Case study
How a credit company improved client follow up with a remote virtual assistant
A growing US credit company needed reliable support for data entry, client follow ups, website tasks, and occasional phone calls. the client partnered with Global Squirrels to hire a full time remote virtual assistant working Eastern Standard Time. Global Squirrels handled candidate sourcing, screening, payroll, and HR support, while the company retained control over daily tasks, training, and performance.
Executive summary: Building reliable administrative support for a growing credit business
A US based credit company, was looking for a practical way to increase administrative capacity without adding another layer of complexity to its internal operations.
The immediate need was a full time virtual assistant who could handle repetitive but important work across the business. The position included data entry, entering client information into internal systems, follow up emails, occasional phone calls, and assistance with website creation.
The company also wanted the role to remain flexible. While data entry was the primary responsibility, the assistant could gradually take on additional marketing related work as the business became more established.
One of the most important requirements was communication. The assistant needed strong English skills because the role involved client communication through email and phone. The employee also needed to work during Eastern Standard Time so that communication with the business could happen during normal operating hours.
The client initially considered candidates from several countries and remained open to the Philippines as a talent market.
Global Squirrels helped turn those requirements into a structured hiring process. Candidates were prescreened before being presented to the client, with resumes, relevant information, and compensation details available for review.
The company ultimately moved forward with a full time remote staffing model, giving the business a dedicated resource while Global Squirrels managed payroll and HR administration.
About client: Remote virtual assistant for credit firm
The business needed someone who could learn its processes rather than someone who necessarily arrived with extensive credit industry experience.
That distinction shaped the hiring strategy.
Instead of making industry experience a strict requirement, the company prioritized communication ability, willingness to learn, reliability, and the ability to complete structured administrative work accurately.
The challenge: Too much routine work competing for business growth
For a credit company, accurate client information is essential.
Every client interaction can generate information that needs to be entered into a system, reviewed, organized, or followed up on. When those tasks remain with business owners or senior team members, routine administration can quickly compete with higher value activities.
The US based credit business faced this challenge.
The company needed someone to enter client information, manage data entry tasks, send follow up emails, make occasional calls, and assist with website related work.
The role also required consistency.
The assistant would be working with client information, meaning communication and attention to detail were important considerations during recruitment.
The client also wanted the employee available during Eastern Standard Time. This meant that finding someone who could work the required hours was just as important as finding someone with the right basic skills.
The company planned to provide approximately two weeks of training, making learning ability more important than requiring extensive previous credit industry experience.
There was another consideration around staffing flexibility.
A second marketing position was being considered for the future. However, Global Squirrels was focused on full time placements, so the immediate priority was to establish the virtual assistant role first and evaluate future staffing needs afterward.
The solution: A full time remote virtual assistant
Global Squirrels built the candidate search around the actual responsibilities rather than treating the position as a generic virtual assistant role.
The job description emphasized data entry, client information management, email follow ups, occasional phone communication, website support, English fluency, and Eastern Standard Time availability.
The client was also able to remain flexible about candidate location.
Although the Philippines was discussed as an option, the search was ultimately based on skill, communication, availability, and role fit rather than relying exclusively on one country.
This gave the client access to a broader talent pool.
Global Squirrels handled the recruitment and administrative side of the process. The client remained responsible for assigning work, providing training, setting priorities, and evaluating performance.
This division of responsibility was important.
The client did not need to surrender control of the employee’s daily activities. Instead, it gained a dedicated remote professional while outsourcing much of the administrative burden associated with payroll and HR.
The expected monthly cost was between $1,000 and $1,300, depending on the candidate’s skills and compensation requirements. The pricing included payroll and the applicable service fee.
How the hiring process runs for remote virtual assistant
The hiring process started with a detailed job request.
The client identified the core responsibilities, required language skills, working hours, preferred timezone, expected budget, and desired start date.
Once the request was submitted, Global Squirrels began candidate screening.
The recruitment team reviewed candidates before presenting them to the client. The initial shortlist included three candidate profiles, allowing the client to compare qualifications rather than sorting through a large number of unfiltered applications.
Candidate profiles included relevant information such as resumes and compensation expectations.
The client then had the opportunity to interview candidates directly.
This client led approach allowed the company to assess communication style, professionalism, learning ability, and overall fit before making a hiring decision.
No payment was required simply to review candidates or conduct interviews.
Once the client selected its preferred candidate and the hiring process was approved, onboarding began.
A one month deposit was required to support payroll and employment obligations. Monthly billing then followed the employee’s start date.
The virtual assistant began with the core responsibilities and received approximately two weeks of training before taking on the workflow independently.
Global Squirrels remained responsible for payroll, HR support, and related administrative requirements while the client managed the employee’s day to day responsibilities.
Results: A more structured support function
The successful hiring gave the client a dedicated full time resource focused on recurring administrative and client support work.
The biggest operational improvement was the creation of a defined ownership layer for tasks that previously competed for attention.
The virtual assistant could focus on:
- Entering client information
- Completing recurring data entry
- Sending client follow up emails
- Handling occasional phone calls
- Supporting website creation
- Learning additional workflows as responsibilities expanded
The 40 hour weekly commitment also gave the business consistent availability instead of relying on fragmented support.
Working on Eastern Standard Time made communication with the US based business more practical and reduced the need to coordinate around significantly different working hours.
The hiring model also gave the client a clearer path for future growth. Once the core virtual assistant workflow was established, the company could evaluate whether additional marketing support was necessary.
The engagement therefore addressed an immediate staffing requirement while leaving room for the role to evolve.
Testimonial: Making daily client support more manageable
Why companies choose Global Squirrels
For small and growing businesses, hiring a virtual assistant is not simply about finding someone at a lower cost.
The right hire needs to fit the workflow, communicate effectively, learn quickly, and remain available when the business needs support.
Global Squirrels combines candidate sourcing with payroll and HR administration, giving companies a way to build dedicated remote teams without managing every employment process themselves.
The client’s experience highlights several practical lessons.
First, not every role requires years of industry experience. When structured training is available, communication skills and learning ability can sometimes be more valuable.
Second, timezone alignment matters. For roles involving client follow ups and phone calls, having an employee available during the company’s operating hours can make daily collaboration easier.
Third, defining the core role before hiring creates better expectations. the client started with data entry and client support, while leaving room for additional responsibilities as the employee became familiar with the business.
The model also provides transparency before commitment. Clients can review candidates, conduct interviews, and understand expected costs before selecting a hire.
For businesses looking to hire a remote virtual assistant, data entry specialist, customer support assistant, or administrative professional, this approach can provide additional capacity while keeping day to day management in the client’s hands.
Need reliable remote support for data entry, customer follow ups, or daily business operations?
Global Squirrels can help you find, screen, hire, and manage dedicated remote virtual assistant while handling payroll and HR administration.