Don’t ’study’ to work with a VA
Posted in General Business, Virtual Assistance by: SandiI 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.
