How To Get The Best Results From A Virtual PA
Having worked with many types of businesses and people, there is one simple rule to follow if you want to get the best out of your Virtual Assistant and that is CLEAR COMMUNICATION.
If you think about office-bound PAs, there are lots of opportunities for them to coherse with their employers, from the moment they arrive and say good morning, to lapses between meetings, breaks and even during meetings there are ways to quickly establish clear lines of communication.
When working virtually it is sometimes more difficult to understand exactly what your client wants unless they are naturally very good at explaining their expectations and clearly laying out what it is they want.
I always say to my clients words along the lines of "please feel free to call me any time if there is something you think you forgot to mention or would like to add." That way they know they are not bothering me as I have given them the go ahead to do so. This is for selfish reasons as I would far rather get the project right first time than go back and start again from the beginning.
Some people are naturally good talkers - if only all clients were like that! Others need encouragement and some even need more confidence to be able to say what exactly it is they need in order for the project to work well and for them to feel comfortable with someone who is not sitting opposite them. It is also a good idea to tell your future VA that if there is anything he or she is not clear about, they should always feel they can check with you.
If you are thinking of hiring a Virtual PA I would recommend an initial meeting if at all possible so that you can put a face to the name and get to know each other a little. If however you work too far away from each other, this is no big deal but it is even more important to ensure your expectations are made clear and that the VA you choose to work with has the right experience and is capable of managing those expectations!
For example, if you are a business coach and spend a lot of time in training rooms or in meetings with clients, you will need to either lay out in an email what it is you want your Virtual PA to do before you start your day or communicate a time you can call to discuss your requirements. Failure to do this could otherwise result in you delaying your communication until you finish your day and therefore result in a rush job for your VA, or you could find you suddenly lose your mobile signal when your train enters a tunnel and again, the moment to communicate that all important message is lost.
I would recommend making a couple of notes the night before so nothing is left unsaid during that crucial phone call or email.
Of course once you and your online PA have got used to working together and understand each other's commitments and deadlines, it will get much easier and, as time goes on, become even easier still.
Top Tip:
It is far better at all times to be clear. If you are undecided on something, save it until you are certain as this will avoid any potentially costly misunderstandings and good luck!
