As an entrepreneur or business owner, you just naturally have too much work on your plate! So obviously you need some help with the smaller tasks that still seem to take up so much time, yet don’t have the time to hire a full-time worker!
This is where virtual assistants come in; they can get to work on those smaller tasks while you focus on other aspects of your business!
While working with a Virtual Assistant is incredibly helpful and time-saving, there are some steps you can take to ensure you are getting the most effective work out of your VA!
Here are TaskBullet’s tips on How to Get The Best Work From Your Virtual Assistant!
Build a Relationship With Your VA
Even if you’re on the opposite side of the world, it’s still important to build a good relationship with your virtual assistant.
Get to know them, in addition to getting to know their work ethic! Asking how they are often, getting to know them better, what they do for fun, etc.
Find something you have in common with your VA, such as a hobby or favorite place to travel. Establishing a solid relationship with your VA is so vital in creating a great work relationship.
As they get to know you better as well, they will genuinely like working for you and may even work more efficiently on your accounts.
Track Your VA’s Time
Even if you have built a strong relationship with the virtual assistant, you should still track their time and work.
Luckily TaskBullet’s Bucket System makes this easier for you than a traditional VA service. But should you want to, you can also work with your assistant to record their time on which exact tasks they are working on, or use other apps or tracking software to do this.
We use Basecamp!
Basecamp allows you to keep all your tasks and communication in one place, and with the Basecamp mobile app, you can stay connected and get work done on the go.
Get your free Basecamp project with every bucket purchase.
While you have established a relationship with your VA and may trust them, it is still vital that you get the biggest bang for your buck. Tracking their time, the progress of their work, and what they are working on, is important.
Communication is Key
When you first bring on your virtual assistant there is a lot of communication that needs to be done. Just like an in-office, full-time employee, you will have to train your VA.
Therefore, starting off with your VA will take up a bit more of your time, until they get the hang of things. After that, TaskBullet can take over the rest!
You should be in constant contact with your VA throughout your time together. Making sure things are going well, communicating if a process has changed, or something does not look completely correct. And of course, to build a friendship with your VA for more efficiency!
Communication is the key to making sure your VA is working efficiently and you are getting what you paid for!
Keep Shared Folders and Calendars
In conjunction with communication and relationship building, you should also keep your VA in the loop with what you have going on!
We suggest creating a calendar for the two of you to share and plan out tasks together, or you could share your current calendar with your VA.
If you have any dropbox files or google drive folders that contain any content or information, sharing those with your VA will allow them to access these things when they need them, without having to bug you every time! This brings us to our next point:
Be Transparent With Your VA
Honesty, transparency, and communication are all cousins of the same family. Sharing folders or calendars, communicating effectively, and creating a relationship are all steps that follow transparency.
Being honest and straight forward with your virtual assistant creates an aura of respect and integrity. Haven’t you heard the term- “secrets don’t make friends”?
Transparency, in a nutshell, means making everything — all information, goals, plans, and challenges — clear cut to your VA.
When you are straight forward, you are able to gather the full ability and motivation of every VA on your tasks. Your virtual assistant not only knows what they’re doing but also why they’re doing it!
They will have all the information they need to do their part effectively, at all times, because of your transparency and communication! This may even give them more inspiration and time to find creative, out-of-the-box ways to contribute to the plan.
Hire a TaskBullet VA
We innovate and streamline business processes for maximum efficiency. We do this for all forward-thinking business owners who understand that the system is the solution.
We accomplish this by educating, teaching and inspiring the TaskBullet team to better assist our clients, and by providing our clients with the resources needed to move their company forward.
When you purchase a bucket from TaskBullet we stick around and manage your account and the VA.
We don’t leave you to the vast abyss of the internet, to deal with vanishing VA’s who take your money and your work. We have Project Managers who are in constant contact with the VA’s and we the Management are in constant contact with the Project Managers.
If there is ever a problem you can contact us directly here in the U.S. and we will do everything we can to fix the issue.
The VA’s who work for us are like family, some of them have been with us since the beginning of TaskBullet.
We love our VA’s and we know you will love them as well.