Frequently Asked Questions

We recruit, train, and manage dedicated virtual assistants from our Cairo office, matched specifically to your business. You get a single VA (or several) who learn your tools, brand, and workflows, and who Ant Assist supervises day-to-day so you don't have to. Pricing starts from £5/hour. Most clients start with a discovery call, get matched within 7–14 days, and have their VA live within a month.

Book a free 15-minute discovery call from our homepage. We'll understand what you need, recommend a role and hours, and confirm fit. If we proceed, we sign a service agreement, take a one-month deposit and the first month's fee, and start matching you with a VA.

Typically 7–14 days from the signed agreement, depending on the role and any specific industry experience you need. We don't quote specific hour-by-hour timing because matching the right person matters more than matching the fastest person.

Book the discovery call regardless. We'll talk through what's taking your time, what outcomes you're after, and recommend a role (or combination). Many clients start with one VA covering admin and customer service, then specialise as the workload grows.

Hourly rates start from £5/hour and vary by role, experience level, and hours per week. The savings calculator on our homepage gives you a real estimate based on your specific situation. A typical part-time engagement (20 hours/week) is £400–£650/month, and full-time is £1,300–£2,400/month depending on the role.

The VA's working hours, our supervision and quality control, recruitment and replacement at no cost, daily team management, and access to your dedicated account contact at Ant Assist. There are no employer NI contributions, pension contributions, holiday pay obligations, or recruitment fees, and we absorb all of those.

No setup fees. The only upfront costs are a 30-day bond deposit (held for the duration of the contract and refunded when you leave, provided all dues are settled) and one month's fee paid in advance. Both are clearly outlined in the service agreement.

Monthly fees are paid in advance. The billing cycle runs from the 15th to the 15th of each month, with payment due by the 22nd. We invoice you on the 15th of each month and accept bank transfer or direct debit.

You can reduce monthly support volume with 30 days' written notice, and the new lower rate takes effect after the notice period. Increases happen on request and take effect from the next billing cycle (subject to your VA's capacity; we may need to add hours or assign a second VA for very large increases).

Ant Assist is not currently VAT-registered, so VAT is not charged on any fees. All quoted prices are the total amount due. If Ant Assist becomes VAT-registered in future, clients will be notified in advance.

You get a dedicated VA. Same person, every day, working only on your account. We don't rotate VAs across clients, so your VA learns your tools, your tone, your customers, and your preferences over time.

Standard hours are 9 AM to 5 PM UK time, Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays. The Cairo team is only 1–2 hours ahead, so coverage during your business day is straightforward. Extended hours or weekend cover are available at an additional rate, agreed in advance.

Whatever way works for you: email, Slack, Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp, daily standups, weekly check-ins. Most clients use a mix of asynchronous messaging for day-to-day work and a weekly call for planning.

Cover is provided by Ant Assist at no additional cost to you. We arrange backup support during planned leave (annual leave, public holidays) and respond quickly to unplanned absence (illness). Continuity is our responsibility, not yours.

Yes. We onboard your VA into whatever stack you already use: your CRM, help desk, project management, communication tools, accounting software, anything. We don't ask you to switch tools to fit us.

You don't, directly. Performance management is Ant Assist's responsibility. You complete a brief monthly feedback form (we provide the template) and raise any specific concerns to your account contact. We handle reviews, retraining, and (if needed) replacement.

During the first three months (probation period), you can request a replacement at no cost. The probation period resets with the new VA. After probation, replacements are still available and there's no recruitment fee, but the contract continues without resetting.

Every Ant Assist VA is under contractual confidentiality obligations. We can sign additional NDAs if your business requires it. We use role-based access controls so the VA only sees what they need. Our full data handling practices are in our Privacy Policy.

Yes. We comply with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Where we process personal data on your behalf as part of delivering services, we act as a Processor under UK GDPR Article 28, and our service agreement includes the required data processing terms.

Personal data processed by your VA is handled in your existing tools (your CRM, help desk, file storage, and so on), and we don't import your data into Ant Assist's systems. Your VA accesses your tools using credentials you provide and that you can revoke at any time. Where we hold any client information (contracts, billing, communications), it's stored in UK and EU-located services with appropriate safeguards.

Because our VAs are based in Cairo, accessing your data involves a UK-to-Egypt transfer. We have the UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA) or UK Addendum to EU Standard Contractual Clauses in place to legitimise these transfers, plus appropriate technical and organisational safeguards. Full details in our Privacy Policy.

At the end of your contract, we either return or securely destroy any client personal data we hold for you (your choice). Your VA's access to your systems is revoked. We retain a small amount of business contract data (invoices, contracts) for the period required by UK tax law (6 years) and then delete it.

The initial term is 12 months from the start date, which includes a 3-month probation period. After 12 months, the contract continues on a rolling monthly basis until either party gives 30 days' notice. Most clients stay much longer than the initial term.

After the 3-month probation, the contract runs for the initial 12-month term. After that, either party can give 30 days' written notice to end the contract. There's no "cancel anytime" mid-contract option, since VAs are dedicated to your business, and we hire and train them on that basis.

The first 3 months from your start date. During probation, if it's not working out, whether with the VA specifically or with the service overall, you can end the engagement without penalty. After probation, the normal 12-month commitment applies.

We don't offer formal "pause" arrangements. If your needs change, the options are to reduce hours (30 days' notice) or terminate (30 days' notice). Pausing creates more disruption than it solves for both you and the VA, so better to reduce or restructure.

Not during the contract or for 12 months after it ends, per our non-solicitation clause. We invest significantly in recruiting, training, and supervising VAs, and the restriction protects that investment. After the restricted period, you're free to make arrangements directly.

Ant Assist (trading as AAVA Group Ltd) is a UK-registered company providing UK-managed virtual assistant services. We're registered in England and Wales (Company No. 15325330). Our team is split between UK management and our Cairo office, where our VAs are based and supervised day-to-day.

English proficiency in Egypt is high (Egypt ranks consistently in the EF English Proficiency Index for the region), the timezone overlap with the UK is 1–2 hours which gives full working-day coverage, and the cost arbitrage lets us offer professional VAs at a fraction of UK in-house cost. Cairo specifically has a large pool of educated, English-fluent professionals well-suited to UK business contexts.

Two main things. First, we manage the VAs: we're not a marketplace where you hire and manage individually. Quality control, supervision, leave cover, and replacement are our responsibility. Second, we're built specifically for UK businesses: UK contract law, UK working hours, UK tax compliance, and VAs trained on UK communication norms.

For new enquiries, the fastest path is to book a discovery call from our homepage. For existing clients, your account contact is your first point of call. For general questions, email info@ant-assist.com. For data protection or legal matters, contact privacy@ant-assist.com or legal@ant-assist.com.