Each business person works differently. Some pre-plan their day, week or month. Others go on inspiration and flow of life. Either way you work, that needs to be communicated to the Virtual Assistant you have or will be hiring. How you work affects the expectations you will have of the VA you hire.
This also fits how Virtual Assistants work. Some thrive on short deadlines, unexpected project needs and finishing under the gun. Other VAs require lead time and charge extra if that requirement is not met. Some VAs even specialize in rush service. They may charge a higher fee as well. Most of us do understand that time gets away from you. The occasional last-minute project is usually no problem. After all, nobody is perfect.
When discussing your needs with your Virtual Assistant, you not only need to make the details of the task clear, but you also need to make your expectations of service and turnaround time clear as well. It’s perfectly all right to need a “fireman” always on duty and ready to take care of your needs at a moment’s notice. Just communicate that expectation to your VA ahead of time especially during the interview you have with a prospective Virtual Assistant. You can save a lot of time and money by making your expectations clear up front.
Whether you work fast and furious on impulse or pre-plan your work, you need to communicate that to your Virtual Assistant. If you make your expectations clear up front upon first hiring a Virtual Assistant, the relationship will run smoother. Both of you will know exactly how to handle everything you do together. If you already have a VA, good communication is key. Talk to your Virtual Assistant as soon as you know the “fire” has started. The sooner they know, the more likely they can help put it out even if they’re not expecting it.
Terri Zwierzynski says
March 22, 2011 at 3:08 pmSophie — great point to be covered during the hiring phase. I think it’s also important to convey expectations on a task or project basis too. And I forget to do this all the time! I’ll fire off an email, want something done within a day or two, and then wonder why I don’t hear back for a week. Well, I didn’t make my expectations clear. Silly me 😉
Terri Zwierzynski recently posted…Do You Have the Blogging Blues
SophieZo says
March 25, 2011 at 1:15 pmHi Terri! Thanks for commenting on my blog. I agree 100%. Communicating expectations at all times during the relationship is key to everyone getting things done accordingly. Even after hiring a VA, you have to keep expectations clear and on target to what is agreed upon from the beginning. When exceptions arise, clear discussion is required to be sure everyone is on the same page.
Alicia Jay says
March 23, 2011 at 8:14 pmHi Sophie!
I completely agree with you. If a client conveys their needs as well as their time frame, things go more smoothly. Communication is key for a good working relationship.
Alicia Jay recently posted…3 Reasons Why Proofreading Just Isn’t That Important
SophieZo says
March 25, 2011 at 1:11 pmHi Alicia! Thank you for commenting on my blog. Communication is definitely key to a successful VA/Client relationship especially when “fires” develop or if “by fire” you work. 🙂
Regina says
March 29, 2011 at 4:02 pmThanks for sharing this. Communication is the key to having a great relationship with an assistant. I always say, if your assistant can almost “speak” on your behalf (because they know you in and out), you’ve got a winner! 😉
Beverly Mahonr says
March 29, 2011 at 4:20 pmI totally LOVE this post! I just hired a local VA to help with my seminars. It is truly a work in progress because I am an under-delegator and I tend to work fast and furious. But there’s hope for me yet—-I hope 🙂
Beverly Mahonr recently posted…Talking to Grandchildren About Death
Zarina Hussain says
May 13, 2011 at 12:29 amGreat article. I completely agree, the keyword here is “communication”. Being a Virtual Assistant myself, the key to success is effective communication with the client. It is important to learn thoroughly from the client what the task is, a typical or preferred way the client likes it to be done, and of course what the expected results should be. Time to time status updates, follow-ups, etc. and alot of enthusiasm from both sides can take the client and VA a long way.
SophieZo says
May 18, 2011 at 12:13 pmThank you, Zarina! You are so right. Communication is key to success between a VA and the client. Expressing expectations for each task and all other aspects of the relationship is also key. If the VA does not know what is expected, they cannot perform to the standards the client sets. It’s all about talking it through ahead of time. Once that happens, things will function very smoothly.
Sophie