Virtual Assistants also known as VAs are a great alternative for small business owners looking for support. You get all the perks of having employees without all the costs and responsibilities that come along with it. The other day someone told me that they would never outsource again because they had a bad experience a few years back.
I was a little offended by the comment only because the virtual assistant industry doesn’t get the same respect as other businesses. When your cell phone company lets you down, you move to another provider, right? You don’t give up on cell phones all together, do you? The same holds true with your internet provider, your cable provider or even your bank.
Virtual Assistance is a service and each business is run differently. We should be given the same respect as any other service providers so please don’t give up on the industry as a whole when you have one bad experience. There are tons of great companies out there that would love to support your business.
Here are some tips that will help you with your next outsourcing experience.
Patience
Working with an outsourcing company requires a bit of patience. Small business owners often go into this type of relationship with unrealistic expectations. It is important to understand that you will need to give your new assistant some time to learn your business processes and systems.
Respect
Your virtual assistant is not your employee nor is she/he your servant. Everyone deserves to be respected and treated with kindness. In many cases, your virtual assistant is a business owner just like you. The performance level and work quality tends to be high when there is a great level of respect between the VA and the client.
Mean What You Say and Say What You Mean
VAs are not mind readers so be very clear when you are submitting your project or task requests. Poor project communication is often the common culprit when it comes to bad quality work. Here is a sample outline of how your task should be submitted.
1. Project Title
2. Project Description
3. Expected Turnaround Time
4. Expected Outcome
5. Resources Needed
6. The best way to reach you if there is a problem with your project or tasks.
Outsourcing is a great to add value to a business. The important thing to remember is that they are human as well. Remember that no one is perfect and we all at some point will make mistakes. Now if your assistant is ALWAYS making mistakes, it may be time for you to look into finding a new service provider.
For more tips on how to find and work with a virtual assistant, download our free manual Let’s Go Virtual: Working Successfully with a Virtual Assistant. Apex Virtual Solutions is your ultimate Virtual Assistant resource and service provider. Subscribe to our blog and be the first to receive our news and updates.