Tips for Effective Communication with your VA
Having great communication gives a successful working relationship with your VA. Here are some effective ways to have good communication with your VA
Always Be Clear and Concise
What you don’t need when you are trying to effectively run a business is room for interpretation, where mistakes and tasks can be manhandled. The first key to a successful work relationship is to have a very clear and concise communication strategy.
You may worry about sending the wrong impression, but your virtual assistant will appreciate clear instructions and expectations. This will also cut down on questions. While it is not wise to discourage questions, clear communication will improve efficiency.
Define expectations
Virtual assistants can be used for a number of tasks from compiling leads to helping schedule meetings. They can basically handle any task that you need to complete where they don’t physically need to be present.
The more challenging part after understanding what role you want the virtual assistant to take is setting clear expectations. To set clear expectations, you need to either complete an example task that they would do or conduct a trial with them. Defining expectations usually revolves around a numerical list setting the steps they need to take to complete your task.
Train your virtual assistant
Properly train your virtual assistant from the beginning will save you both time, frustration, and stress at a later date. If you do not set out clear expectations and instructions for the jobs you need to have done, then you may be leaving room for mistakes.
One way to train your virtual assistant is with the use of videos. Most of us are visual, but since it is unlikely you will be able to sit down face to face with your VA, video instructions will send your message loud and clear.
Give Regular Feedback
There is really nothing worse than a virtual assistant that thinks they are doing a great job because there has been no feedback, but the client has not been happy. This is something that will really hurt the client/assistant relationship. If the VA is not getting any feedback unless they ask for it, then it is likely they will become frustrated. As the working relationship progresses, make sure that if there is something that is not to your satisfaction to let them know. This also goes for things that you want to be changed or done differently.
Trust your Virtual Assistant
This is a big one. Another way to say this is to not micromanage your assistant. If you hired them, trained them, and have regular communication and meetings with them, then you need to trust them to do their job.
That doesn’t mean that you don’t address things that need to be addressed. It does mean that you don’t redo or undo what they have already done. This sends the message that you don’t trust them.
Have Regular Meetings
This is a must to effectively communicate with your virtual assistant. The video call technologies that we talked about earlier are going to help with this part of communication. While a phone call would be fine, there is something about having a “face to face” meeting via Skype or Zoom.
This makes things more personal and you can see that you are both engaged and paying attention to the meeting. Some people have weekly meetings while others may have monthly video calls while staying in touch via emails, texts, or another platform for the rest of the month.
Get to Know Your Assistant Personally
Knowing your Virtual assistant is something that will help you communicate in an effective way. The way to build a solid rapport with your virtual assistant is to get to know your assistant on a personal level. This is not to say that you need to be the best of friends.
Caring about what happens in their lives will be a great way to do this. Know about their family, their favorite foods, drinks, and what they like to do in their free time. Do they have a dog?
Things like that will make them feel valued and seen.
Show Your Virtual Assistant Appreciation
Everyone wants to be appreciated. Even if they don’t say it, it’s true. Showing your virtual assistant that you really appreciate what they are doing for your business will go a long way to building a great relationship. And part of a great relationship is good communication.
This doesn’t mean that you need to go crazy with gifts and over the top shows of appreciation. Maybe send a nice handwritten note to their home, a virtual gift card to Amazon, or an extra day off one week. Virtual assistants work hard and something small will be greatly appreciated
