How does a Virtual Assistant get to know a business owner and
their business?
This is one of the questions that many prospective clients ask me, when we have our initial exploratory call. The answer is simple – it’s the same as you would with any new member of staff – it is no different just because we will work with you virtually. The only difference is we can’t take you for a cuppa at lunch time of course. It is really important that when you start working with a Virtual Assistant, that you provide as much information about your business as you can. This will enable them to understand what you do and the service you offer, and this will mean they can better support you.
Initial Contact
Relationship building between business owner and Virtual Assistant starts from the initial contact, which may be an email or phone call. After an initial call it’s sometimes useful to meet face to face, whether that’s in person or via something like zoom. During the initial call you will get the all important first impression. If you get on well, that’s a great start, but if there is anything that makes you feel uneasy about your future working relationship then listen to your instincts! This applies to both sides of course. The relationship between VA and Client is very important and it has to be right.
Regular Communication
This is as key to working with a Virtual Assistant, especially as it’s mostly a virtual relationship. Provide as much background information to your business or industry as possible. This may include industry publications and blogs, background reading, previous board papers or even common acronyms and industry jargon. Also talk to your VA about your long and short term goals for your business so they can help you to stay on track – and let them know any vision and mission statements that you have.
As you work together, your Virtual Assistant will get to know your business like any other member of the team would.
Regular Reviews
It is important to allocate time to review how the relationship is working. This may be informal, or formal. In the early days of working with a new client, I regularly check in to make sure it is working for them. As time goes on, we ask for feedback through review meetings, feedback surveys and testimonials. We also have an annual review with all clients. It can be difficult sometimes for people to say that they are not quite happy with things, and allocating time for a review allows both parties to bring things to the table. If there is something you are not happy with, make sure you bring this up and communicate it to your VA as quickly as possible so that you can work together on resolving the issue.
How do I know I can trust you? Read on.
For details on how we can help you to find the space to grow your business, call us on 07814 218142 or email joanne@joannemanville.co.uk or why not download our free guide, 30 ways to use a VA