A virtual personal assistant can become a key player in your business.
Getting the most out of your Virtual Personal Assistant (VPA) requires a clear plan and strategies. By following our expert advice, you can ensure that your VPA works seamlessly to maximize efficiency and help you achieve more with less work.
Set Clear Guidelines and Expectations
Before you start working with your Virtual Personal Assistant, setting clear guidelines and expectations is essential. This will help you and your VPA get the most out of each other and maintain a professional working relationship. Outline the tasks for your VPA so they can more easily complete given tasks. Provide materials and resources to give them an idea of what you expect, and explain any company traditions or policies that may be necessary. Doing this upfront will ensure both parties know what's expected from the outset.
Once the guidelines and expectations have been established, it's crucial that you communicate and provide feedback to your VPA throughout the process. Keeping them in the loop allows them to address any issues or unfinished tasks efficiently. Communication is essential as it helps create an efficient workflow and minimizes misunderstandings during their tasks. Working with a VPA can be a beneficial relationship for both parties if handled correctly.
Setting clear expectations will help ensure a positive working relationship with your VPA and make any project go more smoothly and efficiently.
Install Monitoring Software or Apps
A great way to ensure tasks are being completed efficiently and on time is by installing monitoring software or apps. This software can help track hours worked and tasks accomplished, so no time is wasted. In addition, having access to this information will give you peace of mind that your VPA is up-to-date with their work.
By setting up this type of monitoring software or app, you can set goals for your VPA, create a timeline for completing tasks, assign and track work, and review performance. With the data you'll obtain from these programs, it'll be easier to decide which tasks are high priority and how long they take to complete so that you can better manage your VPA. Furthermore, these apps will also monitor customer service metrics and customer engagement activities.
Having a clear view of what your virtual assistant is doing during their work hours will help to keep them on track and successful in their role.
Communicate Regularly (and Provide Feedback)
Regular communication is essential to having a successful relationship with a VPA. Make sure to set clear expectations of the tasks they need to complete and any deadlines they might have at the very beginning of your relationship. Besides stating what you expect, check in on them throughout their time working for you. Provide feedback when necessary, praise when appropriate, and genuinely express gratitude for their work!
Additionally, feedback should not be saved for the end of a VPA's work.
Feedback, both positive and critical, should be given frequently to ensure that team members are armed with enough information about their performance in order to learn and grow constantly. A good VPA will want to understand what tasks they can improve on as well as receive congratulations when they exceed expectations. Regular communication helps foster this understanding and cultivate a productive working relationship.
Buffer Your Time To Reduce Rush-Hour Frustrations
Managing a VPA can be much like dealing with public transportation; during rush hour, your lines can become too long to handle. This metaphor is accurate, especially if you're managing multiple VPAs simultaneously. By buffering your time, you can reduce spikes in workload and provide better guidance for each individual on the team. Spend extra time organizing tasks into manageable chunks and see how quickly it will improve your team's productivity!
Breaking down tasks into smaller pieces will allow you to delegate them properly to your VPAs. You should also consider establishing stricter deadlines and plan for any possible interruptions when managing virtual personal assistants. This ruling is important because it prevents the team from rushing through tasks and compromising quality and accuracy.
Furthermore, setting clear expectations and a timeline; such as deadline reminders, progress updates, and completion alerts; will ensure each task runs smoothly, even during peak times.
Pay Well and Offer Rewards For Good Performance
Make sure your VPA(s) is compensated fairly and offer rewards for good performance. Your VPA will appreciate knowing that their hard work is recognized and rewarded. Showing them appreciation will help ensure that their service remains quality, timely and reliable. Bonuses or additional perks can go a long way in getting loyalty from your virtual assistant, so consider investing in incentives whenever possible if it fits within your budget.
Set clear expectations for what is expected from your VPA and give them details on the project or task that you'd like to have completed. You don't want to be disappointed if they don't meet the standards you had in mind. Be clear about schedules, deadlines, and other requirements so that you are on the same page. Communication between the two of you is essential for your virtual assistant to understand your needs better.
By sticking to these basic rules, you can find success with a virtual personal assistant and get more done without having to do it all yourself.
Hiring a Virtual Personal Assistant
Virtual assistants are workers who want to see your business stand above your competition. They are trained in several areas like graphic design, bookkeeping, and other back-office tasks. They also possess the necessary knowledge and skills to perform almost any job your company needs.
If you would like to know more about our virtual assistants and the different services New Age Cubicle offers, do not waste more of your valuable time and give us a call! We will match you with an exceptional VA, so you only need to worry about making the call.
What are you waiting for? Try a virtual assistant today!