Working With a Virtual Assistant
The best way to succeed is to treat this relationship like…a relationship. Here, we share some time-tested suggestions to work effectively with your virtual assistant.
Prioritize Communication
Regular meetings (we suggest weekly) are essential to provide direction, assign tasks, and build trust and rapport with your assistant. Communication is vital during the first few weeks that you are working together. We know your time is valuable, but spending the extra time in the beginning to build a relationship with your assistant will create long-term efficiency. The more you and your assistant build a relationship, the easier it will become for your assistant to work independently with confidence.
Share Information and Access
Your assistant will need access to everything from credit card numbers to your Ticketmaster account. Additionally, your assistant will need your preferences for assigned tasks (i.e. your preferred dinner reservation time or double vs. king hotel room) and a place to keep and store current account(s) information and to put new account information.
We suggest that, if you do not already have a shared file or document, you create one in a secured cloud format (google sheets or dropbox) to share with your assistant. You can find a google sheet template here. This template is not inclusive of all the information your assistant will need, but it's a good starting point. Creating a shared information document will save time and frustration for both you and your assistant.
Another great password-sharing option is LastPass. LastPass is a paid password manager that stores encrypted passwords online. Pricing is very reasonable ($3/month) with a limited free option.
Some programs require 2-factor authentication. In this case, we ask that you set up an admin account for your assistant. Although you sometimes have to pay for a “seat” to do this, the amount of time and frustration it saves on the back and forth is worth it.
Delegate Tasks
Effective task delegation is the essence of working with an assistant but is frequently the most challenging thing to accomplish. We get it; it’s hard to hand over control, and sometimes doing it yourself feels easier. The more comfortable you get with delegating, the more and more things you will be ready to hand over to your assistant!
Start by making a list of tasks you need help with. Your assistant is trained and equipped to complete a wide variety of tasks and has been assigned to you based on their skill set. Additionally, your assistant has access to our entire team for troubleshooting and learning. If you aren’t sure, just ask! Chances are they know how to do it or would really like to learn.
Once your task list has been finalized, delegate these tasks accordingly and ensure that your assistant is set up with the right information, access and passwords to complete them remotely.
Collaborate With the Right Tools
There are a ton of digital tools that can be utilized to effectively collaborate. We suggest you keep it simple by using what you are already comfortable with. Document sharing platforms such as Google Drive, Dropbox or Microsoft 360 are imperative and a project management tool such as Asana, Trello or Clickup is recommended. Creating an ongoing project list or using a project management tool allows a place for updates and feedback to be stored. This is also a good place to assign tasks and deadlines and track what has been done. Our assistants are trained on these programs and we can provide ongoing training to you and the assigned assistant.
Set Time Related Expectations and Boundaries
Our assistants work in “time blocks” or set times each week. This is different for each assistant/client relationship but we encourage you to ask about available hours as well as provide your assistant with hours that you will be available. This can look different for everyone; perhaps you do not make yourself available after 7pm, or your assistant is not free before they get their kids on the bus. When you first start working together, make sure you both understand each other's “office” hours.
Set Priorities and Reasonable Deadlines
It is important that you let your assistant know the overall goals of your work together and help them understand the priorities for the week/month. As virtual assistants, we appreciate a broad view of your organization's goals and insight into what is most important to you.
In addition to setting priorities, we love clear expectations of deadlines. If your assistant performs routine tasks daily, ensure they have all the info needed to complete those tasks in a timely manner. If something has a hard deadline, communicate that to them.Your assistant has limits as to how much work they can produce in a limited time frame. By providing reasonable deadlines and complete information needed for the task, you are allowing them to create their best work and avoid mistakes. Rushing is where mistakes happen.
Document Processes
Documenting processes is tedious, but it will save you a lot of time in the long run. It also minimizes room for error and allows for quicker training of new assistants.
If you don’t already have your processes documented, your VA can help, especially during the onboarding process and as you train them in new internal processes. Of course, you’ll have to allow them a bit more time to do this, but the ROI will be worth it.
Find Mutual Respect
Our assistants are trained to act professionally and treat you and your team respectfully. In turn, we expect the same. Your assistant, as a contractor, is a part of your team but is also doing a service for you. We feel this goes without saying, but name-calling, put-downs, or outbursts of anger will, at the least, make your assistant unmotivated to do a good job and at the most, force us to end our contract. On the flip side, showing your assistant gratitude for a job well done, or encouraging them to take more control over a part of the project they enjoy and are good at, will motivate your assistant to work at their highest capacity.
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