Welcome
I’d like to personally welcome you to VA Connect! I am thrilled that we have this opportunity to partner together in business. It is my personal commitment to provide the best possible service to you as your virtual assistant manager. I am dedicated to making our working relationship a success. I look for and welcome feedback from our clients on ways to make VA Connect the best virtual assistant agency it can be. I put a tremendous emphasis on high-level individual client contact. My #1 goal is to serve my clients with unparalleled excellence. This Welcome Kit is a simplified way to welcome you into our client family.
In this welcome kit, you will find:
• Explanation of How We Work
• Contract with the virtual assistant
• Client Questionnaire
• Contact Information
Please note that the contract portion of this packet as well as the client questionnaire will need to be filled out by you and returned to me via email.
How We Work
Getting Started
1. Read through and complete the contract in this document as well as the questionnaire
2. Upon receipt of the signed documentation we will issue you with an invoice reflecting the chosen package (should you wish to pay by card, we do have that facility too)
3. Once we have received the proof of payment of the invoice, which has to be sent to
accounts@vaconnect.co.za, a round of suitable and available dedicated Virtual Assistants (“VA’s”) are shortlisted for you.
4. You interview the suitable VA’s and pick the best suitable Virtual Assistant for your unique situation.
5. You will communicate and start your journey with your VA via our easy to use Bitrix24 platform.
6. Start delegating tasks to your VA and achieve your goals!
What you can expect by working with us
All calls and e-mails will be returned within 24 hours during business days (Monday – Friday). That means we:
• Go the extra mile to make our clients happy
• Respond to all your email and phone messages promptly
• Follow up with clients to ask for feedback regularly
• Make recommendations and offer solutions to help you grow.
Task Assignment
All tasks will be assigned within our Bitrix24 platform which we will set up for you and we give you access to. The Bitrix24 platform will facilitate instant communication (Instant Messaging) with your VA, you can attach documents and receive status updates on assigned tasks. You will be able to download the desktop app as well as the mobile app for instant access to all our services.
Hours of Operations
Our business hours are Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm, South African times. Our office is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Different hours can be arranged and negotiated.
Rush Jobs
I understand that things pop up and you need help immediately. For rush jobs, you will be charged a 25% surcharge for less than 24 hours’ notice and 50% surcharge for evenings, weekends or SA holidays.
Appointment, Probation Period and Job Description
The VA will work on a trial basis for the first 3 months of the contract to determine whether the VA possesses the necessary skills, personality and motivation to do the tasks for which he/she has been chosen to do. During this period should the VA not be fulfilling the required tasks (after communication thereof), the VA will be replaced by VA Connect. Should the client wish to terminate during the trial period, a 30 day notice period is required.
The client will be required to provide written feedback during the trial period if the VA does not comply with the requirements. Should there be no improvement in the performance of the VA; VA Connect will then take the necessary steps to replace the current VA with a new VA.
The client will make use of the Virtual Assistant Performance Indicator (VAPI)Programme to provide feedback on the VA. On a monthly basis the client will be sent the point system as laid out in Schedule A to rate the VAs services for that month. All clients are urged to take part in this programme to best assist the VA and VA Connect in ensuring the best working relationship and standards of service are achieved.
Holidays
VA Connect will be closed on all South African public national holidays. Should your business be seasonal and run during these holidays, alternative support with prior arrangement may be requested. Should you be based outside of South Africa, please note that our virtual assistants will work during the client territory’s recognised public (bank) holidays unless otherwise indicated by the client.
Packages
Retainers are effective for the month period and work on a use it or lose it basis. We offer up to 4 hours support per day (Half day), or up to 8 hours support per day (Full day). It is within the client’s discretion to utilise this time wisely. Please note that no discounts will be offered should you not use all hours of support per day as detailed by each package. In the instance that your VA is on leave for a particular day, we can either offer a stand-in VA for that particular day or your VA can make up the time before or after the VA’s leave period.
Please note that the rates quoted below are in United States Dollars. To avoid any issues with currency conversion, the exchange rate to be applied to this fee will be fixed at the current exchange rate of R16 (sixteen Rand) to the $ (dollar) and R18.50 (eighteen rand and fifty cents) to the € (euro)
Please refer to our pricing page for our pricing tables.
Sundries
Please note that only fair data usage (5GB per month) is included in each package. Should your task assignment require the VA to use more data than what is regarded as fair usage, you are required to refund the excess amount to VA Connect, who will, in turn, refund that particular VA. Also note that should you require the VA to make any telephone calls on your behalf, the VA will make use of any system you require and should there be any costs involved this will be for your account.
The VA cannot be expected to make any purchases using their own funds on behalf of the client. In these circumstances the client can either EFT the required spend amount to VA Connect with an additional 3% surcharge to cover bank fees or provide the VA with a corporate card to carry out the purchases. The VA will be required to recon the spend with supporting slips, should no slip be produced, the VA will be required to produce an affidavit on the funds spent.
Confidentiality
We adhere to a strict confidentiality code and no information will be divulged to a third party. Due to the fact that we value your confidentiality, all passwords are encrypted, and we use the highest level of Internet security. If we need to use your credit card, we will shred the relevant information after 1 use. Should the business tasks be allocated to someone internally, i.e. if your main VA (Project Manager) requires additional assistance from another VA in our team, it is acknowledged that you should be introduced to the new support VA. Please note we also use LastPass (it’s a free app), with which we share
Please note that a 3.5% processing charge will be added for Credit Card, PayFast and PayPal transactions. There will be no additional charge for doing an EFT.
VIRTUAL ASSISTANT PERFORMANCE INDICATOR (VAPI) PROGRAMME
The VAPI Programme was developed to ensure that the VA is providing the level of service required and expected by VA Connect.
The Programme also ensures that the client and VA have open communication with regards to the expectations and goals by the client. Written goals and clear expectations are a road map for a VA to measure their efforts and helps them to see how they contribute to the larger success of the client and his/her business. This also helps to guide and motivate the VA.
The objectives of the VAPI Programme is:
– real-time monitoring of the VAs performance. VAs are able to see how they are performing on a monthly basis and allow for continuous feedback between the VA, the client and VA Connect.
– motivate the VA, by having written goals and objectives the VA has something to work towards and will look for more ways to add value to the client, continuous improvement in tasks carried out and focus not only on the current goals but on future growth as well.
– improve VA engagement within the VA Connect team. Not only is the VA assessed according to their deliverables to their client but also on their engagement, activity and performance within the VA Connect team.
Client feedback is crucial in the VAPI Programme. At the end of every month you the client will receive a link to the rating system. It will not take longer than 1 minute.
Payment:
VA Connect will provide Services to the Client with the use of a retainer, used as and when required. VA Connect will commence invoicing from the date of commencement of the project. Payment must be made monthly in advance to VA Connect by way of a PayPal payment, EFT or credit card. Payment is due on presentation of the invoice before work will commence. There are no refunds.
In the event that there is an outstanding invoice, the charges shall accrue as follows: 5 days past the due date, a $50 (USD) late fee applies to the invoice amount. VA Connect will cease all services and this agreement will be placed “on hold” until the Client has paid the total amount owed, including the late fee. VA Connect furthermore reserves the right to charge interest on the outstanding amount at a rate of 15% per annum.
Termination:
Retainer packages require 1 months’ notice, subsequent to the initial one-month trial period.
Relationship of Parties:
It is understood by both parties that VA Connect is an independent contractor. VA Connect is also responsible for its own taxes and other liabilities from their payments.
Entire Agreement:
This Agreement contains the entire agreement of the parties and there are no other promises or conditions in any other agreement, whether oral or written. This Agreement supersedes any prior written or oral agreement between the parties.
Amendment:
This Agreement may be amended if the amendment is reduced to writing and signed by both parties. All notices shall be deemed delivered when delivered in person, or by email to the intended party’s current email address.
Severability:
If any provision of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid for any reason, the remaining provisions shall continue to be valid and enforceable. If a court finds that any provision of the Agreement is invalid or unenforceable, but that by limiting such provisions, it would become valid and enforceable, then such provision shall be deemed to be written, construed and enforced as so limited.
Waiver of Contractual Right:
The failure of either party to enforce any provision of this Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver or limitation of that party’s right to subsequently enforce and compel strict compliance with every provision.
Non-Disclosure:
You will hold in confidence and not possess or use (except to evaluate within the proposed business relationship) or disclose any proprietary information except information you can document (a) is in the public domain through no fault of yours, (b) was properly known to you prior to disclosure by Company and you will not reverse engineer or attempt to derive the composition or underlying information, structure or ideas of any proprietary information. The foregoing does not grant you a license in or to any of the proprietary information. The Client recognizes that VA Connect and the VA has and will have the following proprietary information: products, prices, future plans, client database and personal information. Other information (collectively “Information”) is defined as information which is valuable, special and unique assets of the Client. VA Connect and the VA agrees not to, at any time or in any manner, either directly or indirectly, use any Information for its own benefit, or divulge, disclose, or communicate any Information to any third party without the prior written consent of the Client. Furthermore, VA Connect may be required to sign a Non- Disclosure agreement pertaining to the Client or its Client(s) upon request only by the Client.
Data Privacy and Protection:
VA Connect and the VA acknowledge that in providing the Services to the Client, VA Connect and the VA will be exposed to the Client data, which will include the client database and personal information.
All Client data will only be accessed by VA Connect and the VA via the Bitrix24 platform, which is hosted inside the European Union (“EU”) with Amazon Web Services data centers, which are fully EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) compliant.
VA Connect warrants that, with regard to the personal information held by the Client to which VA Connect and the VA is given access to for any reason connected with this agreement, it shall:
• use and/or hold such personal information only for purposes of performing its obligations under this agreement and only in a manner directed by the Client and shall not otherwise modify, amend or alter the contents of such personal information or disclose or permit the disclosure of such personal information to any third party, unless specifically authorized to do so by the Client or as required by law or any regulatory body and shall take all such steps as may be necessary to safeguard such personal information;
• without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing and by making use of the Bitrix24 platform, ensure that appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken by it against the unauthorised or unlawful processing of such personal information;
• promptly notify the Client when it becomes aware of any unauthorised, unlawful or dishonest conduct or activities, or any breach of the terms of this agreement relating to personal information;
cooperate with the Client in complying with any request for access or query from an individual who is the subject of personal information and/or responding to any enquiry made, or investigation or assessment of any processing initiated by a relevant regulatory authority in respect of such personal information, such requests or queries to be addressed to accounts@vaconnect.co.za; and
• return to the Client and/or destruct such personal information on demand, such demands again to be addressed to accounts@vaconnect.co.za.
Permanent Placements:
Should the client love the service of the allocated virtual assistant so much and have formed such a great relationship with the allocated virtual assistant that the client decides to hire the virtual assistant in their private capacity and no longer through VA Connect, VA Connect reserves the right to invoice the client a recruitment and placement fee as per the rates below per virtual assistant. Should the Client work with a virtual assistant that terminated its engagement with VA Connect within a 90 day period from date of termination, this will automatically grant VA Connect the right to invoice the Client a placement and recruitment fee as per below per placement.
● General / Marketing / Sales Virtual Assistant: $2245 (USD) per placement
● Executive Virtual Assistant / Project Manager: $2520 (USD) per placement
● Developer: $5700 (USD) per placement
Limitations of Liability:
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, neither party shall be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages, economic loss or claims.
Disclaimer :
Please note that all the above pricing is quoted in US Dollars. To avoid any issues with currency conversion, the exchange rate to be applied to this fee will be fixed at the current exchange rate of R16 (sixteen Rand) to the $ (dollar) and R18.50 (eighteen rand and fifty cents) to the € (euro)
Please note that VAConnect does not require you to complete a new welcome pack for every new VA brought onto your team only Schedule C will need to be completed.
Please note that all prices quoted that are in ZAR are exclusive of vat (15%)
Contact details:
Virtual Assistant Connect (Pty) Ltd
Office Phone: 2721 516 0004
E-Mail: h ello@vaconnect.co.za
Website: www.vaconnect.co.za
Emergency contact: Lynda Wessels Tel : 2782 878 6403