Dawn Lane, of Your Office Online, a businesswoman from Liskeard, Cornwall,is the first UK Virtual Assistant (VA) to be awarded certification which sets a benchmark for virtual assistants across the globe. The high-flyer was singled out by a panel of experts from America, UK, Canada and Australia as having achieved the high standards the VA industry believes are essential for clients to know that the VA they are partnering with are capable of the job.

Tawyna Sutherland, of VAcertified.com, says “Virtual Assistants who are VAcertified demonstrate to clients and prospective clients that:

1. Their products and services are relevant to how business is conducted in today’s global economy.
2. They are committed to offering a level of professionalism in all that they do, both for their clients and the virtual assistance industry at large.
3. They are the VA they say they are. They represent themselves, their businesses, their offerings and the VA industry with integrity, honesty and respect for others.

When VAs have the VAcertified seal on their website and other key marketing materials, any client from any country will have reason to trust in their ability to be the RIGHT Virtual Assistant to partner with. It’s that simple.

Lane says “I am absolutely delighted to be recognised by my industry with such a prestigious award.” She continues “Most businesses, from small start-up companies to multi-nationals, can benefit from partnering with a VA gaining the professional services of a personal assistant whilst only being charged for the actual time spent on their work and not having to worry about things like HR issues, covering for leave, NI and PAYE etc.

As VAs are self-employed business people in their own right, they have an understanding of the pressures businesses are under in today’s economy and are able to help businesses with their admin requirements in many ways, not just typing reports and memos.” “And I am thrilled to be recognised as one of the best.”