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Me and My Virtual Personal Assistant

Posted: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 8:38 AM by Dan Fleschner
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I keep hearing about how in today's culture, none of us has time to do anything anymore.

We're too busy checking our BlackBerries, getting our political news from the Internet, and convening around the proverbial water cooler to discuss the hilarious hijinx of the celebrity of the day (did you hear the latest about Mickey Rooney?).

Some people also apparently spend a lot of time raising children, but I'm far too busy for that (a group of highly-trained professionals take care of my septuplets, 24 hours a day).

If you're like me, you have a list of things to do (some call it a "to do" list), but I'm constantly adding to the list ("adopt pet lemur") and rarely crossing anything off of it. I think I've had clothes at the dry cleaner since the first Cleveland administration.

So with so much time and so little to do (wait a minute...scratch that, reverse it), what are we to do?

TODAY National Correspondent Amy Robach investigated one approach to getting things done: hiring a virtual personal assistant. WATCH VIDEO

Sure, it seems like a good idea. But with my luck, my virtual personal assistant will match my own inability to get errands done and will just end up sitting on my couch with me, watching "Weeds" on DVD.

But hopefully on his way over to my apartment, he'll pick up that lemur for me. I'm going to name him Thucydides.

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Comments

I am very disappoined is personal assistant thing.  Do you understand how the economy is.  And you advertise INIDA!!!!!!!!!!  i WILL NOT WATCH YOUR NEWS AGAIN.   I keep thing about all the people out of work watching the news and your show is promoting work for INIDA Very Very Sad  You lost my husband and my self and when I start call friends and family you will lose those viewers also.

Linnsie Soutier (Sent Tuesday, July 22, 2008 9:15 AM)

I can't believe you are promoting a service that is done in India.  I am a medical transcriptionist and so much of our industry is now being done over there and taking jobs away from us here at home.  I had to call for computer service and of course ended up talking to somebody in India. American jobs and property are disappearing to foreign countries --SAD

Beth Bakke, Moorhead, Minnesota (Sent Tuesday, July 22, 2008 10:50 AM)

I think the idea is great!  Who doesn't need a little extra help?  I can't tell you how many people I heard kidding about wishing there were two of them or if they only had a clone.  This sounds like a niche market but what an innovative idea.

Helping hand (Sent Tuesday, July 22, 2008 12:19 PM)

I'm speechless.  When a person is too busy to buy their own grandmother a presnet--things are way out of balance.  Which is more important?  The message seems pretty clear to me.  I feel very sad for the grandmother.

M. Hendrickson, Seattle Washington (Sent Tuesday, July 22, 2008 12:43 PM)

Thanks Amy for educating the public on Concierge Services and Personal Assistant Services. Yes, a local company would have been better. Everyone make mistakes, but it was a great story. I have a Concierge Services in Victoria and I would love it when one day I will be on the news too!

Debbie Johnson (Sent Tuesday, July 22, 2008 1:44 PM)

I'm an unemployed Executive Assistant who would be able to do things for you that someone in India can't!  Why look outside of the US when there are qualified individuals practically in your back yard?!

Wendy Kilp, Blandon, PA (Sent Tuesday, July 22, 2008 3:07 PM)

I can understand the sentiments expressed about outsourcing services to India, but I hope everyone realizes that if they wanted to boycott organizations either using or promoting this type of outsourcing, they most probably would have to cancel their cable TV services, health insurance carrier, telephone services, on-line banking and not use Amazon.com, travel sites like Expedia, and all internet shopping services including e-Bay. In addition, the programming for most of our products that contain computer chips, such as our cars, appliances, health monitoring devices, cell phones, TV's, computers is outsourced to either India or China.  

Kathy Z., St. Louis, MO (Sent Tuesday, July 22, 2008 3:14 PM)

Not all virtual assistants are based in India.  There are THOUSANDS of WONDERFUL virtual assistants right here in the good ole U S of A.  Granted, we're not going to be as cheap as the ones based out of India.  The virtual assistant industry is a growing trend here in the US.  We provide services to small businesses, entrepreneurs, home businesses, busy people - just about anyone.

With specialties such as general administrative assistance, bookkeeping, desktop publishing, Internet marketing, real estate professional assistance and more, virtual assistants are professional small business owners who are very proud of the support they provide their clients.

Sherra Scott, Elgin, South Carolina (Sent Tuesday, July 22, 2008 3:48 PM)

I think this is a great idea ! I was a single Mom and now my daughter is not a single Mom but as the second breadwinner she has no time for herself and little for her children to keep things going. Her husband is an immigrant and though he loves his children he does not help with all those things a mother and breadwinner must do. I'm telling my daughter about this service and hope it will free up her little time for the important things in life.

Cindy Durbin (Sent Tuesday, July 22, 2008 3:48 PM)

Why hire a virtual asst. in India, when there are thousands of us right here in the US?  Of course, we charge more than they do in India, but I can bet our skills are better and at least you can understand our accent and grammar!

Nancy Dietze (Sent Tuesday, July 22, 2008 3:51 PM)



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