Picture this scene: you are a business owner going back and fro in your facility as the day progresses. Nothing is out of the ordinary until you reach your personal office. You hit the computer and see an email where a client requests numerous products from your operation. It is nothing you cannot handle. You muse, while skimming the rest of the email.
The only thing bothering you is that all your employees are focusing on their tasks, and no one can handle the new batch of requests. So what do you do? You either outsource help from another company or hire a temporary virtual assistant. You choose the latter.
Hiring a virtual assistant is one of the many things that keep several enterprises afloat amid additional work. The investment is worthwhile, and you can land a virtual assistant who excels in whatever work they do. By this time, it is a no-brainer to get such help.
You do so in little time and land a potential virtual assistant. You hand them some instructions and additional assets, and they get to work not too long later. You notice that they get it on with work with little supervision. But they rarely inform you of what’s going on with the task. The assistant submits most of the job not too long later. You notice they do the work.
However, it is not of quality. Only then do you realize that they work to meet the quota, skipping other things, such as quality and presentation. Long story short, you and the virtual assistant have failed in communicating what you want to achieve.
That brings us to one of the many things that make up a proper VA and client relationship: communication. Such a factor will either make or break your relationship with a virtual assistant you choose to hire. You can do all of the things to keep communication lines open for your assistant. But the thing is that they might not do the same.
Unfortunately, several virtual assistants today prefer to keep things quiet – they will only inquire about things once they hit a work roadblock. There is nothing else going on besides work. That aspect is not exactly a bad thing altogether.
Keeping things short and fast is how other assistants choose to do the job. They want to limit communication and prefer to stay professional and efficient. Asking things only during an issue guarantees that the workflow does not derail one way or another.
Then there are the virtual assistants on the other side of the spectrum. They are the ones who want to get into conversations and meetings, discussing work and non-work-related matters. A lot of these individuals are outgoing and social. They prefer to chat and mingle as much as they do the tasks. Speaking of work, they will not think twice to inquire about several things once they begin.
They will bombard you with questions about the work you present them. Again, such an aspect is no big deal for some clients. They prefer virtual assistants with guts – the individuals who have something to say, sometimes for the benefit of the business overall.
However, it is not all daisies and rainbows to work with these types of virtual workers. Some clients might find their behavior annoying and arrogant, with little to no respect for the people they work for entirely. Some clients think these temporary workers overstep their boundaries should they mention a debatable suggestion.
Overall, you as a client will face several issues as you work with virtual assistants. It does not matter how professional both VA and clients keep the job. Something might – and will – take a turn for the worse. That is why communication is paramount. Yet, it is only a part of the entire spectrum. How do you keep and maintain a healthy relationship between you, the client, and a virtual assistant working on your behalf?
There are several steps you can take to achieve such a healthy work atmosphere with a virtual specialist, albeit you don’t speak face to face. After all, a successful business is one form of relationship. Think of it as a sapling you and your VA help grow and thrive. Enough water and sunlight guarantee that the plant will live and prosper. Not enough of these will make the poor thing suffer and eventually lose its life.
Communication is one thing. Forming trust is another. Establishing trust with your virtual assistant will go a long way indeed. However, you cannot rely on merely mentioning you trust the guy. “I will trust you with the work at hand,” is such a yesterday mindset.
In addition, mentioning that gives the impression that you only need the assistant to do the task, nothing more. You have to trust them wholeheartedly. Make them part of the company, not just an outsider grinding late-night hours for a quick buck. Any virtual assistant will perform one hundred and ten percent once they feel like they are a part of the organization.
The idea of isolation and feeling alien toward the client’s company will completely vanish. You will notice a performance spike once you establish trust.
The next factor is patience. We get it that virtual assistants ready to work have the training and skills to do the job. However, not all of them know how an industry fully functions. It takes time for them to learn about things that keep an operation stable and running. As a client, it is paramount you be patient with a virtual worker as they learn the ropes that make your business tick.
Keep in mind most learning courses and modules vary from one business to another. Some might take less than a day. Other industries require new hires to grind for weeks. A virtual worker understands this concept and will learn as much as they can before engaging in work.
Now you’ve paved the way for a better and healthier relationship with your virtual assistant. You communicate with them and enjoy a laugh or two. Plus, you keep them up to date with meetings and scheduled messages. You even include them in one of the company’s events. It appears all is well. Unfortunately, there is a plot twist – you still have other things to put in the jar.
Including and making your virtual assistant part of your enterprise can only go so far. It is also a must that you show them not some, but a lot of appreciation. You can visit online sites and see dozens and dozens of clients who do not show appreciation for the work these individuals perform. As soon as they finish a task, most virtual assistants get the immediate boot.
Sure, they get the payment for the work they accomplish. Hands down, the cash matters for several reasons: rent, bills, food, etc. A person performs the work specialize in, so they get that sweet paycheck at the end of a cutoff. They will use the hard-earned money as they see fit. But there is still that sense of accomplishment once a worker receives a pat on the back.
Ask anyone who works, and they will mention such a small gesture will go a long way. It will not take a lot to thank and appreciate a virtual worker for the things they do. After all, you hired them to do a job or two. It is only fair you return the favor.
Speaking of payment, it is also a form of appreciation to pay a virtual worker on time. Not only will it highlight that you are a trustworthy and professional client. It also instills the idea that you keep your word. Not many business owners perform such a practice, but throwing in an additional buck or two also does wonders.
Any person enjoys a neat work bonus, and the feeling is even better knowing they did the tasks as professionally and efficiently as they can entirely.
However, not all of the responsibility rests with a client alone. Any potential virtual assistant must do their part to make the relationship healthy and thriving. Not only should they follow instructions to the fullest. They must communicate with their client as well. They can offer suggestions, plan ideas, share insight, and even have a joke or two. These things will assist in keeping the communication and trust lines clear and smooth.
A virtual assistant must also work with professionalism. It is not only about quantity. Quality is a must for any kind of work. Imagine a worker with an instruction to make a thousand toy cars. They finish the assignment in no time, but the client later finds out that each toy only has three working wheels.
The virtual assistant must do all it takes to preserve quality without burning their brains to the ground. But if things take quite a turn, you can always request a break.
We R Solution’s workforce is one such example of professionalism and efficiency. We will handle any job you set on the table, and you can count on us to finish it. Our ever-efficient and busy working bees are all you need for your industry’s additional workload.
Putting It All Together
Nothing is better than a healthy working relationship between a client and a virtual assistant. Together, they can perform tasks and endeavors without hitting a roadblock or any other hindrance. But once they do, the factors and aspects they have built over time will pave the way to handle such obstacles and onward to that sunset of success.