Tips for Managing a Virtual Assistant

Set expectations upfront: It’s okay to set ground rules and communicate what is important to you – your virtual assistant will appreciate knowing how to keep you happy. Just be sure that it is done tactfully as the person you are working with, like anyone else in the world, will be offput if they are getting talked down to.

Help them see the big picture: Rather than assigning random work to your virtual assistant, tell them how it fits into your business. With this information, they can do a better job on your task and probably find ways to make it better for your purpose. Over time, as they learn more about your business and what you are doing, they will become more valuable to you.

Describe the end result, not just how to get there: Tell them what you envision the end result to look like. If you have an idea of what you want back, the only way they can produce that is if you communicate it. It’s unlikely they will produce it by chance. Having a clear picture of the destination also helps fill in gaps in instruction along the way.

Be patient when they need clarification: Unless they are asking questions you’ve already answered, it’s perfectly understandable that they will want to be sure they understand something in its entirety before jumping in. No two minds think alike or describe things the same way so you can expect that questions will arise. Interpret it as a sign of conscientiousness and diligence.

Give feedback on every task: Good, bad, in between – let them know how they did. I see very little feedback coming from clients and this is unfortunate. Basic management principles apply to virtual assistants – let them know what they did right that made you happy, let them know what they did wrong and how to do it better next time. It’s the combination of both positive feedback and constructive feedback that make for a good working relationship.

Check-in on a schedule: We believe that a virtual assistant should be more of  a partner relationship that an “assistant” relationship. We are more valuable to you if you frame the relationship that way. A virtual assistant needs to kept in the loop and communicated with frequently so that they can help you as much as possible. Without regular communication, we are hindered.