A 200-strong workforce of "Virtual Assistants'' has been formed by an enterprising Southampton company to provide affordable services to busy self-employed and small business owners.

The company behind the initiative is Seven-by-Seven, founded by David Vane, an experienced web design and promotions businessman. He explains, "The 'Virtual Assistant' network is an experienced team of professionals operating from an office at home providing a specific service such as call and diary management, secretarial, telemarketing, data entry, book keeping, copy writing and graphic design."

With the new employment regulations giving employees with children under six the right to request more flexible working hours and existing HR regulations, many smaller companies are looking for alternatives to employing staff.

"One day, 'Virtual Assistants' will be a run-of-the-mill way of outsourcing work for businesses, but until then, the free three-day trial is there to encourage people to put their toe in the water," says Mr Vane.

Companies using 'Virtual Assistants' for transcription work are supplied with digital dictaphones that connect to their computer. They send sound files from the dictaphones to their 'Virtual Assistants' by email, and the completed work is returned to the customer by the same route.

"Virtual Assistants enable a business to grow while shielding them from the risks of employing too many people too quickly," says David Vane. "They also save over-stretched business owners time, effort and money. Having cost-effective support from someone like a 'Virtual Assistant' is an essential tool for new and growing businesses.''