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When you hire a virtual assistant, they can do many things for you – for one, they can manage your calendar and schedule, and for another, they can generate reports and balance sheets.

So when you hire one, you need to know from the start what tasks and responsibilities you want to delegate to them so you can maximise their time and effort and make the most out of whatever skill and expertise they have (and they have plenty!). But how can you engage them, and how do you make sure to take advantage of their full potential? Here’s how to maximise the time and effort spent by your virtual assistant and manage them correctly.

• Set your expectations

The first thing to do is to be as straightforward as possible – and set your expectations early on. For example, if you are hiring a virtual assistant for a particular project, be clear about the project’s duration, what you expect of them, and their responsibilities. For example, if you hire a virtual dental assistant, it’s vital they comprehend the length of time for various appointments to ensure they schedule things appropriately. Communication is key. Also, be straightforward about other matters – how they will get their payment, your goals, and so on. It’s important – crucial, in fact – that you provide detailed guidelines and document the scope of the work needed. By doing so, you can avoid misunderstandings and confusion and your VA could get to work right away – and continue to work hard for you.

• Set a budget

Another thing you can do to maximise the work and effort of your virtual assistant is set a budget, as confirmed by www.pink-spaghetti.co.uk, which provides virtual assistants of different skill sets and capabilities their compensation for tasks agreed on. Everyone knows that a compelling reason why more companies are hiring virtual assistants today is the cost – it is infinitely cheaper to hire a VA than to hire someone who works full-time and does half the work the VA does. But it doesn’t mean you can’t have a budget for it – without one, you will more than likely spend more than you need to. When hiring a virtual assistant, develop estimates for how long a task or duty should take and how much you expect to pay for the task according to the rate of the VA. Be honest and upfront about the budget, and you can avoid miscommunications and disappointments later on.

• Decide on a schedule

Next, you have to decide on a schedule. When the agreement is signed (and this is another essential step!), the next thing you have to do is set a schedule for your VA – and it helps if your schedule is consistent. Since your VA will not be there physically, it can be challenging to keep track of what they are doing or communicate as clearly as possible. Talk to them about their available hours and find an overlap between your schedule and theirs. If they reside abroad, you have to consider time differences.

• Track their tasks and time

Lastly, it’s essential to track their tasks and time – and you can easily do so now with apps such as Asana, Basecamp, Mavenlink, or any of the dozens of online apps. While there’s no stopping virtual assistants from saying they worked when they didn’t, you can still keep tabs on them to measure their efficiency and progress.

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