Tag: virtual assistant

Why Admitting Your Mistake Helps

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Virtual assistants or home-based workers have the privilege not to be supervised in the flesh by their clients or superiors. Due to this, they, at times, make the mistake of covering their pitfalls. Far from their expectation, it could actually put their employment in peril.

In virtual work, it is essential that you open up almost everything to your client. Why? This is due to the fact the only foundation you have with your employer-employee relationship is good communication. Basically, good communication entails that you should also be open about your mistakes. You cannot always be the perfect VA or worker for your client. There is no one such as that. You have to admit that there are cases, especially during your first few months, that you will err.

This topic cannot be expressed effectively by just saying, “You should admit your mistakes to your client.” It should actually be relayed with an example.

One good example could be a virtual assistant who is assigned to supervise their team of VAs in behalf of his superior, who is ultimately the owner of the company. We can name the VA as Clark, whereas the superior as John.

Clark is very committed to his job and perfected every single thing he does for John. Unfortunately, he met a client, whom their VAs carry out tasks for, who is very abusive in terms of requirements. This client of theirs tends to ask their VAs to squeeze in a lot of tasks in strictly limited hours of work, which is totally unjust. John even reminded Clark to ensure that this would not happen.

At first, Clark was able to coordinate with the client to avoid this issue. Nonetheless, the client is too hard-headed and egoistic to actually change. As a result, VAs were abused despite the chances provided by Clark. He thought that by giving the client more chances after every plea that this abuse should no longer occur, everything will go well.

Unfortunately, it came to a point where John was contacted by the client and the latter actually wants to end the relationship with them. Why? The VAs already failed to meet her standards for she is asking the impossible already, such as finishing a five-hour worth of work in just an hour. This surprised John, for he is not aware of anything amiss with their VAs and the client.

In the end, John confronted Clark. The VA has no choice but to admit the mistake he did – he did not inform John the moment the client abused their rights as a VA. It should have been like that since John has more power to actually stop this incorrect behavior all along.

The result? John may have been disappointed with Clark, but the VA’s confession made him trust his employee more. He admitted that it is rare to find an employee who is brave enough to claim whatever error he has done, and ensure it will not be repeated going forward. The action also allowed John to actually lecture Clark on how to become a better employee, someone who is reputable and trustworthy.

As time went, Clark was able to handle client issues more effectively with John being involved whenever necessary. Knowing that when things get awry means John has to intervene, he became a more effective part of the team. He knew his boundaries and accepted there are things he should not handle by himself.

Apparently, the example situation may have been simple and not actually everyone’s expectation in terms of explaining the topic. However, it still successfully implied that admitting a mistake could result in a better situation in your work.

Communication: A Key to Effective Virtual Work (Client’s Perspective)

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Previously, we have discussed how important communication is when you are a virtual worker. Apparently, without it, you will not be able to survive the online industry at all, for you will not just waste a lot of job opportunities. In truth, you will also fail to build a reputation for yourself as a reliable home-based employee.

Now, it is not just about the virtual worker itself, or even if we are talking about a virtual assistant. Take note that communication requires a two-way relationship. Thus, even the employer or a virtual worker’s client has the obligation to maintain good communication.

There are so many instances that a client-employee relationship ends due to failure in effective communication. However, one should not deduce that it is only about the worker. Remember, as mentioned above, it is a two-way requirement. Thus, there are certainly cases that communication fails on the part of the client.

To give you proofs, given below are common situations:

Client fails to provide a complete picture of what he or she wants to be done. This is common during the hiring process of virtual workers. There are times that clients do not provide a complete list of requirements. As a result, they are incapable of finding a good talent for their operations or a simple project.

Although they may find someone despite the vague job description, in the end, this will cause a loophole to develop. It is either the employee will give up for he or she is being blamed for an incorrect output despite the fact it has been the wrongdoing of the client in the first place – not explaining things enough.

Be reminded that if you are a client, you should be as specific as possible in elaborating your needs for a virtual worker. You cannot just say, “I need a good web developer.” There are various programming languages and platforms that such a person could be proficient in. Also, for certain, you are in need of a specific web development skill.

One good example is, you actually need a WordPress expert. If you do not indicate this, you may end up with an inexperienced web developer, who will be going through a lot of practice first before knowing every nook of WordPress.

Client does not even consider to touch base with his or her virtual worker. Take note that work is not all about sending a task and expecting it to be carried out. You should also develop a good relationship with your employee by maintaining a regular communication with him or her.

You are not obligated to actually connect with them every now and then.  The only thing is, you should at least check if he or she is doing well with his or her work, or confirm if there are no issues on their end.

This is not all about being compassionate about your people. Instead, it is about ensuring that everything is on track.

There are times that virtual workers tend to assume (which is entirely wrong, but you cannot blame them all the time), especially when their clients are not reachable at all times or they do not even give the hint that their employees could get their assistance. This is regardless if they will respond or not right away.

Client does not provide a straightforward feedback. You should know that virtual workers are aware that their work could be criticized for their own benefit. It is not solely about telling that something is done incorrectly and your employee should find the mishap himself or herself.

As much as possible, use communication to explain everything that has gone wrong with the output. Provide constructive criticism. This is not a complete waste of time, for it will provide you advantages in the long run. The more you give clearer feedback, the more your virtual workers would be able to identify your style, needs, and wants.

Client provides limited communication leeway for his or her virtual worker. This may be trivial for some, but it is totally helpful. As a client, you should not only provide your virtual worker one communication platform to speak with one another. You should at least provide two. A good example is providing them tasks via e-mail so that you could write everything down effectively and assisting them via a messaging platform of your choice.

Some make a mistake by relying on e-mail alone. As a result, their virtual workers do not get immediate responses or just replies to their inquiries, delaying whatever has to be carried out. Furthermore, e-mails could stack with one another, and admit it or not, clients are mostly not frequent visitors of their inboxes.

Thus, if you really aim to assist your virtual worker to make things work, agree on another communication platform. Well, you got a lot of options around. You got Skype, Messenger, Viber, WhatsApp, Zoom, Slack, etc.

The aforementioned situations are only a few of many instances that could prove communication does fail on the client’s end, too.

Once you have established a good communication with your virtual workers, there is no doubt that you could maximize their abilities for your own benefit or your business’.

Communication: A Key to Effective Virtual Work (VA’s Perspective)

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Virtual work has now been considered as a better alternative to office-based work due to many factors. Let us begin with the difficulty of traveling from one place to another. There is no denying that most virtual assistants chose to work from home since commuting from their home to office have only been excruciating for them. You cannot blame them to complain. Just imagine your day being consumed by being on the road for hours!

Another factor that makes being a home-based worker more advantageous is the ability to be near your loved ones. Working in the office has taken this privilege at an unlikely level – mothers not being able to rear their children or fathers not being able to witness their children grow. Is that how life should be? Apparently, no.

However, no matter how you consider virtual work your future, you should have to consider a lot of things to make it work. Now, we will focus on communication. Neophytes in the home-based work industry would think having an employment online will be the same with working in the office. No, it will not be entirely the same. In truth, it is more sensitive and requires more commitment.

Let us go back to why communication is one thing you have to focus on while being a virtual worker. Truthfully, without it, you will not even be able to get a job online, more so in keeping your occupation.

To make it clearer for you, given below are top reasons why communication should be the foundation of your home-based work:

It is what your client depends on to make everything work. Without communicating with your client, you will not even get to know him or her better. Plus, the work that has to be done or his or her requirements will not at all be disclosed.

Since he or she will not be able to work with you in the flesh, what he or she will rely on is the messaging platform you will use. This could be e-mail, Skype, Messenger, Viber, Zoom, or anything that you could think of being used to communicate virtually.

It is what makes you worth being paid. Without communication, you will not be able to inform what you have accomplished. Remember, not all clients have the time to check what you have finished in a certain shift immediately or regularly. They depend on what you report to determine what you have done for them or their operations in a day.

It is what keeps you a reliable employee. Communication will always give you the chance to prove that you are a reliable virtual worker. How? By opening up about something that is not right with the tasks you are working on. By making your client aware of improvements that could be applied to their systems. By admitting your pitfalls and assuring that you will be better in the future.

If you will analyze it, you can say that without communication, no virtual work would even be on your plate.

The question now is, how could you improve communication with your client? It is simple: maximize the use of the messaging platform you are currently utilizing to be in connection with him or her.

Whenever you are reporting or logging out, inform him or her. Report whatever you have accomplished in a day. Ensure that he or she is updated with his or her future appointments. Keep him or her aware of your project’s progress. Voice out what you think should have made the proposal better.

There are too many ways you could improve communication while working online. As stated above, MAXIMIZE it.

What Makes Virtual Assistants More Reliable

What Makes Virtual Assistants More Reliable

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There are various businesses and individuals that are still hesitant to obtain support from home-based workers due to a variety of reasons, which include lack of trust, zero experience, and fear of failure among others. Far from their expectations, Virtual Assistants are actually more reliable than office-based workers in many aspects.

To explain further, here are factors that make Virtual Assistants more dependable:

Versatility

You can question the flexibility of a Virtual Assistant either in terms of skills and working schedule. Simply imagine having a VA, who could do both administrative and non-administrative tasks simultaneously. This may surprise you, but this is a norm among VAs.

In terms of reporting time, VAs are used to adjusting according to their client’s timezone. In other words, regardless of the differences in locations, you will not have to worry about keeping up with your operations and deadlines.

Extensive Experience

VAs are meant to jump from one type of work to another. Since the freelancing industry shows no barriers on what you can try as a job, VAs were given the freedom to gain experience in any field (e.g. sales and marketing, administrative work, IT, real estate, e-commerce, etc.)

Internationally Inclined Work Ethics

If you are worried about getting a VA due to the differences in culture, then you should know that a typical VA has to work with clients based in another country. It is not often that a VA has to cater to a locally based company.

This can be proven by how fluent they are in communicating in English and quick in adjusting to a new environment.

With the few aforementioned aspects, you will no longer be able to deny that VAs are indeed exceptional. This is why soon enough, they may even take over a large percentage of office-based companies.

Why Hire a Virtual Assistant

Why Hire a Virtual Assistant

 

With the rise of technology, there is no doubt that soon enough, even your workforce will be composed of people who are carrying out their tasks from home.

In truth, did you know that 69% of large companies (composed of more than 501 employees) actually allow their employees to work remotely? This is based on uSamp’s recent study on the productivity or disruptiveness of the virtual office place. By implication, you can say that more and more firms are now discovering the advantages of having virtual staff.

One of the most commonly outsourced virtual workers is termed as a Virtual Assistant. Probably, you have come across this job title and possibly disregarded it. Nonetheless, you may have missed a gem that could actually contribute to your business growth.

You will definitely ask why. Then, to be straightforward, provided below are top reasons why you should hire a Virtual Assistant or have such person be part of your team:

You Will Save Cost. This is one of the top reasons why executives, businessmen, and rising entrepreneurs prefer to have a Virtual Assistant rather than an in-house employee. Do you know that in-house staff cost you more? Why? Good answers are the insurance and training.

At present, you can hire a Virtual Assistant and pay by the hour. In other words, you do not have to allot a certain amount of salary every month. There are even VAs who can work for a fewer number of hours when necessitated. Conclusively, you only pay for the work you have required.

Furthermore, there will no longer be office overhead for you to worry about. This is palpable given VAs work from home. No more finding a place for your staff.

You Can Get All Things Done With Just One VA. Virtual Assistants are not constrained to do basic administrative tasks, such as scheduling meeting, managing your e-mails, or answering inquiries from your clients.

They are highly trainable, giving you a chance to let them do even unprecedented tasks when needed. You simply have to explain what they have to do and you are set. All it takes is proper training.

Most VAs are also well experienced in different fields. For instance, there are ones who have background in marketing. With such qualification, you would definitely have no issue having such VA work with you in widening your exposure to your audience.

You Are No Longer Boxed With a Single Schedule. VAs are experienced working at different time zones and anytime possible. They could even be available more than eight hours when negotiated. Since they already have the convenience of working from home, these assistants do not mind working beyond normal full-time employee’s hours.

You Secure Your Productivity. Since you can already let go of your administrative tasks, which are often routine and time-consuming, you would definitely find a lot of time to spend on more important activities.

For instance, if there is an activity you definitely want to include in your firm to make it grow, you could now focus on it given a Virtual Assistant can handle your previous tasks.

Since you will also be able to concentrate on the core functions of your business, you will definitely have more means of keeping track of your progress.

You Will Have More Me-Time. There is no doubt that having someone do as much as half of your daily tasks will give you a reason to go home on time. A Virtual Assistant can even work more hours for you in a day, giving you more time to allot for your personal appointments. As indicated above, a VA works by the hour. They could be as flexible as someone who would be available immediately during emergency situations.

The aforementioned reasons for hiring a Virtual Assistant solidify the study also given above. The companies who are already establishing their virtual team have definitely understood the essence of having one.

What about you? Aren’t you interested to make a change?