FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What does The Organized Keener do? & What are ‘Virtual Services’ anyway?

We offer a large variety of services from everything administrative you can think of to web and graphic design, podcast support, marketing & social media management. In addition we’ve partner with an accountng company to offer financial services from individuals with a high level of knowledge and experience. For a full list of services please click here.

Why are your prices higher than if I went to a temp agency or hired someone for say minimum wage?

Well, there’s a couple factors that are considered in our pricing. The largest reason is that we don’t have any hidden fees or costs. Everything is up front and you are paying for experienced and polished support, not entry level admins looking to learn and build their resume at your expense. Temp agencies, recruiters and hiring directly based on responses to a job posting come at a high cost. In addition to the cost of the individual there are so many added and sometimes hidden overhead expenses. These include medical insurance, liability insurance, training, technology, incentive bonuses, WCB, the candidate’s hourly rate or salary, head hunting or service fees (where applicable), parking costs, office or commercial rental costs, utilities and the list goes on. With our prices, everything is included. We’re fully insured, have technology and equipment ready to go and come to the table with years of experience serving the corporate world working for large, well-known companies. We provide the executive services we have offered the big companies for many years to your business with the high polish you’d expect from a fortune 500 representative. Please also note that our pricing is affected by the hours you are looking for. The security provided with out larger packages is paired with a lower rate in comparison the quickly deliverable requests.

What hours do you work?

Our office is open Monday-Friday 9 am – 6 pm MST. That being said, we have clients in multiple time zones or with a variety of different working styles and options. We like to support small to medium sized businesses that sometimes require alternative or flexible hours ie: scheduling evening meetings after the kids are in bed. We are flexible (within reason of course) and would love to help, please contact us with details. Unless otherwise agreed upon up front, we don’t answer the phone or respond to emails at all hours of the night and will get back to you as soon as possible the next business day.

What are your holiday hours?
We are closed for all statutory holidays in Alberta and closed during the Christmas holidays. Please see our social media for details on Christmas and vacation closures.

Can I hire you for a larger number of hours and roll them over to another month if unused?

Yes, absolutely. You can use the hours you have purchased for up to 6 months or a year depending on the duration of the contract you’ve signed.

What sets you apart from the other Virtual Assistants out there on the market?

As mentioned previously, we have extensive experience working in some of the top corporations and Government departments in the country in a variety of industries that range from Real Estate to IT Services. We’ve also paid our dues (so to speak) in the various service industries ie Hospitality, Reception, Insurance, Call Centers, Restaurants and Retail. We know what it’s like to represent the front line working with the user or consumer. We want to help your business take away the items you find less desirable or more time consuming so that you can focus on expansion and growth doing what you love.

What type of clients do you currently represent? What do you do in the event of a conflict of interest? Can we sign exclusivity agreements if desirable?

We currently support a number of small businesses from bakeries & restaurants to customized apparel printers, paralegals and accountants. We work on each project separately and will disclose any potential conflicts of interest as they arise when signing a contract. We require our client’s written consent to proceed in the event of a conflict of interest and are open to discussing exclusivity agreements when they are desired. We ensure your intellectual property remains protected in our agreements as it is of the utmost importance.

Can we meet up in person if I’m in Calgary?

Yes, of course. We can meet at your place of business or grab a local cup of coffee at a location of your choosing if you prefer to meet face to face. At this time due to the nature of the business, we do not accommodate in person meetings at our location. We’re equipped and ready to meet virtually via Microsoft Teams. Alternatively, we are open to leveraging Google Meet, Skype or Zoom where preferred.

How do you keep my information secure when you’re working remotely?

We utilize the Microsoft 365 package and security features to ensure your information is kept as safe as possible through multi-factor authentication and third-party security ie One Drive cloud storage. We log out of any client accounts after each use, keep our technology up to date with the latest security patches and hold a hefty insurance package that includes digital security in the event of any unforeseen issues. Our company policies ensure that our devices are not left out visibly in a public setting ie laptop in the back of the vehicle or phones unlocked on the table at a restaurant. Our joined security is very important to us.

What is your process if I want to get started?

We offer a thirty-minute complimentary virtual call to discuss what services you are looking for as these are tailored to your specific business needs. Once we agree on services and hours needed to complete the project at hand, we will send you a proposal for your approval alongside a contract to get started. Once signed, we will need access to any social media accounts, websites etc. that we are being tasked to work on in addition to high resolution copies of your branded materials as required. We’ll deliver the work and send progress invoices monthly.

What do you look for in a client?

We love to support local, homegrown small-medium businesses wherever possible. Not to say that larger companies are not welcome, we just have a soft spot for the underdog, the David in the David vs Goliath corporate world. We love to vibe off of the business owner’s true passions for what it is they do. We can’t bake a cake or embroider a quality sweater as well as our client’s can, but we sure can enjoy their hard work and support their growth.

Do you have any policies we should we aware of?

Yes, absolutely. We want to take a moment to clearly express that we have a zero tolerance policy on verbal and physical abuse and do reserve the right to [politely] decline working with a business or individual that doesn’t align with our values. This luckily very rarely happens these days but we will not tolerate any hate, disrespect or harassment of any of our team, clients or group discrimination. We also feel strongly on the topics of animal cruelty, LGBTQ+ and women’s rights. We respect that not everyone is of the same opinions and reserve the right decline working with individuals who are clearly and/or repetitively violating our values ie harming animals or threatening our team. We pride ourselves on providing a safe and professional working environment and require the same from our clientele and community.

Are LGBTQ2+ welcome?

Yes, 100%. Everyone is welcome here regardless of race, body type, sexual preference, gender or pizza topping preference. Please let us know if you have preferred pronouns or if there is any area where we may accommodate you to help you feel comfortable being your authentic self.

I want to know more about you & your team. How can I do this?

Well, you can book a thirty-minute consultation to discuss your business needs or check out our team page here. There will be a testimonial section on our website coming very soon as we continue build our client base and request feedback from our amazing clients.

How can payment be made?

We utilize QuickBooks Online and Square which allow us to leverage built in payment systems available alongside your invoice. We accept Visa, Mastercard and Apple Pay as well as e-transfer payments and certified cheque for those customers residing in Canada.

I’m a client or a past coworker who would love to share your services and contact info with friends, do you offer referral rewards?

Yes! We are offering a $50 CAD* incentive to all our existing clients and past colleagues as we continue to build our business. Word of mouth is incredibly important. It’s often the driving force of hiring virtual support. *This incentive is qualified by a signed contract agreement valued at higher than $250 pre-tax. Please ask your referrals to use your name or company name when scheduling a consultation. Need more info? Reach out to us anytime to discuss.