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Here at Forbes Councils, we work with over a dozen virtual assistants to support our team. Because we believe so strongly in the power of outsourcing, we've worked with top VA service providers including Zirtual, UAssistMe, and Ruby Receptionists to provide members with generous discounts. To learn more about these benefits, visit the marketplace on your member dashboard. Or, email your member concierge directly for support. [Note: This benefit is for Forbes Councils members only. Click here to find out if you qualify.]
While you’re constantly on the go, remember that your VA is there to assist you with all of your pressing tasks -- from setting up travel accommodations to managing personal finances -- leaving you the time to focus more closely on your business. As with any colleague, communication is critical and cannot be handled over email alone. Below are our tips that will enhance the quality of your VA relationship and guarantee your success with this exclusive benefit.
- Schedule a daily stand-up.
Before your day even gets started, hold a daily “stand-up” meeting with your VA to discuss what your day ahead looks like and what needs to be done. A quick conversation -- by phone or by Skype -- gives you a chance to tell your VA what the daily priorities are.
Some quick, deliberate questions to ask your VA during your daily stand-up include:
- “Which open tasks do you still need to finish?”
- “What new tasks are you going to begin today?”
- “What (if anything) are you stuck on or need help with?”
The Forbes Councils tech department finds Tatsu (a stand-up meeting app that integrates with Slack’s instant messaging service) to be tremendously useful for keeping everyone connected.
2. Utilize instant messaging services like Slack.
Your inbox is a sea of unread emails, meaning communications between yourself and your VA would be buried if you were to work with them solely via email. Try workplace instant messaging services such as Yammer or HipChat (as mentioned above, Forbes Councils uses Slack as our IM tool of choice for VA communication). You’d be surprised at the amount of back-and-forth this will cut down on -- ensuring nothing gets lost in the shuffle.
Whatever platform you choose, make sure it is mobile-friendly and, ideally, compatible with your phone -- this will ensure you can leverage the help of your VA wherever and whenever you need it. Need a way to communicate with your VA while you’re traveling and don’t have immediate access to a WiFi connection? Frantically searching for your gate at the airport in order to make your next flight? These tools also keep the conversation moving in times where speed is critical.
3. Communicate with them as you would any other member of your team.
Even though your VA isn’t in the office with you, consider your VA a key member of your team and communicate with them as you would anyone who works in your physical office. As with any right-hand colleague, it is critically important that you work closely with them to help them understand the details of your project as well as document your processes for them to use as a guide once you pass the baton. Really put in the time to think through ways you can eliminate wasteful systems and make your VA a more successful member of your team.
For example, at Forbes Councils we ask that our VAs document every new task we teach them with step-by-step instructions in a Google doc so we can review their notes later and give advice for how to improve how they work. It’s also helpful to have these docs as you grow your business and bring on new team members.
Ready to take advantage of a virtual assistant for your business? Visit the marketplace on your member dashboard to learn more about our discounts with Zirtual, UAssistMe, and Ruby Receptionists. Or, email your member concierge directly for support. [Note: This benefit is for Forbes Councils members only. Click here to find out if you qualify.]
