The Weirdest Emergency Requests We’ve Had as VAs

Believe it or not, anything you need help with can be outsourced to a virtual assistant—even if it involves Halloween costumes, pet taxis, love notes and pizza! We really have seen it all.

One of the best (and sometimes strangest) parts of being a Virtual Assistant is that no two days are ever the same. Sure, we spend plenty of time buried in inboxes, scheduling calendars, and managing projects. But every so often, a client drops in with a request so unusual, so wonderfully random, that you can’t help but laugh and think: “Well, that wasn’t in the job description!”

Here are just a few of the weird and wonderful emergency requests our team have dealt with recently.

“Everything’s falling apart… I need pizza!”

A team member once received a late-night, urgent phone call from a client. Panic sets in when we receive a phone call late at night. Bracing herself for disaster, she picked up the phone only to be told: “I need you to order a Deliveroo. Right now.”
The crisis? A lack of pizza. At 9pm. Because nothing says emergency response like a margarita with extra cheese.

Mixing shots & profits

Someone in the team was asked by a client in the nightlife industry to calculate exactly how much spirits should be watered down to hit a certain profit margin. Yes, spreadsheets + cocktails = apparently part of the VA skillset. (And no, we won’t be revealing the maths behind it!)

Love letters by proxy

Another gem: being asked to write an anniversary card on behalf of a client to their wife. There’s something faintly uncomfortable about penning romantic declarations for someone else’s relationship. We can handle birthday reminders, but when it comes to “Happy Anniversary, darling, love always”—that feels like it could be pushing the limits of delegation.

Taxi for… dogs

Not every Uber is for humans. It was shared in the team call that once a request came through to urgently book a pet taxi to pick up a client’s dog from daycare. Fully air-conditioned, plush seating, and a chauffeur for pooches—yes, pet taxis are very real. And yes, we kind of want that job now.

Costume crisis

Forgotten that tomorrow is the school Halloween party? No problem. With a few frantic clicks, we’ve sourced last-minute pumpkin outfits and skeleton suits, delivered just in time to save the day. This one was an experience of more than one of us.

 Doctor, doctor…

Hilariously someone shared that awkward moment when a client casually says, “Can you just call my doctor and talk about my condition?” Queue full overview of the condition… Some things we just don’t need to know. But professionalism (and a poker face) is part of the VA toolkit.

Lego gifts

Corporate gifts? Easy. Branded pens? Standard. Random Lego sets for clients? Apparently, also on the list. Never let it be said we don’t bring joy in unexpected ways.

1,000 goodie bags later…

A team member once found herself running a full-on production line from her living room—stuffing pens, leaflets, Haribo, and postcards into 1,000 gift bags. Months later, she still had boxes left over gathering dust in the attic. The glamorous life of a VA!

Password purgatory

There are weeks when we feel less like VAs and more like detectives. Forgotten passwords, dodgy security questions, entire systems locked behind “ex-employees” or the classic case of ‘I forgot the master password’. Rebuilding access is a strange but surprisingly common part of the job.

The “what do you even buy a 2-year-old?” panic

One client, child-free and clueless, once asked us to urgently source the perfect present for their toddler nephew. Cue Amazon, a crash-course in Paw Patrol, and a lot of guesswork. (Spoiler: toddlers are impossible to buy for anyway.)

Final Thoughts

Being a VA isn’t just about ticking off task lists—it’s about stepping into the unknown and saying yes (or at least I’ll figure it out) when the weird requests come flying in.

And honestly? These moments are what make the role unforgettable. They remind us that behind every business is a human being juggling life, family, and sometimes forgotten Halloween costumes.

So next time you think VAs “just manage calendars,” remember: we’re also out here preventing pizza shortages, rescuing dogs, and writing romance.