Your Business is Our Focus!

There can be a variety of reasons to partner with a Virtual Assistant, including many of the benefits outlined on our ‘Benefits’ page. Recently, I was asked, “How do I engage a Virtual Assistant?”  In this post, you will find answers to this important question according to our systems & processes. You will discover how partnering with a Virtual Assistant may be the appropriate solution for your business.

New clients contact us through various methods, including: website, networking or current client referral. After the initial contact is made, the first step is to schedule a no-obligation consultation. Prior to that meeting, you will receive a brief questionnaire that will allow us to prepare questions for your unique business. The meeting will take approximately one hour and may be completed face-to-face or via telephone, whichever is most convenient for you. During the initial meeting, you will tell us about your business and together we will develop a plan to support your business through our Virtual Assistant services. This plan will become your Productivity & Cost Saving Audit.

Deciding to partner with a Virtual Assistant means examining your business. What tasks are you doing that could be completed by someone else?  Because your business is unique, your Virtual Assistant needs are also distinctive and individualised. You can work with a Virtual Assistant to your comfort level. Some clients know where they would like assistance, whereas others need help to determine which tasks can be delegated. Online Personal Assistants can help you discover those duties you can entrust to a Virtual Assistant.

After determining your business needs, we will send a proposal for your review. Online Personal Assistants works with businesses on a per-project basis or through an ongoing support role. You may choose to seek proposals from other Virtual Assistants. When doing so, consider whether you require a Virtual Assistant in your city, state or country. If location is not a factor, you may choose to search a Virtual Assistant Directory or conduct a Google search to find another Virtual Assistant for comparison purposes. Most importantly, determine your personalised goals prior to contacting a Virtual Assistant. This will ensure you receive the information most essential to you.

When searching for a Virtual Assistant, consider the following:

Experience: Relevant experience is a factor in determining Virtual Assistant fees. (You may pay a lower rate for one Virtual Assistant; however, you need to determine if that Virtual Assistant has the skills necessary to complete your work to your expectations.)

Knowledge: Ask yourself if you need a Virtual Assistant that has knowledge of your industry and how to manage a business. Consider a Virtual Assistant that shows initiative and can assist you with a variety of tasks.

Budget: Determine your budget when you review a prospective Virtual Assistant. This will help verify if your chosen Virtual Assistant can work within your budget. However, when working through your budget it is important to remember that with more time to build your business you may need to invest more initially than you will get in return (from new business you can generate).

Location: Decide if it is important to have someone local or if you can broaden your search to include other geographic areas.

Specialised Services: If your tasks are specific and concentrate in a particular subject, you may want to utilise a Virtual Assistant who specialises in that area. Remember though, many Virtual Assistants have extended teams who handle specific tasks so that you don’t have to juggle multiple assistants.

Turnaround Times: Communication is imperative when working with a Virtual Assistant. Be sure your Virtual Assistant knows your deadlines and time requirements. The majority of Virtual Assistants will have a standard lead time. For example, Online Personal Assistants requires a three-day lead time for most tasks. At times, jobs will be completed well within this time frame. However, sometimes the full three days will be utilised. Remember to communicate your requirements for each deadline to your chosen Virtual Assistant.

Testimonials: If you are concerned about not meeting face-to-face, check testimonials of previous clients and conduct additional research to ease your mind.

The above list illustrates several items that should be considered when engaging a Virtual Assistant. Ultimately, you must also choose a Virtual Assistant who suits your needs, personality and work style.