Onboarding Process of Working With A Virtual Assistant
So, you’re interested in utilizing a Virtual Assistant for your business, but not sure what the onboarding process looks like? I can give you a sneak peek into my onboarding process so you can get an idea of what’s involved.
After a potential client has contacted me, I typically schedule a time to chat either via phone or via Zoom. This conversation is important for both sides because I’m able to hear from you what tasks you’re looking to offload, and you can hear from me what my specialty is or if what you’re needing help with is not in my wheelhouse. If a task is not in my wheelhouse (hello bookkeeping!) I typically have folks in my network I can refer you to.
During this all-important first conversation, I also let potential clients know how I keep track of my time, my hourly rate, how I invoice and let them know I need them to sign an independent contractor’s agreement. This agreement, in short, provides my hourly rate, that I will keep all their information confidential, that I’m a contractor and not an employee and that should we part ways, I will return all their information to them. If you’re a Virtual Assistant reading this, I highly recommend having your attorney draft up an Independent Contractor Agreement for you to use with your clients. Often, potential clients reciprocate with an NDA for me to sign.
Most of the time from this first conversation, I can tell if a potential new client would be a good fit or not (I’ve had A LOT of inquiry conversations!). If I’m feeling good and the potential new client is ready to hand over work (this can be a big hurdle for some folks) then I send off my independent contractor’s agreement for them to look over and sign. Once they do, I also sign and send them a fully executed copy for their records.
Once all contracts are signed, I begin work! I can dig deep another time as to HOW I work with clients, meaning what applications I use and how I best communicate. But it’s rather simple. If a client communicates best through text messages, I’m here for it. If a client communicates best through a task management system, like Asana, I’m here for it. I’m happy to communicate and work whichever way best suits my client! That’s what I’m here for…to make your life easier!
So, if you’re on the fence about utilizing a Virtual Assistant because you just don’t understand how to start, I hope this helps explain it a little better and make it not so scary. It all starts with a conversation, and we take it from there!
If you’re looking for a Virtual Assistant, I’d be happy to have a chat to see how I may assist you! Please fill in my contact form and I will be in touch shortly!