Where
are VSS based?
Our
registered office is in Sunderland, North of England. Location is
largely irrelevant since all contact is virtual, by telephone, fax,
e-mail or post. Staff work from their own home and due to
insurance requirements home visits are not permitted. If you
wish to meet in person and the travelling distance is reasonable this
could be arranged with the Owner. Work can be collected from your
premises if you are
local and returned the same way. There is comprehensive
insurance
in force.
What
about client confidentiality?
VSS
Virtual Secretarial Services™ guarantee complete confidentiality for all work
undertaken. VSS Virtual Secretarial Services will sign a Non-Disclosure
Agreement and will comply with any relevant security checks. All hard
copies of work in progress are disposed of by confidential waste. VSS
Virtual Secretarial Services are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office and this firm strictly follows the guidelines in the
Data Protection Act 1998. There is comprehensive professional indemnity insurance in force.
What
hours will you work?
Business
hours in the UK are 9.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. Mon-Sat, including Bank
Holidays. However, VSS Virtual Secretarial Services do operate an overnight
service (which must be pre-booked). We will endeavour to return all
telephone calls, e-mail enquiries and provide you with a timescale
guide or quotation outside these UK hours.
There is no extra charge for working at the weekend or on Bank Holidays
or for using our priority overnight services.
What
format do electronic documents take and can you guarantee your computer
network is virus free?
VSS
Virtual Secretarial Services generally use Microsoft Office
2007 and will save work in whatever specification is given,
including
pdf, there is only one Apple Mac user. Our computer network
has
up to date anti-virus software and
firewalls installed for your complete satisfaction.
How
long are files kept?
Physical
files are kept for 5 years before being destroyed as confidential waste
and are held in secure storage. All stored work on each computer and
our one laptop is password protected. VSS
Virtual Secretarial Services™ strictly adheres to the Data Protection Act 1998. Please ask to see our
Privacy Policy for full details.
Apart
from the flat hourly rate, what other charges will we incur?
There are NO
extra charges
for telephone calls or
faxes made on your behalf, paper supplied, postage, or work stored on
disc, etc. Should you ever need extra copies of completed work in the
future, copies can be sent to you completely free of charge. This makes
VSS Virtual Secretarial Services the cheapest online service in the UK. Please see our Terms and Conditions for full details, or request an electronic copy at any time.
How
long does it take to transcribe a Recording?
General
guidelines and standard quality practices allow up to 4 hours per 1 hour of recording. Variables such as poor sound quality, multiple speakers or accents will take longer. Additional time will need to be
spent on proofreading, printing, posting or e-mailing the finished article however VSS Virtual Secretarial Services standard practice is to make no
extra charge for this service.
How
do we instruct you?
As
soon as you contact us we shall send you a booking form which you
should complete in full and return. Please keep a copy for
your records.
How
do we pay you?
Invoices
are usually prepared at the end of the month
(unless by prior agreement). Payment by invoice is due within
28
calendar days of the work being dispatched to you. Payment is accepted
by Bank Transfer, cheque or Paypal if you prefer (Paypal will incur a
2% surcharge). Full details are provided on the invoice. Virtual
Secretarial Services do not currently charge VAT. From August 2009, VSS Virtual Secretarial Services will exercise our statutory right to charge interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interests) Act 1998 if we are not paid within 28 days of the date of the invoice presented upon completion of the assignment.
The rate of interest charged is the current base rate as set by the Bank of England (currently 4%) and will be incurred from the first date the invoice becomes overdue until payment is settled in full and final settlement.
Do
you outsource work or use freelancers?
From
time to time, VSS Virtual
Secretarial Services will use British freelance typists for general
transcription. Any work deemed confidential, or where
VSS Virtual
Secretarial Services has already entered into a
Confidentiality Agreement with a customer, or any work this Firm
undertakes in the future deemed to be confidential
in
nature, will not
be outsourced.
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