In today’s competitive business landscape, efficiency and customer experience are two of the most important drivers of growth. social media To stay ahead, many organizations are turning to flexible staffing solutions such as call center agents and virtual assistants (VAs). While these roles may appear similar at first glance, they serve very different functions.
Choosing the right solution depends on your business goals, customer expectations, and operational priorities.
This guide breaks down the differences between call center agents and virtual assistants—and shows how businesses like PetCenter leveraged OnCall to scale more effectively.
What Is a Call Center Agent?
A call center agent is a customer service professional trained to manage high-volume interactions—typically through phone calls, live chat, or email.
Businesses often use call center agents for:
- Customer support – handling inquiries, troubleshooting, and resolving complaints
- Sales and upselling – converting leads into customers or driving additional revenue from existing clients
- Technical support – providing specialized help with software, hardware, or digital products
- 24/7 coverage – ensuring customer issues are addressed at any time of day
Best for: Businesses that prioritize customer satisfaction, speed, and scalability in their customer-facing operations.
What Is a Virtual Assistant?
A virtual assistant (VA) is an independent professional who supports businesses by handling administrative or specialized tasks remotely. Unlike call center agents, VAs typically work on a one-to-one basis.
VAs can assist with:
- Scheduling and calendar management
- Inbox management and correspondence
- Data entry and bookkeeping support
- Market research and reporting
- Social media management
Best for: Businesses that need flexible, task-oriented support without the overhead of full-time hires.
Key Differences Between Call Center Agents and Virtual Assistants
| Feature | Call Center Agents | Virtual Assistants |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Role | Customer-facing, high-volume support | Administrative and operational support |
| Work Structure | Often part of a team or shift system | Typically works 1:1 with a business leader |
| Scalability | Designed for rapid scaling to handle demand spikes | Flexible but limited to individual capacity |
| Best For | Businesses with large customer bases or high call/chat volumes | Businesses needing operational efficiency and administrative help |
| Availability | Can offer 24/7 coverage through team-based staffing | Usually available during set hours, not round-the-clock |
Which One Does Your Business Need?
The choice between call center agents and virtual assistants comes down to your core priorities:
- If your business needs consistent customer support, sales engagement, or technical assistance at scale, call center agents are the right fit.
- If your business needs personalized, behind-the-scenes operational support, a virtual assistant may be more effective.
In fact, many companies use both models together: VAs to streamline internal operations and call center agents to strengthen customer-facing services.
Client Spotlight: How PetCenter Scaled with OnCall
One of our clients, PetCenter, needed a way to balance customer care with internal operations as their business rapidly expanded. Their in-house team was overwhelmed, leading to slower response times and administrative bottlenecks.
By partnering with OnCall, PetCenter:
- Built a dedicated team of call center agents to handle customer inquiries and improve response times
- Added virtual assistants to manage scheduling, order tracking, and back-office tasks
- Reduced operational costs while gaining the flexibility to scale support during seasonal demand spikes
- Improved customer satisfaction scores within just three months
This blended staffing model allowed PetCenter to focus on growth while ensuring both customer-facing and internal processes ran smoothly.
Why OnCall Is the Scalable Alternative
At OnCall, we connect businesses with vetted call center agents, developers, accountants, and operations professionals, providing a modern, flexible solution that goes beyond traditional hiring and outsourcing.
Whether you’re looking to build a customer service team or scale your back-office operations, OnCall offers the talent and infrastructure you need to grow with confidence—just like PetCenter did.
