RPA vs. Virtual Assistants
You hired a virtual assistant to save time. You're still doing the same work.
VAs are people doing manual work remotely. RPA eliminates the manual work entirely.
The real cost math
If your VA’s week is mostly portal work, here’s the real cost math.
Training time
2-4 weeks before they're productive. A new VA takes a couple hours per auto quote vs. 30 minutes for someone experienced. And when they leave, you start over.
Error correction
VAs make the same mistakes your team makes. Typos, wrong fields, missed carriers.
Management overhead
Someone on your team still assigns work, reviews output, and answers questions every day.
Volume ceiling
A person has a daily capacity. Configured automation can prepare repeatable work across supported workflows.
Configured software can prepare repeatable portal work without adding another person. Your team still reviews uncertainty and makes the decisions.
Consistency
A VA has good days and bad days. Software doesn’t.
Virtual assistants are humans. They get tired, distracted, and make mistakes, especially during high-volume renewal seasons when accuracy matters most. Relay runs the same way every time, at any volume, without variance.
Where VAs still win
We’re not anti-VA. VAs are great at some things.
For everything else, especially high-volume, repetitive data entry across carrier portals, automation is faster, cheaper, and more reliable.
Client communication and relationship building
Complex judgment calls that require context
Tasks that change frequently and can't be standardized
Phone calls, follow-ups, and scheduling
Side by side
VA vs. automation, side by side
| Dimension | Virtual Assistant | Relay |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $1,500-3,000 | About half a VA, scales with volume |
| Setup | 2-4 weeks training | Guided by workflow |
| Availability | Business hours | 24/7 |
| Uncertainty | Reviewed by a person | Flagged for human review |
| Scalability | Hire more people | Expand configured workflows |
| Turnover | High, retrain constantly | None |
| Carrier portals | Manual login, one at a time | Selected, supported workflows |
| Speed | One task at a time | Configured workflows can run in parallel |
| Consistency | Varies | Repeatable, with review |
| Management required | Yes, daily | Human review remains required |
| AMS relationship | Manual entry | Works alongside; custom links piloted |
| MFA handling | Manual | Configured by workflow |
Implementation
How to get started
Start where the volume is, then expand as your team gets comfortable.
Phase 1
Start with renewal quoting, the highest-volume, most repetitive workflow.
Phase 2
Add new business quoting and intake processing as your team gets comfortable.
Phase 3
Expand to COI issuance, claims processing, and policy administration.
Run the comparison on your own numbers.
Or run the free quoting cost calculator and put a dollar figure on the typing first.
FAQ
Common questions
Can I use both a VA and Relay?+
Absolutely. Many agencies use Relay for data entry and portal work while keeping VAs for client communication and relationship management.
Will this replace my VA entirely?+
It depends on what your VA does. If they primarily do carrier portal data entry, yes. If they handle client calls and complex tasks, you may still need them.
What if I've already trained my VA on our workflows?+
Relay doesn't require your team to change workflows. We automate the portal work your VA is doing manually. They can focus on higher-value tasks.
Is RPA harder to set up than hiring a VA?+
Relay uses assisted setup. Timing depends on the systems, carrier mix, lines, states, and workflow being configured; your team also needs a clear review process before launch.
Get started
Join the Relay waitlist.
Join agencies helping shape Relay’s early access, starting with quoting.