Our office operates by appointment only, Monday through Friday, from 11 AM to 5 PM EST. If you require assistance outside of these hours, please contact us in advance, and we will do our best to accommodate your schedule. We are generally closed on weekends and do not typically schedule appointments on Saturdays or Sundays. 

If you have an urgent, or after-hours request, please send an email to starfiretaco@yahoo.com  Please include as many details as possible, and I will get back to you within 4 hours.  

PLEASE NOTE: There will be an additional charge of $80.00 for urgent after hour requests, that will be added to your invoice.

Tasks & Projects
For all new tasks or project requests, please add them directly to your individual project in our task management system, Asana. We will respond to all requests within 24 hours to confirm receipt. If applicable, we will provide an estimate of the time and resources required, along with a timeline for completion.

If your request is submitted during a Federal Holiday or weekend, we will respond by the end of the next business day, ensuring there are no delays in communication.

Email
For any needs or inquiries that are not directly related to tasks or projects, please send an email to starfiretaco@yahoo.com. We will acknowledge and respond to your email within 24 hours, except on weekends and holidays, when responses may take longer.

Status Meetings
I recommend we schedule a weekly or bi-weekly status meeting to discuss ongoing tasks, upcoming priorities, and any issues that may arise. If these meeting frequencies don’t work for your business, we will adjust to meet your needs, with one meeting per task or two meetings per major project.

For ongoing clients, we will hold a monthly meeting to keep everything aligned and ensure your needs are continuously met. These meeting schedules will be finalized during our initial Kickoff Call and adjusted as necessary throughout our partnership.

Our office observes the following holidays, during which time our office will be closed:

• New Year’s Eve & Day (December 31 & January 1)
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Third Monday of January)
• President’s Day (Third Monday of February)
• Good Friday
• Easter (The following Monday)
• Orthodox Easter (The following Monday)
• Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)
• Juneteenth (June 19)
• Independence Day (July 4)
• Labor Day (First Monday in September)
• Indigenous Peoples Day (Second Monday in October)
• My Birthday (October 12)
• Veteran’s Day (November 11)
• Thanksgiving and the following Friday (Fourth Thursday & Friday in November)
• Christmas Eve (December 24)
• Christmas Day (December 25)

Please note that while we observe these holidays, any urgent tasks or requests made during these times will be handled as soon as possible on the next available business day. Deadlines that fall on a holiday will be adjusted, and we will discuss an alternative timeline if needed. Regular service will resume the following business day.

To ensure a smooth workflow and clear communication, I provide 30 days' notice and a 14-day reminder before taking any vacation time. This gives clients ample time to prepare for my absence and ensure that any ongoing tasks or projects are handled appropriately.

For extended vacations or planned time off, I also provide a four-week notice to give clients enough time to adjust schedules or make any necessary arrangements. During this time, we will review any active tasks, and I will ensure that critical deadlines are either met or rescheduled.

If you have any upcoming projects or tasks that require attention during my absence, I will work with you in advance to ensure that everything is taken care of, or I can provide recommendations for a trusted colleague to handle specific needs.

We offer the following types of contracts to accommodate the needs of our clients:

• Retainers: Retainer contracts are available in 5, 10, 20, or 40-hour increments. These hours are reserved for ongoing or recurring tasks and can be used at your discretion within the term of the agreement.
• Project-Based Contracts: For larger projects, a 50% deposit is required before work begins, with the remaining 50% due upon completion, prior to delivery. Each project will be estimated individually based on the scope of work involved, ensuring clear expectations regarding cost and timeline.

Invoicing Policies:

• Retainers: Retainer fees are invoiced on the 1st and 15th of each month.
• Hourly Contracts: Hourly contracts are invoiced every Friday for the hours worked during the week.
• Projects: For projects, a 50% deposit is required upfront, with the remaining balance invoiced upon project completion, prior to delivery.

Payment Terms:

• Invoices are due upon receipt. Clients are granted a 7-day grace period to make payment. After 8 days, a 10% late fee will be applied to the outstanding balance.
• For both hourly and project contracts, the full balance is due upon receipt of the invoice.
• Unused Retainer Hours: Any unused retainer hours will expire 45 days from the invoice date and will not roll over or be refunded.

This invoicing structure ensures that payments are clear, timely, and fair for both parties, helping maintain a smooth workflow and consistent service delivery.

Accepted Payment Methods
We accept a variety of secure payment methods for your convenience, including:

• Credit Cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, etc.)
• PayPal
• Stripe
• Venmo

Past Due Payments
It’s important to keep payments up-to-date. If a payment is not received within 7 days of the due date, services will be paused until the outstanding balance is settled. Any tasks or hours worked during this period will be added to the updated invoice.

To ensure timely payments, a 10% interest charge will be applied to any outstanding balance after 8 days past the due date. This interest will be added to the total amount due each month until the balance is paid in full.

Additional Information
Please note that we do not accept payments via checks, cash, money orders, or bank transfers. We recommend using one of the approved payment methods listed above for secure and efficient transactions.

Urgent After-Hours Requests
There will be an additional charge of $80.00 for urgent after-hours requests, which will be applied to your next invoice.

All agreements are sent electronically via DocuSign for secure and efficient signing. Once signed, these agreements are binding, and both parties are expected to adhere to the terms outlined within.

Renewal and Term: Agreements are required to be resigned every 12 months from the initial signature date. This ensures that both parties are up-to-date on the terms and expectations, and any necessary adjustments can be made. The rate specified in the agreement is valid for 12 months from the date of signing. After this period, rates may be adjusted based on mutual agreement.

Signed Agreement Requirement: I do not begin any work or services without a signed agreement in place. This ensures that both parties are clear on the scope of work, payment terms, and other important conditions before any tasks are performed. Once the agreement is signed, the client will receive a copy of the agreement for their records.

Confidentiality Clause: Each agreement includes a Confidentiality clause to protect the privacy of your business and any sensitive information shared. I am committed to keeping your information secure and confidential, and will not share or use any data for personal gain.

These measures ensure that both parties are aligned and that your business interests are protected throughout our working relationship. The terms are designed to provide transparency, protect both sides, and ensure smooth project execution.

Turnaround Time: We collaborate closely with our clients to establish a clear timeline for each task or project based on your specific needs, priorities, and the scope of work. Our typical turnaround time for tasks is 72 business hours, though this may vary depending on the complexity and urgency of the request. We always ensure that expectations are clearly communicated, and we will work with you to adjust timelines as needed to fit your schedule.

Projects: For larger or more complex projects, we provide detailed estimates based on the scope of work involved. Each project will require a separate contract that outlines the specifics, including cost, timeline, and any other relevant details. This ensures that both parties are fully aligned on expectations before work begins and helps to ensure a smooth project completion process.

In the event of multiple high-priority tasks, we will collaborate with you to prioritize them based on urgency and importance, ensuring that the most time-sensitive tasks are addressed first

Our goal is to ensure that tasks are completed efficiently while maintaining high-quality standards. For ongoing projects, we will provide regular updates and stay in touch to address any adjustments or issues that arise, ensuring that your needs are met every step of the way!

To ensure we are aligned and meeting your needs, I require all clients to participate in status meetings at least twice a month, with each meeting lasting a minimum of 15 minutes. These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss ongoing tasks, address any concerns, and ensure that I’m providing the highest level of service. It’s a chance to review progress and make any necessary adjustments to stay on track with your goals.

In addition to our meetings, I provide weekly status reports to keep you informed of progress. These reports are delivered by the close of business on Fridays and include the following:

• Status on outstanding tasks: A summary of tasks currently in progress or pending completion.
• Tasks requiring action: Any tasks that need your attention or input to proceed.
• Any issues or concerns: A review of any obstacles or concerns that may need addressing.

We use Asana as our task and project management system, where all tasks and projects are tracked. You’ll be provided with a login to your project so you can monitor the status of tasks at any time. This ensures that you are always up-to-date and can see how things are progressing in real-time.

These meetings and reports are designed to keep communication clear and transparent, ensuring that we are both on the same page and working efficiently toward your business goals.

At Busy Bee Consult, we take the security of your information seriously and are committed to keeping your data safe. We understand the importance of confidentiality and strive to provide you with peace of mind knowing that your information is protected.

Our servers and laptops are equipped with the latest McAfee security suite, including anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall protection. This software is updated on a monthly basis to ensure that we are always using the latest and most effective security measures.

For network security, our wireless router is encrypted, requiring a password to access, ensuring that unauthorized individuals cannot access our internal systems.

We also maintain physical security in our office. Confidential or proprietary printed documents are stored in locking filing cabinets. When such documents are no longer needed, we use paper shredders to securely destroy them, ensuring that sensitive information is completely erased.

To protect against data loss, we perform weekly backups of all systems, including cloud-based applications. These backups are stored on a secure external hard drive, ensuring that we can quickly recover information in the event of a system failure.

At Busy Bee Consult, we continuously review and enhance our security practices to maintain the highest standards and protect both your data and our business.

To ensure that we can provide the best service possible, we may require training on any new programs, software, or systems that are specific to your business. Additionally, if there are particular processes or workflows you would like to implement, we are happy to accommodate your preferences and tailor our approach accordingly.

The first hour of training is provided at no additional charge. Any additional training time beyond the first hour will be billed at your retainer or hourly rate. We will always provide advance notice if training will exceed the initial hour, and we aim to make the training process as efficient and seamless as possible.

We utilize the following tools in our business to streamline communication and project management. We are happy to provide training on any of these tools at no additional cost to you:

• Asana: Our task management system, which we use to organize and track tasks and projects. We encourage clients to use Asana for communication, adding tasks, sharing relevant project files, and staying updated on progress.
• Google Drive: A secure platform for sharing and storing project files, documents, and other relevant materials.
• Zoom: Used for screen sharing, video calls, and training sessions to ensure clear communication and collaboration.
• DocuSign: A secure platform for electronically signing agreements and other important documents.

All confidential client information is securely stored in the client project folder on our password-protected hard drive and in Google Drive. The information is organized in shared folders and is kept secure for easy access.

The files we store may include, but are not limited to:

• Contact information
• Graphics or copy used for the client
• Invoices and billing records
• Recordings of phone or video calls
• Email correspondence
• Forms and contracts
• Time tracking sheets
• Website copy
• General administrative project documents

This folder serves as a complete record of our work together, ensuring we have access to everything needed to track progress and resolve issues if they arise.

For physical documents, we store them securely in a locking filing cabinet. These documents are shredded and disposed of upon project completion, unless the client requests them to be returned.

We perform weekly backups of all client files, including those stored in cloud-based systems, to an external hard drive to protect against data loss.

We also use LastPass to securely store and protect all login credentials and sensitive information, ensuring confidentiality at all times.

I am committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethics and honesty in all interactions with clients, colleagues, and the general public. I will treat colleagues, suppliers, and employees with fairness and respect, upholding the highest personal conduct standards.

I will only take on projects that align with my skills and expertise. If a project falls outside my capabilities, I will immediately inform the client and provide recommendations for other highly skilled virtual assistants.

Client information will always be treated with the utmost confidentiality and will not be shared or used for personal gain. I deeply value every client relationship and ensure that all clients are treated equally.

I am committed to continually improving my knowledge, skills, and training to remain proficient and relevant in providing services. I will be transparent about my capabilities and will never misrepresent my skills, colleagues, or the virtual assistant profession to clients, networks, or the broader community.

I will not engage in any illegal or unethical activities and will always uphold the integrity of my work. I will promote the virtual assistant industry with professionalism and respect.

If you refer a friend or colleague that becomes a client, we will give you 10% off your next invoice.

If either party decides to end the working relationship, we will follow these steps to close out the contract in an organized manner:

1. File Access: The client will have 5 business days to download any files stored in the shared Google Drive folder. After this period, the files will be permanently deleted, and retrieval will no longer be possible.
2. Hard Drive Files: All files stored on our internal hard drives will be permanently removed and deleted.
3. Transition Call: We will offer a 30-minute Zoom call to address any final questions and ensure a smooth transition as the contract concludes.
4. Final Invoices: Any remaining invoices will be issued and are due upon receipt.
5. Paper Documents: All paper copies of documents will be securely shredded and disposed of.
6. Contract Closure: Once all the above steps are completed, we will mark the project as closed and formally end the contract.

If any disputes arise regarding final payment or services provided, both parties agree to engage in a mutually beneficial resolution process before taking further steps.