Working together: frequently asked questions
Bringing someone into your business is an important decision.
You need to understand how they work, what you can expect and whether the arrangement will suit you and your organisation.
These are some of the questions people commonly ask before working with CollabWork. If your question isn’t covered, you’re always welcome to get in touch.
What types of support do you offer?
I offer practical business and VA support, Online Business Management (OBM), project management, systems and process improvement, and business operations reviews. Some clients need help with individual tasks. Others want someone to take responsibility for agreed areas of their business or manage a particular project. We can discuss what would be most useful for you.
What’s the difference between VA support and OBM?
VA support generally focuses on completing agreed practical and administrative work. Online Business Management usually involves broader responsibility for agreed business activities, including operational coordination, managing projects, identifying improvements and helping keep priorities moving forward. Both are valuable, and a working relationship can include elements of each.
Will I work directly with you?
Yes. CollabWork is personally led, and you'll work directly with me. Where additional expertise or capacity would be helpful, we can discuss involving an appropriate freelancer or specialist, with responsibilities and arrangements agreed in advance.
How do we get started?
We start with a conversation about your business, the challenges you're facing and what you'd like to achieve. If we decide to work together, we'll agree the responsibilities, priorities, fees and ways of working before getting started.
How is your work priced?
Practical business and VA support is £40 per hour, with a minimum ongoing commitment of 10 hours per month. OBM and operational partnership work has a £65-per-hour reference rate, with the scope and level of involvement agreed individually. Projects and other defined pieces of work are scoped and quoted separately. We'll discuss the appropriate arrangements before work begins, so you know what's included and what to expect.
Do you only work with particular types of businesses?
I work with business owners, founders, consultants and organisations who would benefit from experienced practical support, project delivery or operational involvement. My experience includes corporate, charity and public-sector environments, along with people-focused organisations. For me, a good working relationship matters just as much as the industry.
Do I need to commit to ongoing support?
VA support has a minimum ongoing commitment of 10 hours per month. OBM relationships are discussed individually, based on the level of responsibility and involvement required. Defined projects or reviews can also be agreed as standalone pieces of work. We'll talk about what makes sense for your needs.
Do I need to know exactly what support I need?
No.
You may know precisely what you want to hand over, or you may simply know that the current way of working is taking too much time and energy.
Part of my role is to ask questions, understand what is happening and notice where support or a clearer way of working could make a difference. You don’t need to diagnose the problem or design the solution before speaking to me.
How do we communicate and stay organised?
This depends on what works for you and the nature of the support.
We might use email, online meetings and a shared project or task-management system. I’m comfortable working across a wide range of business systems and platforms, but I don’t introduce new technology simply for the sake of it.
Where possible, we work with tools that already suit your business and agree a straightforward way to share information, manage priorities and keep track of progress.
What are your working hours?
I work Monday to Friday during standard UK business hours.
My working time is planned across several clients, so CollabWork does not operate as an on-demand or emergency service. We’ll agree how and when we communicate, along with any regular meetings or time-sensitive requirements.
If your work includes a particular event, launch or deadline, we can discuss the availability needed as part of the planning.
How quickly will work be completed?
Timescales depend on the nature, priority and complexity of the work.
We agree deadlines in advance wherever possible. For ongoing clients, priorities may change as the business develops, so we review what needs attention and make sensible decisions about what should happen first.
I’ll always be honest about capacity and let you know promptly if new information affects an agreed deadline.
Do you only provide virtual support?
Most CollabWork support is delivered remotely, allowing me to work with clients across the UK.
If a project would benefit from an in-person meeting or event support, we can discuss what is practical. Any travel time or expenses would be agreed in advance.
What happens if my support needs change?
That is normal.
Businesses evolve, and the type of support that is useful now may change as new clients, projects, systems or team members are introduced.
For ongoing clients, we review priorities and capacity regularly. If the nature or volume of the work changes significantly, we’ll discuss the options before making any adjustment to the arrangement or fees.
How do you handle confidential information and data protection?
I understand that working inside a business involves access to confidential, personal and commercially sensitive information.
CollabWork is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and holds appropriate professional insurance. Information is managed carefully and only accessed or shared where it is necessary for the agreed work.
Confidentiality, data protection responsibilities and any relevant system access are addressed as part of the working agreement.
Will you sign a confidentiality agreement?
Yes. I’m happy to review and sign a reasonable confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement where one is required.
CollabWork’s own client agreement also includes provisions covering confidentiality and data protection.
Still have a question?
If you’re not sure what support would be right for you, let’s have a chat.