With the expansion of online workspaces, partnering with a VA or Virtual Assistant outsourcing company has become more and more tempting and necessary for business owners. In fact, it’s a brilliant move, as that option is one of the best ways to get things done more, especially when it comes to marketing your business online.
However, how do you make the most of having a Virtual Assistant once you outsource your tasks and projects? First, it can be very challenging to choose from the many options of BPO companies and deal with the uncertainty of hiring a person you don’t know. Second, while looking for and hiring a good VA is essential and worth spending time to do right, it’s just the start. It’s also imperative to learn how to outsource effectively, or even the best VA won’t be able to do much for you.
Luckily, some best practices can help you with a smooth transition into outsourcing for you and your business. So whether you’re looking for one or a team of Virtual Assistants (VA), here are some tips to help make it a success.
Keep on reading!
#1: Determine the tasks or jobs you need the VA to do
Before finding a Virtual Assistant, you first need to define the specific functions that your remote BPO service provider will perform on your behalf, as what will be the output is correlated directly to the input.
In knowing and understanding these tasks, you will also be able to decide which skills your VA needs. Create a list of the responsibilities and skills vital to completing those tasks and the number of hours required. Doing so will let you know what to expect from their services and vice versa.
#2 Set your timeframe and identify a budget
As the saying goes, time is gold for every business. Hence, finding a VA partner who can navigate and perform in your given reasonable timeframe is salient. Either set a deadline for every task or a work schedule depending on the needs of your business.
To digress, as various types of virtual assistants can mainly be classified into beginners and experienced, it is also important to know your budget to ponder if you can hire a particular virtual assistant within your range.
#3: Establish systems for communication and constantly communicate
To make it easier for you and everyone on your team to track what’s happening at any given time, set up an online project management system, not just an email. Also, decide how and when they should notify you.
On the other hand, just like any other relationship, your relationship with your VA remote staff must have constant communication. As a business owner, you must ensure you communicate your “whys”, as leaving room for assumptions will only lead to misunderstandings. Always remember that providing a VA the vision is far more effective than simply assigning them a paramount of tasks to get done.
#4: Treat your VA like a family
Don’t just be a taskmaster. Instead, consider your relationship with your VA team more like a family member than a remote employee.
Give them positive words of affirmation, treat them as an invaluable part of your team, and work together to achieve your goals. Moreover, another significant aspect is being patient. For instance, when nurturing a child, even when you don’t instantly see results, you still do your best to invest time and energy to make that child grow and learn. Thus, it shouldn’t be any different with a remote BPO provider.
#5: Reward results
To assure a robust and long-term relationship, you also need to give your VA partner room for growth as your business develops. The simplest and most basic way to do this is to offer performance bonuses and pay raises as the company increases its revenue.
Conclusion
Whether running a huge company or building a small enterprise, virtual assistants can indeed provide you value, but note that it has to work both ways too. So as a business owner, it would be best if you had the right tools and efficient mindset to lead and manage your internal and external people well.
Should you consider a premium yet effortless VA-employer process, then outsource to an excellent outsourcing marketplace like The Lead Enquiry. We can associate you with a team of skilled and professional virtual assistants that meets your expectations. Contact us today.
