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.
Lawrence says
Technology does not only make virtual assistance possible, technology makes the work of the virtual assistant easier. Whereas people had to fax documents in the past, people can just scan documents now and then send that document through email or through other means.
rosario says
There really has to be a certain level of personal relationship other than professional relationship so the two can develop a partnership where they can work on creating methodologies on how to better perform the tasks that needs to be done. thank you for posting this article! 🙂