Here are just a few common misconceptions newbie entrepreneur outsourcers have to deal with before and after hiring a VA:
1. Insisting they must know how to do 10 different specialized tasks to perfection…
“The ideal candidate must be able to write blogposts daily, perform SEO, be a social wizard, source and edit interesting high-rez images, be proficient in Magento shopping cart, and edit videos for Youtube – for $2 per hour.”
You need to be willing to hire more than one person to get the job done. It will cost a little more now, but you’re likely to lose your shirt with missed deadlines, poor results and failed training attempts trying to find someone who can do multiple specialized tasks to your perfection.
Using the services provided by companies like 24/7 Virtual Assistant can help you hire and manage multiple VAs.
2. A higher priced VA will be less loyal…
They know they’re good and will jump ship when more interesting, higher-paying work comes along. It’s true that most are driven by money, but a good VA who has had employers flake out on them without notice will appreciate that you’re willing to pay more to get good results.
You’ll find bad apples in every bunch, but an experienced VA or established agency that charges more will stick to you like glue if you’re reliable on payment and communicate your needs with minimal confusion.
3. Don’t rely on feedback from previous customers, they’re probably friends with the VA or work for the VA service company…
Be a skeptic but not an eternal pessimist. When hiring a freelancer or agency service provider, all you have is mostly online reviews to rely on for most of your decision making. There are exceptions, but if you comb social media and forums related to your industry, you can generally trust the majority of reviews you’ll find.
4. The more they communicate, the more committed they are…
Bad advice. Freelancers and agency reps know they have to talk the talk before you’ll hire them to do the walk. If someone’s sending you page-long requests for work you’ve offered, don’t take that as a sign that their friendly, reliable and will never let you down.
5. Be their friend, not their boss…
If your best friend misses an airport pickup and leaves you standing at arrivals for 5 hours, you’re probably going to be mad, but you won’t cast them out of your life would you? Same if they don’t pay back a loan you gave them on time, or suddenly get a new job and don’t have as much time for you.
Friends can get away with disappointing you because they know you’re their your friend and life throws everyone curve balls now and again. Keep things professional with your VA. They’ll take advantage if they sense you’ll always give them a pass.
6. Virtual Assistants should hit the ground running…
If you hired Tony Robbins to speak in front of a group of people, you’d expect him to jump around on stage and inspire the heck out of people without any input needed from you. That’s because he’s been doing his thing for over 30 years and charges hundreds of thousands per hour!
Your VA, even if they’re totally experienced at the tasks you provide, will still need to get comfortable with your style and processes for task completion. Be patient, ask and answer questions. Don’t give up on them if they’re trying, or you could end up getting rid of someone who’s loyal to a fault and will never let you down in a crunch.
7. ‘Three strikes and your out’ works like a charm…
Three small mistakes, especially during the training period is no cause for dismissal. Missing two back-to-back deadlines is unforgivable.
Use your gut and common sense to cultivate your VA. You’re not running a ruthless call center or big chain retail outlet.
8. It’s necessary to keep on top of them every second (they need to be at your beck and call 24/7!)
You might refer to your VA as your “little grunt” or something similar. However, most of the intelligent ones with even a modicum of self-respect will drop you like a bad habit the minute another job comes along if you expect this from them.
Your VA doesn’t want to be fielding constant conversation requests and hourly emails. They’re there to work. Give them a little freedom while still demanding results.
9. You have to give a little to get a little…
Being flexible is definitely a good trait, but can quickly snowball out of control. You can “tolerate” a single late project, if your VA has a good reason. However, if they let you down again in a short time, you’re likely dealing with someone who is unmotivated or who has a life so fraught with problems they’ll always let you down (eg., always sick, constant dying family members – a black cat crossed their path and seven years of bad luck followed…)
Be firm that you expect the timely results you’ve laid out in your agreement and don’t give more than an inch or they’ll surely take it!
10. Freelancer Virtual Assistants are cheaper than agency provided workers…
This can be true, but it’s not a universal fact either. Agencies are connecting you with a qualified VA and taking on the risk to their reputation if their employees don’t satisfy customer needs. They do have to charge above and beyond what they actually pay their workers. However, they provide certain assurances you don’t get when going with freelancer.
If you suddenly get left in the dust by a freelancer, you have to go back out and spend the time and training expense to find a new one, with no assurances that you won’t get left holding the bag again. An agency takes care of the employee selection process and can provide an immediate backup when/if the VA disappears suddenly.
