So, you’ve done all the reading on the pros and cons of using a VA rather than employing someone and decided it’s worth a try – after all, unlike hiring somone it’s really easy to stop using a VA if things don’t work out, so what have you got to lose???
Now for the tough bit. How do you;
Work out how much it’s going to cost you?
There are nearly as many pricing structures and packages out there as there are VAs – some of us work on an hourly rate whilst other will price on a “per job” basis. Often we cater for a mixture of the two depending on the work. Even when a price per hour is quoted don’t be afraid to ask for an idea of total cost – a good VA will be able to give you an estimate based on past experience unless the work is completely new!
Get the best value for your money?
OK, some of this is easy – do some research, get some references where appropriate, meet them? (I know the term is “Virtual Assistant” but that doesn’t mean that you aren’t allowed to know who you are dealing with!).
Use an appropriate VA for different tasks – you don’t have to have the same person doing everything. If you find a really, really good bookkeeper whose spelling isn’t great then don’t use them for your word processing – use someone with good “English” skills. Neither VA will mind as long as you are open with them both, in fact they’ll probably cover each other during holidays, making your life even easier!
Above all, once you’ve decided on a VA to use, set out what you want doing, how you want it doing and then TRUST THEM! They are business people too and are specialists in their field – you wouldn’t question your surgeon’s methods on how to fix your broken leg, so let your VA fix your broken database!
Find the right person?
First things first, if any of your contacts use a VA then ask them! A referral is not only the best way of gaining business – it’s also the best way of gaining reliable suppliers too.
If not then think about what you actually want them to do – book keeping? audio typing? call handling? Every client will need a different blend of skills, so don’t be afraid to ask and be particular about the standard of work you require.
Give us a call or drop us an email to see how we can help you…
