The Secret of being a professional Virtual Assistant

You have to ask is working with a Virtual PA a ‘nice to have’ or an absolute must?

Surely it depends on the nature of the business and what support the person wants.

If you spoke with one of our clients a private health specialists who spends 90% of their time on the road seeing patients at home and in schools she would definitely tell you without the support of our immediate response admin support they would struggle to do all the jobs associated with running a busy practice with a growing team of associates.

Being a member of their team on a virtual basis works wonders as they can tap into our admin support as and when required without having to pay all the expenses involved in providing office accommodation, computer equipment and paying an expensive monthly wage.

Having a clear understanding of what your client wants is massively important. Finding out what keeps them awake at night is the key to discovering how you can help them feel better, more in control and happier to go about their daily business.

For instance, they have an appointment and their previous meeting with a case manager has overrun - having a Virtual PA on hand to phone and explain their reason for being late is essential. It creates a more professional image for the business and allows the client to concentrate on getting to the appointment.

Another good example is the client finishing a meeting and wants to write up a report from the findings while they’re still fresh in the mind. A perfect opportunity to contact your Virtual PA and give the report information on their mobile, which can be typed while speaking, relayed back to confirm all the correct details and emailed over to the appropriate Case Manager or Solicitor. Takes away the pressure on the client to remember all the details of the meeting and gives the responsibility to the Virtual PA to send the report off to the right person that day. This definitely shows off the client’s business as efficient and well organised.

There will always be instances when a client desperately needs a piece of work for tomorrow morning, something like a PowerPoint presentation with all the bells and whistles. This is where a Virtual PA becomes a ‘must have’ as we’re able to say yes and work to fit around the client even it means working late into the evening to produce the necessary goods.

The secret to being a good Virtual PA is the ability to respond to tasks immediately where necessary and building a solid communication relationship that builds trust. Having the confidence to show initiative when required, acquiring a better understanding of their needs and to be in a position to react to requirements and deal with issues automatically without seeking clarification will always score points. This is how trust and reliability is built which leads to a continuous growing business relationship without the client having to think about hiring the traditional secretary and provide the traditional office accommodation.