I had an email from one of my team recently who’d been sub-contracting to another VA. Turns out that while the job had been completed there had been some disagreement about how the job should have been handled and therefore billed. I’ve had similar emails from VAs from time to time. Sometimes things aren’t that clear.
They came to me for advice and we chatted about the outcome and what might have taken place before the job was secured.
Basically it’s like this (IMO). If you’re sub-contracting to another VA, doesn’t matter how well you know them, or even if you’ve done work with them before, they should be treated like any other client you would work with. Get everything in writing – don’t assume anything.
If I get clients ringing me to give me instruction, I will either ask them to email me with the same information, or I will send them an email confirming what had been discussed on the phone. A client asked me why I would do that when we chatted on the phone about this and I explained that it’s an audit paper trail for me. I can print off the instructions and re-read them. It’s hard to replay a conversation exactly in your head but with the written word you can read, re-read, cross off as you complete things and it’s less likely you’ll forget a component of what needs to be done.
Plus you can send back queries as a reply to that email so what had been mentioned or discussed before is there in front of the person reading the email.
Which leads me to another point: Reply with the original email intact if you’re replying to something that has been said or asked. Don’t reply with a blank email – it makes it hard for the recipient to know what you’re referring to without the original email included.
Lyn Prowse-Bishop says
I SO agree with this Kathie. I have a number of subcontract VAs and have contracts in place with them all. But you are right – sometimes if you’ve known them for some time it makes it difficult for them to view you as a client. I had one say to me she didn’t realise I felt that way because she thought we were “friends helping each other out”. This despite that I had a contract with her and had tried to keep the ‘friend’ and ‘business’ sides separated.
It’s a hard balance. But good advice to anyone thinking about subcontracting. You CAN be friends but when it’s about work they should be your client.
Debra Barber says
Excellent article Kathie. Sometimes the lines can get blurred if you don’t have everything in writing whether that is a contract or the instructions for the work. Great advice!
Thanks for sharing.
Alana Daveduk says
I could not agree more- communication is a huge gorilla that everyone tip toes around and working virtually emailing, phone calling or skipping a day of communication because the client is not reachable or the VA you are subcontracting for- it is all connected and they deserve to be treated like your best client.
Patty Dost says
I completely agree with you on this. That is one of the main points I make in my ‘The VAs VA’ ebook. A VA is a client and needs to be treated as such. I am a friend to all of my clients but I do know that business is business. If you’re going to subcontract or be on a multi-VA team, you have to understand this.
physician assistant says
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