Virtual Assistant Business Outsourcing

Are you satisfied with your Virtual Assistant‘s productivity? Are you getting the desired results at the end of the day? If the answer is ‘Yes’, it might mean you are doing everything right as to HOW you work with your virtual assistant (VA). If the answer is ‘No,’it’s time for you to sit down and figure out why you’re not satisfied with your results. Who knows? The problem just might not be with your virtual assistant…the problem just might be with YOU!

Organization has always been a key factor in establishing a productive work environment. At times, problems arise due to differences of working styles, lack of communication, or even an absence of a friendly working relationship. To ensure higher productivity and ultimately, to increase your bottom line it is imperative that you establish a systemized workflow process with your virtual assistant. There are numerous factors that you need to be aware of so that YOU are not the cause of your virtual assistant’s low productivity.

Make a precise list of tasks that you do on a daily basis that you want your virtual assistant to perform.

After you’ve decided that you need to hire a virtual assistant ask yourself this question; "What do I ROUTINELY do on a daily basis that can be done by someone else?” Then sit down at your computer (or if you’re old-school grab a pen and paper J ) and create a comprehensive list of all the tasks that you want your Virtual Assistant to take off your plate. By clearly identifying your list of tasks you now have a starting point where you will begin to be able to look for a competent candidate who will have the required skills-set to successfully meet your needs.

Get to know your VA on a personal level.

Remember, when you get into the “outsourcing game” you are now getting into the “people business”.  Everyone… no matter where they are from or what their background is… is pretty much the same. We all tend to have similar wants, needs and desires. Your VA is a person who has strengths and weaknesses… just like you. Your VA is a human being with real feelings… just like you. So take the time to get to know your virtual assistant on a personal level. Who knows… this just might be the beginning of a life-long friendship.

Prepare training materials for each task you want your VA to perform.

Now that you have hired your perfect VA, have a small talk with your new assistant about your personal work ethic and your expectation level.  This serves a two-fold purpose: it gives your VA an idea about how to effectively manage your daily work routine and it  introduces to your VA what is expected of him/her.  Clearly define your work flow processes!  I can’t tell you how important it is to have a clearly laid out game plan for your VA that defines how to successfully complete each and every task. Communicating your work flow processes will minimize the chance of your VA in committing errors.

Stay in constant communication with your virtual assistant.

The number one reason for a failed client-virtual assistant relationship is due to lack of communication. A close second is miscommunication. Listen… I know you’re busy. You’ve got a million things going on. You’re probably thinking,“How am I ever going to find the time to get everything done?” There will be days when you feel like you don’t even have five minutes to call or email your VA with your instructions. Remember, letting your VA make all the decisions  without you being around to offer guidance will most likely NOT bring about a successful result.  We’re lucky enough to live in a wonderful time in human history when we have so much technology at our disposal…such as: email, voice over IP (Skype), text messaging, Google Docs,etc… Establishing a system of EASILY communicating with your VA is a must. If you’re successful, you’re not only assured of getting great results from your VA… you’re also establishing an open system of communication that will help you build that friendly and professional relationship with your VA.

Trust your virtual assistant.

Many of us who work in a small business environment are used to doing everything ourselves.  At first it may be hard for you to "let go" and hand over some of the control to your VA for fear that they might not do it as well as you. But, in order for you to be able to free up your time… at some point, you’re going to have to bite the bullet and trust that your VA will be able to successfully complete your tasks.Let the successful actions of your virtual assistant demonstrate to you their level of competency. Over time you will find that you are developing a strong relationship with your VA and you will begin to wonder how you ever got by without him/her.

Following these helpful tips will certainly increase your probability of achieving excellent results from your virtual assistant. You must know that working with a VA is not as simple as buying a new phone or shirt. Yes, in the beginning you’re going to have to invest a little time in establishing an organized working relationship with your VA. However, if you follow some of the advice I just shared with you, you will definitely get the most for your time, money and effort.

Do you want to free up some of your time and have a VA take over some of your work tasks? Let our virtual assistants here at Virtual Assistant, Inc take care of your business needs and you’ll begin to see your productivity go through the roof.