Maximizing the Potential of Your Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistants (VAs) have been becoming increasingly more popular all over the world ever since the Pandemic which has shown us that remote resources is workable.Many businesses now rely on them. That’s because VAs are skillful, adaptable, and definitely more affordable than in-house staff.

You can probably do anything just like a VA, too, but doing everything on your own can hinder the growth of your business. If you are serious about making your company the best in your industry, you’re going to have to let go of some tasks on your plate so you can focus on more things that bring revenue and increase your profits—tasks that truly bring value and are the backbone of your business, which is drawing in clients.

Take note that not everything that you do truly generates revenue.

If you are ready to scale your business up, let go of the back-office tasks and outsource them to a Virtual Assistant. When you decide to do this, you want to make sure the transition is as smooth as possible.

So, how can you get the most out of your VA?

✅ Provide Training

Ensure you provide training to your VAs so they can perform tasks to your standards and speed up processes. When onboarding a VA, have standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place would be ideal But how many small businesses really have that!

Here at VDW, we recommend that all training is recorded and the SOP be created with that recording in tandem with the VDW.

SOPs make things move faster and save you some time.

This way, they only need to ask questions when they encounter something unclear, freeing up your time. For emails, prepare responses for frequently asked questions (FAQs) so your VA can reply to clients quickly, consulting you only when necessary.

✅ Assign Tasks

Quite simply…

Ease the VA into the tasks. Do not overwhelm them.
Always use a task program like Monday.com or Planner in O365.
Have realistic deadlines so they understand when it is required. This is best done with a discussion so that there is an agreement on the deadline. The VA will feel listened to and be motivated. Unless, of course, there is an external deadline, which then the question becomes, “What do you need to get this done by the external deadline?

Staying unproductive can remove your passion for doing tasks.

✅ Activity Reporting

Most BPO uses daily reports, which I have found to be a bit lacking. I much prefer an activity report that allows me to see a trend over any period of time. This allows me to understand what they are working on, whether they have too much on, etc.

Helping them in organising their time promotes their productivity. It really is a Win-Win!

✅ Encourage New Learning

We all have heard of Coveys- Sharpen your saw. Encourage your VA to explore new skills. Why is this part of this topic? Well, helping them improve their skill is a big plus for your company because they would probably use that skill as they work for you. So encourage them to learn new skills and learn about new trends. Ask them what they would like to learn and support their development. Your company will benefit in the long run.

✅ Strengthen Relationships

Don’t neglect your VA’s well-being. They are really part of your team, even though they are half a world away. Ask them how they’re doing, and if they have any problems or good news to share. Schedule team catch-up calls or one-on-one meetings. Show that you care for them. You can also share some of your wins in life to draw the gap between you and build trust in both parties.

A closer relationship will lead to your VA treating your business as their own and showing initiative to help it grow.

You can also consider visiting your staff in their country or set a rendezvous, conduct a team-building activities, or give incentives or awards to motivate them.

Team building unifies your team and promotes cooperation, boosting productivity.

Hiring an outsourced resource will have its challenges. A lot could go wrong, especially if it’s your first time outsourcing. Instead of improving your situation, it could make it worse and more stressful. Before hiring one, keep in mind the points mentioned above to get the most out of your VA.

What are you most afraid of when hiring a virtual assistant?