Time is the scarcest resource and unless it is managed nothing else can be managed.

Transcription

1 5 Ways to Work Efficiently with Your Virtual Office Assistant How to Best Off-Load Administrative Tasks Time is the scarcest resource and unless it is managed nothing else can be managed. - Peter Drucker

2 Introduction: Why Not Do What You Do Best? More and more business people are benefiting from the services a Virtual Office Assistant can provide. Let s all face it; the pace of business today is exponentially faster that it was even 5 years ago. Technology has set an expectation of immediate response that touches almost every aspect of being in business. And, business people are consumed by administrative requirements. So a Virtual Assistant makes sense for anyone who needs to focus on moving their business forward. By off-loading office and administrative tasks to a professional who sounds and acts just like an in-house assistant, you apply your attention to the things you do best and deliver the highest return on your time. Here are some of questions to ask yourself. The more Yes answers you give, the more Virtual Office services can benefit your business: Do you find yourself missing important calls and spending too much time sorting through voic ? Do you spend a good part of your day resolving customer issues? Do you find yourself missing deadlines or appointments?

3 Are you spending time chasing past-due payments? Are you unable to follow up on leads and opportunities in a systematic way? Do you never seem to be able to find time for Strategic Planning? Is your business growth and profitability nowhere near where you want it to be? Do you drown in paperwork? Would you like to put in fewer hours than you need to now? So, you ve given a bunch of Yes answers, or at least enough to keep on reading Now you can take action! What did you say yes to? You just identified barriers to your success. Well, the good news is that there are affordable, professional, virtual services to help you break through. The most popular tasks assigned to a Virtual Office Assistant are: Gatekeeping (answering and screening your incoming calls so you can speak directly to those you need to, and prioritize call-backs) Appointment Scheduling and Rescheduling To-Do List Management Monitoring Chasing Past-Due Invoices Project Status Monitoring Business Communications The best part is, a Virtual Office Assistant is your company s face to both existing and prospective customers, making certain they

4 are treated the way you want them to be. While there are many advantages to off-loading administrative tasks virtually, there can be a period of adjustment for you. The simple key to working efficiently with a Virtual Assistant is communication but how do you make sure your assistant has access to what they need to know to do the job, keeping you in-the-loop, but not consumed by minutia? Here are the 5 things you can implement to do just that: 1. Take charge 2. Treat your Virtual Office Assistant as a valuable member of your company 3. Don t leave room for misinterpretation 4. Make your Virtual Assistant feel like a partner in your operation 5. Stay engaged An organization, no matter how well designed, is only as good as the people who live and work in it. - Dee Hock, CEO of Visa

5 1. Take Charge Remember, you are the boss. It s your name on the sign and your reputation on the line. Set clear expectations and standards as to how your Virtual Assistant engages with you, and with people both inside and outside your organization. Make sure every task you expect to be performed is detailed, documented, understood, and acknowledged. Review that list of documented tasks regularly, update it as required, and keep it in a place that can be easily accessed by everyone who needs it. Take your Virtual Assistant through the common scenarios that will be encounted as part of the tasks at hand. Encourage questions. Provide answers. Document anything that may be unclear. Let your Virtual Assistant know when it s OK to handle an interaction without directly involving you, and under what circumstances you need to be notified immediately.

6 You want to maximize the value you get from your virtual working relationship. The best way to do that is to engage the person by reinforcing the culture of your company, and his or her place in it. Provide your virtual staff with the same information and updates you provide your in-house employees. 2. Making everyone feel part of a single organization with a common purpose will create a team that best represents you and your company. Sharing your company s vision and ambtions goes a long way to creating loyalty and a sense of purpose across the team. Treat Your Virtual Office Assistant as a Valuable Member of Your Company

7 3. Don t Leave Room for Misinterpretation In a virtual work environment, you will loose some of the understanding gained from face-to-face interaction. That s why it is critical to make sure your instructions are clear and unambiguous. is now the default-technology for communication, but be careful how you use it. Long message trails of FWs and Replys can be easily overlooked or misread. Summarize the action that recipient needs to take in the first part of any communication, then add the details as they may apply. Ask for a confirmation that your instructions are understood.

8 As you gain trust in your Virtual Assistant s abilities, the insight into your organization and business activities he or she displays may become a valuable source of intellegence. Virtual Assistants may not be experts in your field, but this additional front-line insight can help you identify opportunities and make decisions. They also may not volunteer this information, but if you ask for it, you reinforce their contribution to your business success. 4. If your trust in your Virtual Assistant moves a step further, you may even find a source of constructive criticism and positive suggestions. Make Your Virtual Assistant Feel Like a Partner in Your Operation

9 5. Stay Engaged Ok. So you ve got things working smoothly, and your new team member is performing to your expectations. You are applying your new-found bandwidth to driving your business, and you re actually seeing results. Well done, you! But, now is not the time to let up. The best outsourcing relationships are those that have frequent open and honest communication. You may still be very busy, but make time for your Virtual Staff the same way you would for key in-house personnel. Find out what improvements could be made. Make sure there aren t roadblocks inhibiting performance. Most importantly, take the time to hear what your Virtual Assistant is actually saying. It will be time well spent.

10 Start with good people, lay out the rules, communicate with your employees, motivate them and reward them. If you do all those things effectively, you can t miss. - Lee Iacocca, former CEO of Chrysler Need help creating a superb customer service experience? Take this quiz to find out today if your company can benefit by having Daybeak Virtual on your team tomorrow.