Virtual Assistant Companies UK: Top Picks in 2024

Virtual assistant companies have become an increasingly popular choice for businesses. With the ability to remotely assist with administrative tasks, personal tasks, customer service, and even social media management, these companies offer an efficient solution for businesses looking to streamline their operations.

In this article, we will compare the top UK virtual assistant companies, HireHarbour, FYXER, and Alchemy VA, highlighting their services and expertise, as well as what sets them apart from their competitors, to help you choose which is the right company for you.

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What Is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant, commonly referred to as a VA, is a professional who offers a wide range of services to businesses or individuals.  

Unlike traditional office assistants, virtual assistants work remotely from their own location, providing services such as managing emails, scheduling appointments, bookkeeping, social media management, content writing, and much more.

They are skilled in various software and online tools necessary to perform their tasks efficiently. Some virtual assistants specialize in industries such as healthcare, finance, real estate, or e-commerce, offering their expertise in specific areas and many more.

If you want to know more about different types of virtual assistants, we have an article post that you can read.

The 3 Virtual Assistant Companies in the UK

HireHarbour

Top Pick for EA and Marketing Support

HireHarbour is one of the virtual assistant companies in the UK, offering a wide range of services to support businesses of all sizes and industries.

They pride themselves on providing premium-level assistance on a fractional basis and full-time services to a range of high-performing individuals, including investors, tech entrepreneurs, consultants, bankers, best-selling authors, business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, personal brands, and many more.

This fractional model provides you with the flexibility to tailor your virtual executive assistant's schedule depending on your specific needs and preferences, without the limitations of a part-timer or the required commitment of a full-timer.

HireHarbour Services

HireHarbour focuses more on providing administrative support for high-performing individuals and businesses. They also have more expertise in marketing support if you need help with it.

They provide business support, tailored to meet your specific needs, including but not limited to:

• Data entry          

• Data cleaning  

• Event planning

• Vendor selection

• Email campaigns  

• Market expansion

• Team coordination

• Event coordination

• Competitor analysis  

• Research assistance

• Content management  

• Expense management

• Invoicing and payments  

• Recruitment assistance

• Publication and media schedule

• Social media content scheduling

• Travel arrangements for speaking engagements

They also provide personal life support, to handle your personal errands, such as:

• Event planning  

• Travel planning  

• Health and wellness  

• Calendar management    

• Household management  

• Investment management  

• Bill payments and budgeting  

Although HireHarbour primarily focuses on providing administrative support, their virtual executive assistants can be in touch with the HireHarbour in-house specialist team in order to perform the specialised tasks you need assistance with.

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Pros

• Services are tailored to your needs and preferences. New companies like HireHarbour focus more on giving personalised services to their clients to ensure their satisfaction and loyalty.  

• Ambitious clients such as best-selling authors, investors, and tech entrepreneurs. Despite being a start-up, HireHarbour has already attracted high-profile clients.

• High standards and expertise from the founders. The three co-founders of HireHarbour have a solid background in investment banking and private equity, and they bring the same meticulous approach and focus on quality that are done in those industries and hire the best candidates.

• Ongoing training for virtual executive assistants. HireHarbour's virtual executive assistants are fully trained and vetted, but they ensure that they continue to upskill and are still updated with the latest tools and practices. They initially put their virtual executive assistants through an intensive 120-hour training program. Following this, there are weekly training sessions that cover different areas of specialisation.

Cons

• Start-up company founded in 2023. When compared to its competitors, HireHarbour lacks a long history and solid reputation. That being said, HireHarbour has already placed virtual executive assistants for founders who have worked at Morgan Stanley, Blackstone, McKinsey, and other firms.

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FYXER

Top Choice for Administrative Support  

FYXER is a virtual assistant company that specializes in providing businesses with flexible support solutions, particularly in operations and administrative responsibilities.

AI can automate and speed up routine tasks, while human expertise ensures that difficult and complicated tasks are handled with the right amount of care and attention.

With this combined approach, businesses can take advantage of both technological advancements and the reliability of skilled human professionals.  

FYXER Services

FYXER offers a broad range of services that are suitable for executives, businesses with teams, and individuals.

They provide executive support for you and senior leaders in your team, which includes:

• Diary management

• Inbox management

• Gatekeeper services

• Executive assistance

• Presentation creation

• Chief-of-staff services

They also offer business support to delegate tasks and workstreams, which include:

• HR support

• CRM support

• Event management

• Office management

• Social media support

• Training & development support

Lastly, they offer personal support to organise life outside of work, including:

• Admin support

• Event planning

• Travel planning

• Concierge services

• Household support

• Childcare arrangement

Pros

• Flexible and scalable services. FYXER offers customisable services that can be changed to fit your needs, so businesses can increase or decrease tasks as needed. This flexibility is perfect for businesses with expanding operations or fluctuating workloads.

• Versatile and globally integrated virtual assistant. FYXER can provide support across different time zones and provide a virtual assistant with a variety of skill sets, experiences, and capacities.

• Combination of AI and human expertise. FYXER uses both AI tools and human expertise to speed up routine jobs and ensure that more complex ones are handled efficiently.  

Cons

• High starting base rate. This can be a drawback for smaller businesses or individuals with limited budget.

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Alchemy VA

Ideal for Starting a Virtual Assistant Franchise

Alchemy VA is a UK-based virtual assistant company founded by Suzy Sanders, who started the business in 2016 to provide remote administrative support, practical marketing, and flexible personal assistant support to ambitious consultants, agencies, entrepreneurs, and small businesses.

What sets them apart from other companies is that they offer virtual assistant franchises to grow their business and help other individuals who want to be virtual assistants or business owners.  

Alchemy VA Services

Alchemy VA provides different types of services designed to help businesses focus on core tasks while delegating their administrative needs to skilled professionals.

The support they offer includes:

• Virtual PA

• Admin help

• Holiday cover

• Sales support

• Cashflow clarity

• Bespoke projects

• Event Coordination

• Marketing assistance

Pros

• Start to run your own virtual assistant business. Becoming a franchisee allows individuals to run their own virtual assistant business while benefiting from Alchemy VA's established brand, systems, and support.

• Established track record. Alchemy VA has consistently delivered quality work over time, which has allowed them to gain more credibility and attract more clients.

• Offers a book guide about virtual assistance.  Their book titled "The Alchemy of Virtual Assistance" provides a comprehensive guide for aspiring virtual assistants to build a successful and sustainable home-based virtual assistant business that supports their families. This is for both those who want to become virtual assistants or start a virtual assistant business.  

Cons

• Potential for higher costs. Depending on the services and hours required, the cost of using their services can add up, especially if you need extensive support.

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