13 Jan
The role of a virtual assistant is a very varied one. Throughout your working day, you’ll have to perform a different set of tasks, and each client will have their specific requirements.
Gone are the days of tracking things using excel spreadsheets and messy, disorganized folders. Nowadays, you can include a wealth of helpful business software and tools in your virtual assistant’s toolkit.
You’re not going to need all the tools out there, but a few carefully chosen applications will make a massive difference to your efficiency and productivity.
For your convenience, we’ve narrowed the list down to 10 essential virtual assistant software and tools:
- Fox Answering Service Software – Call handling
- Clickup – Task management
- FreshBooks – Invoicing and finances
- Hootsuite – Social Media automation
- Calendly – Appointment scheduling
- Dropbox – File sharing
- Grammarly – Writing and spell-check
- Canva – Design
- DocuSign – Document signing
- TypeForm – Form creation
FOX Answering Service Software – Call Handling
FOX Answering Service is cloud-based and allows members of a team to receive calls and use text to speak with multiple clients simultaneously.
Pricing
- Per agent price includes unlimited calling and is $149/month
Features
- Cloud-based intuitive interface
- Handle multiple calls at one
- 2-way texting
- High-level security
- Create reports for billing clients
Pros
- No hardware required
- Fully cloud-based
- Omni-channel communication
- Cloud call recording available
Cons
- It may be considered impersonal
ClickUp – Task Management
ClickUp is a very versatile platform that you can use for creating tasks, setting goals, and importing data. It also comes with powerful integrations and could be the “one app to replace them all.”
Pricing
- Free for ever plan $0 to pay
- Unlimited plan at $5 per member per month
- Business plan at $9 per member per month
- Business plus plan is $19 per member per month
Features
- Manage your tasks
- Build docs, wikis, and knowledge bases
- Monitor and manage your strategy
- Downloadable onto any device
- Connect platforms you already use into one place
Pros
- Customizable
- Suit a range of budgets
- Use it on any device
Cons
- New users could find it overwhelming
- Very task-oriented
FreshBooks – Invoicing and finances
Freshbooks is a cloud invoicing and accounting program. It automates tasks such as invoicing, organizing expenses, following up with clients, and more. The information is stored securely in the cloud so you can stay on top of your finances on the go.
Pricing
- Lite tier is $15/month
- Plus tier is $25/month
- Premium tier is $50/month
Features
- Time-tracking
- Accounting features such as automatic checks and balances
- Provides financial information to help you make better decisions
- You can match invoices to your brand identity
Pros
- A free 30-day trial is available
- Easy to use
- Web, iOS, and Android apps available
- Customizable invoice templates
Cons
- The number of recurring clients is limited
- It can be expensive if you’re just getting started
Hootsuite – Social Media automation
Hootsuite is a scheduling tool you use to automatically share Facebook posts, Instagram photos, and tweets. You can also track all mentions of any of your accounts across all social media platforms.
Pricing
- Professional plan is $49/month
- Team plan is $129/month
- Business plan is $739/month
Features
- Create and schedule your social media posts
- Use it to engage with customers across different channels
- Social monitoring feature
Pros
- The free plan may be more than enough for your needs
- Connects more social media channels than any other tools
- All-in-one interface
Cons
- It can be complicated to use at first
- Long learning curve
Calendly – Appointment scheduling
Calendly helps you schedule meetings without the back-and-forth emails. You can also sync it with your Google Calendar. No more double-booking, mussed appointments, or rescheduling meetings.
Pricing
- The basic plan is free
- Essentials plan is $8/seat/month
- Professional plan is $12/seat/month
- Teams plan is $16/seat/month
Features
- Calendar integration
- Simple interface
- Automatic/custom notifications
- It can be embedded with website
Pros
- Direct scheduling from your website
- Connect with up to six calendars
- Automatically distributes meetings
- Accepts payments
Cons
- The free version has its limitations
- Not very mobile friendly
Dropbox – File sharing
DropBox provides secure storage for content collaboration. Use it to create, store, and share cloud content from various platforms alongside traditional files in Dropbox.
Pricing
- Basic: $0 (1 user)
- Plus: $11.99 per month (1 user)
- Family: $19.99 per month (up to 6 users)
- Professional: $19.99 per month (for individuals)
- Standard: $15 per user/month (for small teams)
- Advanced: $25 per user/month (for larger teams)
Features
- Robust file sharing
- Create and share documents, videos, photos, and slides
- Cloud-based
Pros
- It saves space on your computer
- Share documents regardless of their size
- Its popularity mage sharing and collaboration easy
Cons
- It can get a little pricey, particularly for large files
Grammarly – Writing and spell-check
Grammarly is a spell-check/writing tool. It’s a free or paid-for grammar assistant that checks for typos, grammatical errors, and more.
Pricing
- Premium version is $29.95/month, $59.95/quarter or $139.95 annually
Features
- Grammar and spelling checks
- Checks punctuation, context, and structure
- Writing style checks
- Plagiarism detector
Pros
- Real-time grammar correcting
- Very accurate
- Easy to understand explanations
- Customizable and simple to use
Cons
- The free version is very limited
- Aggressive advertising for upgrades
Canva – Design
Canva is a tool you can use for designing everything from posts, flyers, and stories, to resumes, magazine covers, banners, logos, and presentations instantly.
Pricing
- Free plan with everything you need to get started
- Pro plan is $119.99/year for up to 5 people
Features
- Design your social media graphics, logos, banners, and website
- Print business cards straight from the platform
- Stock photos you can use
- Option to download your images
Pros
- Free design platform
- Easy to use
- Multiple templates and fonts
- User-friendly interface
Cons
- Many of the templates are overused
- The mobile app has far fewer features than the desktop version
DocuSign – Document signing
DocuSign automates manual, paper-based processes and allows you to manage all aspects of documented business transactions.
Pricing
- Personal plan: $10/month
- Standard plan: $25/month
- Business Pro plan: $40/month
Features
- Sign online without pen or paper
- Legally sign documents with simple clicks from any computer or mobile device
- Docusign documents are encrypted
- Download or print anything, anywhere, on any device
Pros
- Ease of use
- Great value for money
- Allows eSignatures for important documents
- Automates transactions to save time and money
Cons
- It can work out to be pricey
TypeForm – Form creation
Typeform is a type of software you can use for online form building and online surveys.
Pricing
- A free plan is available
- Basic plan: $25/month when billed annually
- Plus plan: $50/month when billed annually
- Business plan: $83/month when billed annually
Features
- Design professional-looking online forms and surveys
- Collect feedback
- Third-party integrations
- Data import/export
- Customizable templates
Pros
- Easy to use templates
- Mobile-friendly
- Design any kind of form quickly and easily
Cons
- The reporting feature is a bit lacking
To finish up, sales force automation is another type of software that might be useful for a virtual assistant. You can use it to send a series of follow-up emails, create client reports or sales trends. Again, there are many options, so check out what’s available and what will work best for you.
