If you have recently come to the realization that you can
make better use of your time and earn more profits by
focusing on the income earning aspects of your business,
you are not alone. More and more entrepreneurs are
choosing to outsource their administrative duties to a
Virtual Assistant. But how do you find the right VA for
you? Putting your trust in a complete stranger to care for
your business' administrative functions is tricky, and in
some cases even risky business. You want to be sure that
you are able to trust that your assistant isn't taking
advantage of you by over-billing and that he/she is not
disclosing any of your business' confidential information
to others. You also want to be sure that your VA is a
skilled, reliable professional that will make your business
a priority.
The vast majority of Virtual Assistants are business owners
much like you. If they have any knowledge of the business
world at all, they realize that your business success
correlates with their business success. But, in this
industry, as in many others, there are opportunists that
one would like to avoid. Blindly hiring VA and then
trusting that person with your business is not generally
the best approach. The following are some tips that should
help you select a capable VA for your business needs:
1. Examine the VA's website. The site should enable you to
determine a few key details. Is the text free of spelling
errors? Is it properly formatted and well written? If so,
this is a good indication that the VA operates their
business in a professional manner and is detail oriented.
Visit the "services" page to see if they can carry out most
of the tasks you need performed. The "about us" page
should give you an idea of the VA's background and
qualifications.
2. Ask a friend or colleague about their VA. More people
than you think are using the services of Virtual Assistants
these days. Ask around to see if anyone you know either
uses a VA or knows someone who uses a VA. Talk to that
person to see if they are happy with their Assistant's
work. If other people are happy with his/her work, this is
a good indication that you will be happy as well.
3. Ask any potential candidates for a free consultation to
discuss the possibility of working with them. During the
consultation, discuss the VA's professional experience, but
remember, this is not a one way interview. The Virtual
Assistant is a business owner and will also be asking you
questions about your business to see if he/she wants to
work with you. Be sure to discuss their billing practices.
Will they track their time for you so that you can see the
hours they have spent on your work? During this
consultation, you should be able to evaluate whether the VA
is intelligent and articulate and whether you are able to
easily communicate with one another.
4. Ask for references. If you have time to check
references, it's a good idea to do so. As with any
potential contractor, checking with businesses the VA has
worked with, will allow you to ask an objective individual
for their opinion of the Assistant's work.
5. Start on a per project basis before retaining the VA's
services for a longer term. This will provide the best
indication of their skill level and how well you work
together. Some VA's offer discounts on first projects to
encourage you to use their services on a trial basis.
While not all VAs offer such deals, it can't hurt to ask.
Always take advantage of these offers before agreeing to a
long-term working relationship.
Some other things you should look for in a Virtual
Assistant are superior customer service skills, prompt
replies to your phone calls or emails, and a work schedule
that is commensurate with your own. Having said this, it
is important for you to remember that a Virtual Assistant
is a business owner. They have other clients and may not be
available at all hours of the day or night. If that is what
you need, you should probably consider hiring an employee
instead.
Finding a qualified Virtual Assistant will provide you with
the freedom to focus on making your business more
profitable. The right VA should provide quality work in a
relatively timely manner and will undoubtedly increase your
productivity. The approach to finding the perfect VA
suggested here is a structured one that should increase
your probability of gaining an Assistant, with whom you can
enjoy a lasting and mutually successful working
relationship.
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Kelly Sims is a Virtual Assistant and President of
Virtually There VA Services. To find out more about
virtual assistance and how using a Virtual Assistant can
simplify your life, visit her website at =>
http://www.virtuallythereva.com . While you're there,
don't forget to sign up for her free monthly newsletter
providing useful information that enhances and simplifies
the lives of busy entrepreneurs.
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