Background check companies operate in a volume-driven, accuracy-critical environment where turnaround time and client communication determine whether you keep the business or lose it to a competitor. As order volume grows, so does the operational complexity — tracking order statuses, following up on incomplete subject information, answering client inquiries, and managing the relationship touchpoints that keep corporate and staffing agency clients loyal. A virtual assistant for background check companies handles that client-facing and administrative workload so your team can stay focused on processing, compliance, and the report accuracy that defines your service quality.
What Tasks Can a Virtual Assistant Handle for Background Check Companies?
| Task | Description |
|---|---|
| Order Intake and Status Tracking | Receive new orders, log them in your tracking system, update status at each processing stage, and flag orders approaching turnaround SLAs |
| Client Communication | Answer client inquiries about order status, estimated completion times, and report clarifications via email and phone |
| Incomplete Order Follow-Up | Contact subjects or clients to collect missing information (SSN discrepancies, consent forms, employment date gaps) needed to complete an order |
| Candidate/Subject Communication | Send instructions to subjects for identity verification steps, explain consent requirements, and confirm receipt of completed forms |
| Invoice and Billing Management | Generate invoices for completed orders, send billing summaries to corporate clients on their billing cycle, and follow up on outstanding payments |
| Sales and Client Onboarding Support | Send proposal packages to prospective clients, manage onboarding documentation for new accounts, and coordinate account setup |
| Compliance Document Tracking | Monitor FCRA consent form receipt, track credentialing and permissible purpose documentation for each client account |
How a VA Saves Background Check Companies Time and Money
The biggest operational drag in a background check business is not the research itself — it is the communication surrounding each order. Clients want status updates. Subjects need instructions for identity verification. Incomplete orders sit idle waiting for follow-up that nobody has time to make. Each of these touchpoints is individually small, but cumulatively they represent an enormous volume of repetitive communication that ties up staff who should be processing reports, not managing email queues.
A VA absorbs that communication volume. When a client emails asking about an order placed three days ago, the VA checks the status, provides a clear update, and sets an expectation for completion — all without involving a processing team member. When an order flags for a missing consent form, the VA sends a follow-up to the subject with instructions and a deadline. When an order reaches its SLA threshold without completing, the VA escalates internally while keeping the client informed. This proactive communication keeps clients satisfied and keeps your internal team focused on processing rather than firefighting.
For background check companies with recurring corporate or staffing agency clients, the account relationship dimension is equally important. Monthly billing summaries, periodic check-ins, and proactive communication about platform updates or service expansions are all relationship-building activities that generate client retention but rarely get consistent attention when staff is consumed by order volume. A VA can own that account communication layer — sending monthly billing summaries on time, reaching out to clients who haven't placed an order recently, and following up after service issues to confirm satisfaction.
"Our team was drowning in 'what's the status of this order?' emails. Our VA handles all of that now, and our processing staff actually processes. Turnaround times improved just from the reduced interruptions."
How to Get Started with a Virtual Assistant for Your Background Check Company
Start with order status communication — the highest-volume, most repetitive client touchpoint in your operation. Provide your VA with access to your order management system (view-only or role-appropriate access), a status update email template for each order stage, and clear guidelines on what information can be shared with clients versus what requires escalation. Your VA can begin handling status inquiries within the first week.
Next, build out your incomplete order follow-up workflow. Document the most common reasons orders pend — missing consent forms, SSN discrepancies, employment date gaps, reference contact information — and provide your VA with the outreach templates and follow-up timing for each. A VA who owns this follow-up sequence will dramatically reduce the average time orders spend in a pending state, improving turnaround times without requiring any change to your processing workflows.
As your VA becomes embedded in the operation, consider delegating invoice generation and billing administration. Corporate clients typically have predictable billing cycles, and a VA who manages that process — generating invoices, sending them on schedule, and following up on outstanding balances — keeps your accounts receivable clean without requiring your billing staff to track every account manually.
Ready to hire a virtual assistant for your background check company? Virtual Assistant VA provides pre-vetted VAs who specialize in your industry. Get a free consultation and find the perfect VA for your business today.