The Sounding Board

I had a conversation with a new client earlier this year that I thought would be valuable to share. His major concern was not what operating system I use, or what my credentials were. His main concern was how could I help him without adding to his to-do list. He had already spoken to a few other VAs, all of whom almost immediately started telling him about the various technologies they could use to help him. The problem? He was already snowed-under with work, hence the need for an assistant. The last thing he needed was to learn some new software or gadget just so that he could work with his assistant. He said he didn’t want to have to ’study’ in order to work with someone. The whole point of brining in an assistant was to lighten his load, not add to it.

Obviously, if you’ve reach the point in your business that you need an assistant, this client’s comments probably ring very true. It’s simple common sense, really. If you need help, you need it now, not in a couple of weeks after you’ve learned how to use some new piece of software, right? Adding a learning curve before you can feel any relief isn’t something most business owners want.

It’s understandable that many VAs look for any opportunity we can find to share our knowledge & experience. We, as a profession, thrive on finding new & more convenient ways to help our clients. When we find something that works wonders for a particular client or situation, our first instinct is to share that new-found niftiness with other clients & potential clients. You have to forgive us a little, if we seem a little overzealous to share these nifty gadgets & timesavers we find. It’s sometimes easy to forget that not everyone has the time to ‘tinker’ with new software. If you’re already completely overwhelmed, the thought of ‘tinkering’ with new stuff may just be more than you have time or patience to deal with.

This is why initial consultations are such an important step in finding just the right assistant for your business. It’s during that initial conversation that you’ll learn how your VA works & whether or not you will see eye to eye on what you’re looking for in terms of help. This is where you’ll discover if your potential new assistant is going to expect you to conform to their work style, or are they willing to work with you on YOUR work style. The best option is a healthy balance of both - someone who can compliment and/or improve your current work style at a pace that works best for both you AND your assistant.

Stay tuned…later this week, we’ll explore work styles & how to determine what you need to look for in terms of an assistant who can compliment your unique style.

As many of us already know, there are tremendous fires raging through Southern California. Some of my dear colleagues from the VACOC have been affected. One such colleague, Cheryl Harless of CH Enterprises, has been evacuated from her home & office. Many others have been affected also, but Cheryl, even in the midst of what must be a frightening ordeal, still managed to post a message to the VACOC forum in the wee hours this morning. Her message passed on a bit of wisdom from another professional affected by the fires. It was one of strength, hope, and enduring passion for continued personal and professional growth. I was floored by the words she shared. It reminded me how life’s adversities give us opportunities to choose how we respond and the opportunity to rejoice in the growth those adversities can encourage if we choose to be strong and always seek out the good in everything. Thank you, Cheryl, for sharing that message this morning. I hope everyone will join me in praying for your continued safety and strength. I know you will find the good in whatever challenges you are faced with and continue to grow and attract those qualities in the clients you serve. My prayers are with you, girl!

And if you need to get away from it all for awhile…I have a couple of four-legged buddies who’d LOVE to have you take a ride with us! Smokey & the Bandit haven’t been on a good trial run in several weeks…I know they’d just love to have you come out & help ‘em with a good work out - or just hang out in the barn over a bucket full of alfalfa treats!

This morning I finally heard back from my other content thief, Ms. Nicole Brown of Full Service Virtual Assisting. Her email was simple. No excuses. No lies or half-baked truths. Just a simple sentence or two.

“Ms. Johnson,
 
The rates page has been removed and I apologize for the delayed response.”

I have to appreciate her response for what it is. A correction to a mistake she chose to make & an apology. What she did was wrong, but at least she didn’t try to lie about it. And she did take the offending page down, so I have to give her credit for that as well.

Thank you, Ms. Brown, for handling your mistake with a little dignity and professionalism. Maybe there’s hope for you yet in this industry.