Hiring a virtual assistant is a fantastic way to get help with a new business. It frees you from having to worry about facts, figures and paperwork. Yet, you won’t have to worry about the costs of a physical team. With most VAs working on a freelance basis, you’ll only need to pay for the work they do. And, you can cut ties if things aren’t working out or your finances plummet.
Of course, even in their virtual capacity, you and your VA need a great relationship to make this work. You will, after all, be operating in close virtual proximity. You’ll need to understand and appreciate each other and develop fantastic communication to keep things on track. Hence why you should think twice if the two of you aren’t getting along.
Obviously, the benefit of freelance workers is that you can change if you need to. If a relationship with a virtual assistant really isn’t working, you can call it quits. But, if that assistant works well and brings benefits to your business, you have incentive to keep working with them. In that situation, you may be better off asking yourself what the problem is, and how you can solve it. And, you might just find out by considering the following possibilities.
You’re expecting too much
Expecting too much is a mistake many make with virtual assistants. It’s true that, in the early days, your VA can do most things. From accounts to email management, they’ll have you covered. But, as your company grows, it just isn’t realistic to expect the same. Even VAs need time off, and the relationship will soon start to strain if you’re piling on too much work. Instead, check in and ensure things are still manageable. If your VA shows any sign of burnout, help where you can. Instead of expecting admin and accounting for instance, you could outsource your accounting using companies like Qdos Accounting. That way, you can take a load of pressure off your virtual assistant, and make sure they stay happy working for you.
You’re breathing down their neck
Breathing down a VAs neck is ALWAYS a mistake. It’s tricky, given that you’re trusting this person with vital aspects of your business. You will want to keep on top of them. But, remember that a VA works on a freelance basis only. You don’t employ them, and this should be more of a partnership than a boss/employee. Obviously, you should confront them if they aren’t meeting deadlines. But, if they’re getting on with their work in their way, let them do it. Don’t check in all the time or put unnecessary pressure on. Be careful, too, of trying to dictate your VA’s working style. The chances are that they have their own filing systems and computer programs. Don’t try and change these, or specify ways YOU would do things. Remember, this is a partnership, If you start to interfere in this way, you could lose your VA before you know.