If you are always maxed out, trying to keep up with your growing to-do list, adding a Virtual Assistant to your team is a great move. Here are 18 top tips for using a Virtual Assistant as productively as possible to get the best value from this fantastic resource.

1. Hire the right person

Easier said than done but taking the time to find the right person who has the skills you need and who fits well into your company culture is one of the most important tips for getting the most from your Virtual Assistant. It’s an expensive mistake if you don’t hire the right person, so trust your instincts and conduct a thorough hiring process.

2. Communication very specifically

Ensure that when you start working with a Virtual Assistant you are very clear about what you want them to achieve, how and by when.

3. Allow time to get up to speed

At the beginning of any new assignment, it can take some time to become familiar with how a new company operates. Give your VA sufficient time to understand what you do and how before expecting them to be fully productive.

4. Provide SOPs for your processes

It’s best practice to have your processes documented so that any new hires can quickly and easily understand how you do things. Provide your Virtual Assistant with your Standard Operating Procedures so they can quickly start contributing.

5. Invest time to help them learn

Expecting a new person to be productive and know what they are doing as soon as they’ve arrived in the team is unrealistic. Expect that they will have questions and be patient in answering them fully to help them become a productive member of staff as quickly as possible.

6. Get used to delegating

This is also one of the most important tips to get the most from your Virtual Assistant – you must give them enough to do. This could mean letting go of control of certain aspects of your activity, something some business owners find very hard.

7. Give access to all systems

Your VA can only be fully productive if all the technology and logins etc. are in place to allow them to complete their work. Make sure you aren’t making it harder than it needs to be by restricting access to certain data or systems.

8. Provide achievable deadlines

Your Virtual Assistant is probably much more competent in certain tasks than you are but make sure your expectations around deadlines are realistic. Expecting a VA to do admin 10 times faster than you can is probably not achievable in the first week in the company.

9. Set SMART objectives

Al team members, whether permanent or contract staff should have clear measurable objectives so that everyone is working towards the same company goals.

10. Set clear priorities

As well as objectives, it’s vital to prioritise the work you want your VA to do. Leaving your VA to prioritise work means you may not feel that you are getting the most from them so make it clear what’s most important from your perspective.

11. Trust them to get on with the job

Once you have set clear objectives, deadlines, priorities and trained them on your processes, leave them to get on with the tasks. Micromanaging your VA is not the best use of your time and doesn’t help build a trusting relationship.

12. Use their expertise

Your Virtual Assistant may know all sorts of tips and tricks for increasing productivity across your team. Ask them what other areas of the business they have experience in so you can use all their skills.

13. Pick up the phone and talk to them

Have a quick and effective way of communicating with your VA on a regular basis, whether that’s a phone call or using a messaging system such as What’s App. Although you might be more comfortable sending emails, if you need to have quick exchanges of information, picking up the phone will probably save you both time.

14. Provide and ask for feedback

Tell your Virtual Assistant how they are doing and give them examples of how to improve their performance. Ask them how they feel they are doing and whether they have any suggestions for you on what you could do better.

15. Have performance reviews

As with any member of staff, it’s a good idea to have regular performance reviews to reflect on what’s going well and what needs to change. It doesn’t matter if your staff are on payroll or not, there are always things you can do to be more productive.

16. Reward excellence

Motivating your Virtual Assistant to keep providing the best service possible is a great idea for retaining them and getting the best out of them. If your Virtual Assistant has helped make a tangible difference to your bottom line or taken the mental load away from you so you can operate more effectively, then reward them for their efforts.

17. Include them in team activities

Make your Virtual Assistant feel like a valued part of the team by including them in team activities such as weekly meetings and social events. It may not be possible for your VA to attend face-to-face activities if they live too far away but it’s always good to be invited anyway.

18. Pay them on time

One of the most common reasons why VAs choose to stop working with companies is because they aren’t paid on time. Not paying your VA on time shows a lack of respect and will have a detrimental impact on productivity and satisfaction.

You can create a brilliant relationship with your VA so that they become one of the most valuable assets on your team, but you may need to put in a bit of work at the beginning to help them fit in.

By hiring a virtual assistant, you can boost productivity for you and your team. You can switch your focus to business development and customer acquisition, safe in the knowledge that your admin is getting done accurately and on time.

I’d love to chat to you about your business and how you could benefit from VA support. Call me on  07932 040454 or drop me a line at .

Let’s connect on LinkedIn.

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