So, you might be wondering, how does a Virtual Assistant (VA) work? Let’s have a look at some elements of the process in more detail…
Consultation – A lot of VA’s normally have a Calendly book a call link on their website or a link to one wherever they are promoting their services. I’m probably one of the few that don’t as I prefer to receive an initial message then arrange something for a mutually agreeable time (if you’re anything like me it’s always a pain trying to work out when the best time is between work, family and leisure commitments so being able to message clients on WhatsApp can be very useful!). The purpose of the initial discussion is normally for the VA to find out what the prospective client is looking for (is it diary management, social media, Inbox management, the list goes on). Not all VA’s are made equal and it may even be the case that VA is simply a title they use because they do a number of things. Some of my VA friends are part-qualified accountants, experienced proofreaders, some specialise in design work such as creating logos/graphics whereas some might even build websites for SME’s. Some have qualifications and some have a plethora of experience in doing certain things you wouldn’t even know they weren’t qualified in their subject matter! Usually before setting up any calls, I send prospective clients a pre-call questionnaire. I’ve spoken to a few clients who’ve needed round-the-clock support as a Virtual PA or perhaps needed something I don’t offer. By asking some questions before scheduling a call I can usually determine whether we might be a good fit or recommend a client to someone else. This saves me and the prospective client time and money!
Contract – If the consultation goes well, the next step normally involves sending the client the booking form, terms of business and privacy policy. The booking form includes details of the client’s business, the VA’s business, the work involved, the payment terms. any other important business and space for the client and VA to electronically sign. This is one of the most important documents as it can be used along with the terms of business to enforce a binding “contract”. Once the form is completed and signed the VA can begin work. It’s worth keeping a record of any conversations with a VA as you may potentially need these if something goes wrong. Most VA’s have public liability insurance which is a type of business insurance that protects them from third-party claims for injury or property damage arising from their activities. We will look at this in more detail in a separate article. My own policy covers me for up to £100,000. It’s a small monthly price to pay for essential cover should any legal dispute arise.
Invoice – An invoice can sometimes be issued upfront or after works have been completed. Payment terms can differ between VA’s as the VA themselves determine these. Some will accept payment upon completion of works, some will ask for 50% up front and 50% on completion or some may ask for full prepayment upfront. There is no set rule for this as it is usually up to the supplier providing the works to decide what is acceptable to them. Some may also only accept payment by bank transfer also which can pose a problem if you want the work to be “on credit terms”. A lot of VA’s however will be able to provide a payment link (often using Stripe as the payment processor). Most VA’s won’t charge you the card handling fee imposed on the amount paid to the payment processor but it’s worth checking with your prospective VA what their payment terms are to ensure you get the right terms for you.
Logins/Passwords – Some clients have simply given me their passwords for any accounts they have to action work. However, some people are more security conscious in case something were to go wrong. There are password managers such as LastPass which will allow VA’s to log in to your accounts without knowing your passwords. This can be a good option when you are working with someone for the first time. With LastPass for example, you receive an encrypted password vault to store your passwords, login credentials, payment info, addresses, and secure notes in. A LastPass password vault is secured by zero-knowledge encryption, which ensures your data remains visible only to you. Your master password is then the only key which can unencrypt your password vault. For further information on this and to sign-up for free visit http://www.lastpass.com
If you have any more questions regarding the above, feel free to send me a message!
Σχόλια