On my site there is a form for clients to fill out and the information therein goes to my VA team so that the client can receive several responses.

However, often I have to write back to the client, before the request is sent to the team, to ask for more information.  Things that are really useful to know, when responding to a request for work to be done are:

- What software program are you using? If you want data entry done for a database or bookkeeping done, it would be useful to know if you are already using a program and which one is it, including the version.
- If you’re looking for transcription work to be done – is it on a tape and if so, what type of tape? Or is it a digital file that can be emailed or downloaded?
- How long is the recording, i.e. how many minutes or hours?
- Do you have a time frame attached to the work needed?

I do have some instructions on the form but often people are in a hurry when filling it out and they don’t read everything.

To save time and to ensure you get suitable responses for your request then it is good if you can give as much information as possible.

Had an interesting conversation with a prospective client today.  They were despairing that they couldn’t find good telemarketers and had spent extensive time doing some research to find the right people.

I spent some time asking questions. Seems they only want to pay sub-contractor’s rates and not full rates.  I explained to them that an agency might pay the rate they wanted to pay to one of their workers but they would charge the client considerably more.   The client agreed on that point.

I told them we have experienced professional telemarketers on our team but they wouldn’t accept sub-contractors rates – they would want full professional rates. And then came the response ‘but they’re just secretaries, aren’t they?’

I told this person that although my business name is “A Clayton’s Secretary” the team has expanded far beyond mainly secretarial roles and we have professionals in all fields. That included telemarketers.

I can say, though, that this did get my back up.  ‘just secretaries’.  Even in my days as a corporate secretary I was seen as being more than ‘just office staff’ and my role held a lot of responsibility to it, and I was paid accordingly. It was a role that required me to make decisions in the absence of the boss and protect him/her from being bothered with things that may have been trivial. It’s not since my junior days that I’ve been considered or called ‘just’ by anyone.

The Virtual Assistant industry provides many different types of virtual support today – all of it professional:  transcription, telemarketing, bookkeeping, web design, research, word processing and so on.  I know that many think that this is a role that ‘just anyone’ can do, but if that was the case the industry wouldn’t exist because ‘just anyone’ would be doing all of what we do.

If you’re looking for a professional then feel free to contact my network or any VA network for that matter. But if you’re looking for ‘just anyone’ better go off to any of the freelance job sites so you can pay low fees to ‘just anyone’.

I love this industry!  It has allowed me to get to know my clients on a more personal level.

What do I mean by that? Well, I don’t mean that I’ve become friendly with their family and attend family functions (although occasionally I definitely have done that in the  past) but it does mean that in getting to know my clients and the way they operate their businesses, I’ve been able to provide a much more personalised approach in the virtual assistant support I provide them.

Some clients can get impatient in a new working relationship – after all, there is a settling in period (some call it the honeymoon period) where you are getting to know each other and how each other operates. But once that awkward time has drawn to a close, hopefully the VA and their client have a better understanding of work practices and methodologies and they can find the way that works for both.

Some clients prefer email contact, others by phone.  Some prefer you to report back after completing each item, others are happy to accept that the work is being done and will keep sending instruction.  Some have a constant need for regular daily or weekly contact, others simply as the work arises.

Whatever the work and contact needs and methods, once your Virtual Assistant has been allowed time to understand you and your business, a good working relationship can be developed.  Hopefully for the long term.  I have clients who have been with me for a very long time, that is, 10 or more years. But I still have new clients coming on board, as some move on to do other things, or no longer have a need for my support.  And if I don’t have the capacity for a new client then I do have a backup team of VAs to provide that support.

Somewhere along the line the general public (and clients) have been given the idea that you can engage one VA and get everything done! What a neat idea that is.

Trouble is, it’s usually far from the truth.

The reality is that some VAs are generalists, i.e. they can do wordprocessing, database management, website management and even help with social media. I’m one of those VAs. But when it comes to including book-keeping, graphic design, public relations, marketing and even sales, then the reality is the client needs to start thinking in compartments, just as the corporate world does.

In the corporate world an organisation will have a department that manages their staff, another that manages the finance, another for public relations, then graphic design, web design and so on. You get the picture don’t you?

Then it makes sense, surely, that a client could therefore need several VAs to support them as their business grows and develops.

Our industry has grown in leaps and bounds over the past 14+ years, however it still has quite a way to go yet as it’s important that the public, and potential clients, understand who we are, what we are and what we can do to help them daily in their businesses.

I sometimes hear from disgruntled clients who secure a Virtual Assistant through various means only to find they can’t do what they say they can.   This is not only frustrating for the client but is bad for our industry too.

As much as possible I try to encourage all I speak to, to look for Virtual Assistants through the VA Networks that have been established to help build up the industry, educate its members, and provide quality services to clients.

Generally the VA members have had to meet certain criteria to become members of that network which is a plus for clients. It means they’ve already been through some sort of screening process.  Unfortunately at many of the ‘freelance’ type of sites those offering services haven’t been screened and many just starting out can register there, as well as very experienced business operators.  In some cases through the VA Networks the client can come back to the network owner/leader/moderator and advise if they’re having problems with a VA and get it sorted out, and get a new VA if required. Most of the time I find it’s a case of miscommunication, and thankfully this doesn’t happen very often.

Members of the networks also have access to back up support in times of busy-ness, large projects, or if they need to be away from their VA practice for awhile because of illness or because they’re going on leave.

If you are looking for a Virtual Assistant who can really do what they say, then start looking at the VA Networks for the kind of support you really deserve.  There’s no charge for searches and being connected to VAs – you only pay the VA you choose for the work that is done.

Chatting to a VA over the weekend made me realise how much a Virtual Assistant working with a Not For Profit is a perfect fit.  You could say it’s the perfect marriage.

Organisations run by volunteer committees at some time or another get to the point of overload.  The committee members have to make a decision of where to go next, they’ve come to the cross road. Some struggle or find more committee members but more often than not, many get burnt out and move on, leaving the organisation lacking in skills and experience.  Others decide to engage someone to support them but then comes the question of who, when, where, how much and so on.

Enter the Virtual Assistant who has suitable skills for this role.  They already have their own office, equipment, software and furniture and this immediately elminates the need for those items to be considered by the committee of the organisation. So, the next thing they really need to do is decide what needs to be done and how much they are willing to commit to financially.

Some organisations agree to an annual rate which is paid on a monthly basis on contract and others simply pay on invoice to the VA who supports them. I have done it both ways and for 10 years supported several NFPs, some for several years.  At one stage I was supporting 3 simultaneously and really enjoyed this line of work.

The services I provided as a Secretariat (Association Management) for NFPs are:  database management, website maintenance, membership management, broadcast emails, daily contact with members (provided a phone line), receiving and opening mail, banking of membership payments, reporting to the treasurer and president as needed, prepare agendas for meetings, take minutes of meetings and organise networking and educational events for the members.  The majority of this work was done in my own office but once a month I may have been required to attend committee meetings or networking events held for members – it really depended on the organisation.

If you enjoy working with groups of people and have a personal interest in certain areas, then you could look to see what NFPs operate in that area, for example: sport, medical, ethnic groups, business councils, specific industry groups and so on.