Virtual Assistant and use the Society's badge, Caroline insists on applicants adhering to a strict set of rules "... to promote best practice in the virtual assistant industry and help UK VAs find clients". If you're a client looking for a virtual assistant there are some useful articles that Caroline has written, which are available to read on her website, such as, "Top Tips for Outsourcing: Test your Virtual Assistant", and "More Proof that Hiring a Virtual Assisant Saves you Money".
LinkedIn is a wonderful place to find virtual assistants as it allows members to showcase their skills and work history under the Profile section. Clients can therefore assess whether a potential assistant has the right aptitude and skills to match their job requirements and can read any recommendations that person may have from previous clients or contacts.
Security & Confidentiality
So, you've chosen your virtual assistant. Next is the nagging worry about how safe it's going to be to outsource confidential documents over the internet to him/her.
Over the past few years there's been an absolute explosion of cloud-based apps which enable files (both paper and audio) to be 'shared' between users. This means there's no longer the need for files to be physically transferred from person to person via memory sticks or CD-roms. We've all heard horror stories of such items being left on buses and trains - this will no longer happen with apps such as DropBox.
DropBox
DropBox is my cloud-based app of choice for file sharing. Being 'cloud-based' means that all your data is stored remotely and requires an account to be set up with login details. It's worth going through the 2-minute process of setting this up simply for the peace of mind it will give you to know your data is secure and can be accessed from any laptop, PC or tablet. And it needn't cost you a thing! Here at Virtuoso Assistant we've been using the free version, which allows an incredible 2GB of storage, but there are two further paid plans available with added features and security settings. Do read about what DropBox has to say; it will definitely put your mind at ease!
Passwords
Here at Virtuoso Assistant all our laptops, tablets and mobile phones are used in designated working areas so there is no risk of them being stolen or damaged and files therefore remain confidential.
Our passwords are changed regularly and no files are stored for longer than 7 days (unless requested to do otherwise).
Confidentiality Agreement
Nicky Pasquier, who heads up "Legal Virtuoso" is an experienced legal PA herself and is used to handling files in a sympathetic and confidential manner, partiuclarly when dealing with personal injury or medical negligence claims. A Confidentiality Agreement is available at the start of each new assignment so please do ask to see it. There is also a privacy policy in place on the Essential Information page.
Email us at hello@virtuosoassistant.co.uk or ring Nicky on +44(0) 7585 337 145 to discuss any of these issues in further detail.
