Erica Bell's Page

Got a VA Problem?

Serious conflicts are rare with virtual assistants because they are trained to rigorous ethical standards and are accustomed to working with clients they never see. 



But conflict can happen, of course. Make sure a procedure to deal with it is specified up front in your contract, because credentialing organizations have no fiduciary responsibility for the VAs they certify. 



“We have an ethics pledge…

Contracting With a VA

Once you’ve selected the right VA, it’s contract time. VAs normally work with either a formal contract or a detailed letter of agreement that you both sign.



She may first ask you to sign a short-term contract covering just the initial project.



“I always do a small contract with someone before I offer a long-time contract. I, as a VA, want to make sure that the relationship is a good one before I…

Choosing the right virtual assistant is as important as hiring the right employee. And the processes have much in common.

Since you can’t meet the candidates, keep your ears particularly cocked to the subtleties. 



“Pay attention to what’s said and unsaid,” advises Stacy Brice, president of AssistU, which trains and certifies virtual assistants. “You’ll be entrusting your business to someone you haven’t met, and you want that person to be trustworthy…

Virtual assistants sound great—and they are for most entrepreneurs. But VAs aren’t right for every situation.

For one thing, working with a free agent requires changing your mindset.



VAs are independent business people. Like you, they make their own schedules and have other clients, so you must build in enough time for work completion.



You must be comfortable delegating responsibilities, confident they will be taken…