Frequently Asked Questions

The questions we are actually asked, answered without marketing language. If yours is not here, ask us and we will add it.

Hiring and getting started

How quickly can someone start?

Three matched candidates within 72 hours of a confirmed brief, and typically a start date under a week after that, assuming you interview promptly.

Do I get to choose the person?

Yes. You interview and you choose. We never assign someone to a client sight unseen — the fit between one specific person and one specific business is the whole variable.

What if I do not like any of the three?

Tell us why and we go again at no cost. The reason usually improves the brief, which improves the second shortlist.

Is there a minimum contract?

No minimum term, no recruitment fee and no setup fee. You pay for hours worked.

What is the minimum number of hours?

Around 20 hours a week is where this starts working properly. Below that there is not enough contact time for someone to build real context, and the arrangement tends to stay permanently junior.

Cost

How much does it cost?

Market rates for Philippines-based support run roughly $7 to $18 an hour through an agency depending on the role’s skill level. Our cost guide breaks it down by role, and the calculator will estimate a team.

What is included in the rate?

Recruitment, screening, onboarding, equipment, backup power and connectivity, statutory employment costs including 13th month pay, paid leave, a named account manager, documented quality assurance and cover during absence.

Are there hidden costs?

No. One monthly invoice for hours worked.

The people

Do they work for iFOVS, or are they freelancers?

Independent contractors working full-time from our office, not freelancers working from home — remote work is not permitted. That is how we keep client work confidential and supervised, and why cover during absence is possible at all.

Where do they work from?

Our office in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, with backup power and backup internet. The Philippines has genuine, regular power and connectivity interruptions — a provider who is vague about this is describing a risk you would be taking on.

What happens when my assistant is sick?

Cover is arranged. Someone briefed on your account steps in so the work continues. This is the question we would most encourage you to ask every provider you speak to.

What is your staff retention like?

We recruit outside the saturated Manila and Cebu markets, in a regional economy where a career here is worth keeping — which is the main reason people stay. Ask us for the current figure.

Will they work my hours?

Yes. Full overlap with your day, partial overlap, or an opposite shift so work arrives finished when you wake up.

Data and security

How do you handle our data?

NDA signed before any system access, individually named logins rather than shared passwords, and access logging. Full detail is on our data privacy page.

Can I use my own systems and tools?

Yes, and you should. Your assistant works in your systems, under your processes, with their own named account.

What about a shared login?

We will not use one, and we would advise you not to accept one from any provider. It removes any ability to know who did what, which is what makes a small incident unresolvable.

When things go wrong

What if the person is not working out?

Tell us early and we replace them at no cost. Speed matters here — a problem raised in week two is almost always fixable, and the same problem raised in month six usually is not.

What if I need to reduce hours or stop?

Reduce or stop. No notice period penalty, no redundancy process.

Who do I contact when something is wrong?

A named account manager, not a ticket queue. You will have their name before anyone starts work.

Whether this is right for you

What kinds of work do not offshore well?

Anything needing physical presence, a local licence, deep local regulatory knowledge, or judgement that takes years inside your specific industry to build. We turn these down rather than take them on.

Should I hire direct instead?

Sometimes, honestly. If you have managed remote staff before, the role is simple, and you have time to screen properly, hiring direct is cheaper and works. We wrote a fair comparison of OnlineJobs.ph versus an agency.

Philippines, India or Latin America?

It depends almost entirely on whether the work needs live overlap with your day. We compared all three honestly, including where the Philippines is the wrong answer.