Common mistakes to avoid when working with virtual assistants

Virtual assistants are a blessing for businesses and entrepreneurs. Anyone who has been in the business world long enough knows how grueling that life can be. There are infinite tasks to be done but not enough hours in a day. That’s where working with virtual assistants can help you. They are there to reduce your workload, free up your time, and thereby help you in making your day more productive.
However, if you have never had a virtual assistant assist you in your day-to-day tasks, it can be challenging. Although virtual assistants are professionals who are qualified and experienced at what they do, each working relationship is unique and can take time to build. Working with virtual assistants can be extremely rewarding for your business life and company, but only if you do it right. We share with you some of the common mistakes that you should avoid when working with virtual assistants.

Lack of instructions

Yes, the virtual assistants know what is expected of them. Yes, they probably have prior experience in the job you gave them. But no, that does not mean you can simply expect them to do everything you need doing without proper instructions. If some tasks or errands need to be performed frequently, it would be beneficial for both to have its process written down where your virtual assistant can access it easily. Give them access to the required information and necessary instructions to avoid being contacted incessantly. It is a waste of time and distracting for you both. Virtual assistants work for you remotely, so the more detailed your instructions are, the less the chances are of mistakes being made. If there are tasks that are urgent, let them know of its priority. Efficient communication with your virtual assistant is vital.

Excessive involvement

While it is natural to check in with your virtual assistants and get updates, being over-involved defeats the purpose of hiring one in the first place. Give them proper instructions from the onset, and trust the virtual assistant you hired to get the jobs done to the best of their abilities. Micromanagement wastes both of your time and energy and questions the capabilities of your virtual assistant and your trust in them. It can be damaging to your relationship as well as productivity. So, avoid frequent check-ins, and the continuous “have you?” and “how did you?” questions.

Lack of review

While excessive involvement is discouraged, so is absolutely no involvement. It is essential to review the work done by your virtual assistants when they have just come on board. Your review allows you to check the work done and see if there are any mistakes that have been made. It helps your assistants to correct their approach and avoid mistakes in the future. You don’t have to reach out to them after every task, but try to take out some time from your schedule to provide them with feedback on a regular basis. It only helps them improve and do the jobs better.

Lack of respect for their time and efforts

Once you find a rhythm with your virtual assistant and they take over the tasks for you, it can be easy to forget that it still takes time and skill to perform those jobs. Never take your virtual assistant for granted. They are spending their time and energy to complete those tasks for you, and it’s important to keep that in mind. Those jobs hold value, and so does your virtual assistant. Appreciate the work they are doing for you, and delegate the tasks accordingly. Don’t overwhelm them with work, or don’t expect them to work for you around the clock. They work for you remotely, possibly from a different country, so be cognizant of their working hours.
It can make a world of difference when these small things are taken into consideration when working with virtual assistants. An efficient working bond with your virtual assistant is necessary to get the best out of this setup. So pour in a little more effort, and it will benefit you in return.