Hire Virtual Assistant services

Our founders work with you directly to define the role, then match you with candidates from our pre-vetted pool – only the 14% who pass full screening.

See how our process works → Process Page.

How do you know it’s time to hire? Here are a few clear signs:

• You feel embarrassed about how long it takes you to respond to emails, WhatsApps or Slack messages.
• You rely on your inbox to keep track of tasks.
• You block out focus time in your calendar but never stick to it.
• 20 to 30 percent of your week is spent on tasks that are necessary but do not require your specific expertise.
• You are regularly handling scheduling, inbox management, data entry, or administrative coordination yourself.

If any of these hit too close to home, you’re ready. The question is not whether you can afford one but whether you can afford to NOT have one.

In Switzerland and broader Europe, virtual assistants typically charge between CHF 200 and CHF 750 per day depending on experience and specialism. Part-time engagements of around 20 hours per week typically start from CHF 2,000 per month. Compared to the fully-loaded cost of a permanent employee, which includes employment taxes, benefits, and overhead, a virtual assistant is significantly more cost-effective for non-core roles.

See our full pricing guide → Pricing Page.

Our VAs cover a wide range of tasks including:

• Inbox and calendar management
• Scheduling, travel and expense coordination
• Customer service and live chat
• Social media scheduling and content support
• CRM updates and data entry
• Document preparation and proofreading
• Bookkeeping and invoicing support
• Research and competitor analysis
• Event coordination and project admin

Need something not on this list? Tell us and we’ll source for it.

Only 14% of applicants make it through our screening process. We assess:

• Relevant experience and skill level
• Communication and written English
• Ability to work independently and remotely
• Professional references
• Legal and compliance setup

You only meet candidates who’ve already passed all of the above.

A good rule of thumb: if it’s routine, admin-heavy, or keeps you from doing higher-value work, hand it
over. Some of the best tasks to delegate are:

• Email and diary management
• Scheduling meetings and coordinating events
• Project management tasks
• Basic bookkeeping, expense tracking, and budget updates

Our VAs are experienced across a wide range of tools including:

• Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom
• Project management: Asana, Trello, Notion, Monday
• CRM: HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive
• Finance: Bexio, QuickBooks, Xero
• Design: Canva, Adobe Suite
• Social: Meta Business Suite, Later, Hootsuite

Need a specific tool? Let us know when briefing the role.

As much or as little as you need. Common setups include:

• A few hours per week for light admin support
• Part-time cover across specific days
• Full-time support for larger roles
• Short-term cover for busy periods or leave gaps

Packages or flexible hourly support scale up or down at any time with no contract constraints.

Houston and Ko typically presents shortlisted, pre-vetted virtual assistant candidates within 7 days of receiving a brief. There is no minimum engagement period and no lengthy contracts. All placements are covered by a single Swiss legal agreement so there are no employment tax or headcount implications for your business.

Yes. Our talent pool spans 17 countries across 4 continents, so we source candidates who can work your preferred hours – whether that’s CET, GMT or further afield.

We take the matching process seriously to avoid this – but if something isn’t working, you contact us directly and we find a solution. There’s no lengthy process and no minimum lock-in period.

Our assistants are independent freelancers. Your contract is with Houston & Ko – a registered Swiss GmbH – so all your support sits under one robust agreement. You deal with us; we handle the legal setup, compliance and invoicing.

No. You can start with as little as 10 hours per month and there’s no minimum contract duration. Scale up, scale back or pause – it’s built to flex with your business. That said, we hope the quality of our work speaks for itself – most of our clients stay with us long term because they find the right person and simply don’t want to let them go.

Focus on real situations, not hypotheticals. Good examples include:

• “Walk me through how you manage competing priorities.”
• “Tell me about a time you had to make a call without being told what to do.”
• “How do you handle a task you’ve never done before?”
• “What does your ideal working setup look like?”
• “How do you communicate progress when working remotely?”

A short practical task – a sample email, a formatted document, a research brief – will tell you more about attention to detail than any CV.

Finding a virtual assistant who actually fits your working style and delivers consistently is harder than it sounds. The most common mistake is hiring for availability rather than fit. Here is what to look for:

Hiring a VA isn’t a magic fix. The best results come when you put some structure in place. Here’s a simple framework:

• Meet for an hour at the start of each week.
• Review what got done last week and plan what needs tackling this week.
• Set clear priorities.
• Repeat every week.

This keeps both you and your VA on track, saves time and stops tasks from slipping through the cracks.

An executive assistant typically works closely with one senior person, manages complex calendars and confidential correspondence, and often acts as a gatekeeper. A virtual assistant tends to work across a broader range of tasks and may support multiple people or departments. The distinction is largely about seniority and proximity to executive-level decisions, though there is significant overlap in practice.