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Frequently Asked Questions

General

Who would benefit from using OPTIMAL?

Management, Investment, Construction, and Hospitality Companies.

How can I communicate with my Account Manager and Team?

Schedule a call, send an email, or a quick chat message. New clients typically speak with their Account Manager once or twice a week during the first couple of weeks/months for training purposes, after which, we can manage everything unless there is a unique situation that needs to be discussed. Overall, we recommend you speak with your Account Manager at least once a month just to check-in.

What software do you work with?

Our Team works with any property management and/or accounting software that our Client uses. If we don’t know the software, we can learn it. If you don’t have one yet, we can recommend one! That being said, we are familiar with Appfolio, Buildium, Yardi, Rent Manager, Propertyware, MRI, Guesty, Hostfully, Hostaway, OwnerRez, Escapia, Quickbooks Online, Xero, WaveApps, and more.

Can OPTIMAL grow with us?

Of course! We leverage best practices from our client base as well as our time in the Big 4 to ensure you have scalable systems and processes in place. When you grow, we’ll further build out your Team to manage the increased workflow.

Virtual Assistants

How can I communicate with my VA?

Virtual Meeting (Zoom, Google Meeting, etc.), Phone, Email, or Chat Message.

Who onboards and trains the VA?

Our onboarding includes scope of work and software specific training depending on the role. Clients are expected to train their VAs on their business-specific cases. In cases where the client would like us to help them set up standard operating procedures, manage their VA, or implement Playbooks, we can do so at the Consulting rate of $45/hr.

Can I offer bonuses and financial incentives to the VA?

Our VAs are already paid very well. Our past experience has shown that if you start offering bonuses for just doing their job, then it becomes an expectation that causes issues in the future. Eg: If you cancel and we want to transfer the VA to another client that doesn’t offer said bonuses. We appreciate the gesture but we don’t work with commissions or bonuses, just the one flat monthly fee.

How does Paid Time Off (PTO) and Vacation work?

Assigned Team Members abide by OPTIMAL PTO and Vacation Time Policies which allow for 13 PTO Days and 3 Paid Holidays. We ask that clients be flexible so that your VA can rest and continue to be a great Team Member.

What if a VA decides to quit?

In the unlikely scenario that a VA quits, we will recruit and assign another candidate with the highest priority, at no cost. Honestly speaking, we very rarely have this happen – treat them well, and they’ll stick around for a very long time. In preparation for this unlikely event, our VAs document standard operating procedures as they complete work so a transition goes smoothly.

Do VAs provide a notice period when requesting time off?

We ask that VAs provide 1 or 2 weeks notice prior to taking time off. However, as this is a human-powered service we can never guarantee unforeseen time-off requests. For unforeseen time-off requests, we may be able to provide clients with a basic level of support for the day/days the VA is away.

How do I know if a VA is really working?

We recommend clients set up a weekly cadence with their VAs to discuss work completed and upcoming tasks/deliverables. We also monitor, track, and record login and logout times on the days your VA is allocated to work to ensure attendance.

What if my VA requires a phone number?

We recommend you set up a company branded virtual phone number for each of your VAs so your tenants, vendors, and owners see them as part of your Team.

Virtual Bookkeeping

My books are way behind, does OPTIMAL help me get up to date?

Of course! Just let us know what your situation is (months or years behind) and we’ll get started bringing you back to current.

What information will you need from me to get started?

An overview of your business’s systems and protocols, read-only access to your bank/credit card accounts, access to your accounting and/or property management software, and any other platforms that you would like us to work with.

Virtual Tax

Can you file 1099s/tax returns in my state? Who pays for filing fees?

Yes, we can e-file both 1099s and tax returns in any state; Clients pay applicable filing fees.

Is year-end 1099 preparation included in the cost of monthly bookkeeping?

Given the seasonality of 1099 preparation (end of year only), it is paid separately from monthly bookkeeping.

100% Match Guarantee

We stand by the quality of our Team Members and guarantee that you will be 100% satisfied with the Team Member assigned to you. If you don't see the value-add, we'll replace and train a new Team Member for free.