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How Do You Get The Most From A Virtual Assistant?

by kelvin yeo
10 replies
I'm about to start working with a VA and was wondering if the more experienced warriors might share any advice or words of wisdom about getting the most from working with VAs?

How best to brief them on assignments (camtasia?)? How do you monitor on-going work, their progress or pace. How do you get them to work more efficiently or effectively? What kind of deadlines are reasonable for VA work?

How do you correct them. How much hand-holding would you do? When would you "give up" on a VA who's not working out and switch her or him for someone else?

Are there specific IM tasks you would gladly have a VA do? As opposed to certain tasks you would NEVER pass on?

Don't mean to pose so many questions. Just thought it'd make it easier for folks here to contribute their thoughts.

Thanks everyone!

Cheers
#assistant #virtual
  • Profile picture of the author Leanne King
    sometimes it's a good idea to do a quick vid of how you want the work to be done, you can track their hours and tasks by using an online tool like clockingit.com. Give them a simple interview task ie set up a wp blog for instance or bookmark something and see how well they perform and how many questions they ask before you hire them. I'd give a va anything boring and/or anything that I hate doing but that's just me
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  • Profile picture of the author kelvin yeo
    Leanne thanks for suggesting clockingit.com. Looks like it'll come in handy!
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  • Profile picture of the author ecoverbox
    Thanks for suggesting clockingit.com . Odesk comes with an inbuilt feature which logs when the VAs start and stop working on a project.
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    • Profile picture of the author intromaster
      Kelvin,

      Those are the same questions I needed to know as well!!

      I've just hired a virtual assistant and want to know how to maximize my productivity now. I hate doing a lot of little boring tasks (data entry for example) and it's so handy having someone else do all those mundane things but I want to make sure I'm using my v/a effectively and efficiently.


      Thanks
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      • Profile picture of the author AndrewHansen
        Here's a guideline:

        So:

        1. Make a list of tasks that you want the VA to eventually take over from you or whoever is currently doing them.

        2. Rank them in order of priority. Ie Number 1 being the task that takes up the most of your time right now for the least return in your business. Once they're prirotized...

        3. It might help to also note in this list how much time YOU currently take to do each tasks so you can set realistic goals for the VA to meet for how long it takes THEM to get it done.

        4. Next create a video and an accompanying text document with complete explanations and demonstrations on how to perform each of the tasks on this list.

        These explanations should include:

        a) The time each task should approximately take and how many of that task (if applicable) the VA should be able to do each day.

        b) Any login details, or resources the VA will need to complete that task (so when they get to that task they don't have to email you with a tonne of questions)

        c) Step by STEP instructions. Each task should be demonstrated on the video in each step as simply as possible. So "First log in here with these details... next, paste this bit of content here and make sure this happens like this" etc etc Being specific in these instructions is vital to saving you time on back and forth down the track.

        d) Potential problems or errors the VA could see when performing these tasks. Again, to save you having to answer that questions every time down the track.

        5. Establish a system of reporting so that, at least in the beginning, you can monitor all the work the VA does each day and make sure they're completing the tasks, and doing so in the way you wanted.

        Have them send you a report each day (perhaps for the first week) containing what they did that day, how long each task took, any problems they encountered, and so on.

        6. Check over the report and address any issues and smooth the process over as you go.

        It takes time to have your VA doing the tasks more efficiently than you can, but if you train them right and get the right person, it will make the world of difference to your business. Remember too this quote, (taken from the book The Breakthrough Company - highly recommended!) "Hire ATTITUDE and TRAIN aptitude"

        Hope this helps!

        Andrew
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  • Profile picture of the author kelvin yeo
    Andrew:

    That was awesome! Thanks much!
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  • Profile picture of the author Google Lover
    Banned
    Hey Kevin,

    i dunno abt this, but this seems reliable:

    http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...ople-only.html
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  • Profile picture of the author San Diego Real Estate
    In my opinion, virtual assistants should be largely task oriented. It is impossible to monitor the amount of time that a va spends on any particular project. They work remotely, and on their own schedules. We use virtual assistants in the San Diego real estate business for specific marketing and administrative jobs. We know how long those jobs will take, and they are paid according to the task. It is a win-win for those who want to work from home as va's, and also for those of us who don't want to supervise additional staff in the office. But it can get out of control if there is not a very good understanding of job description and compensation.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lance K
    Originally Posted by kelvin yeo View Post

    I'm about to start working with a VA and was wondering if the more experienced warriors might share any advice or words of wisdom about getting the most from working with VAs?

    How best to brief them on assignments (camtasia?)? How do you monitor on-going work, their progress or pace. How do you get them to work more efficiently or effectively? What kind of deadlines are reasonable for VA work?

    How do you correct them. How much hand-holding would you do? When would you "give up" on a VA who's not working out and switch her or him for someone else?

    Are there specific IM tasks you would gladly have a VA do? As opposed to certain tasks you would NEVER pass on?

    Don't mean to pose so many questions. Just thought it'd make it easier for folks here to contribute their thoughts.

    Thanks everyone!

    Cheers

    When you want to show your VA a new task, get on a webinar and have them watch you do it live. If you want to follow up in a week or so, get on a webinar again and watch them do it live. Then you can make any corrections and reiterate the importance of following the process to the letter.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mukul Verma
    The daily reports are important, this makes them more accountable. I had a VA that I took this away after 8 months and changed it to weekly reports and noticed a huge drop in there performance so I had to put it back again.
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