Virtual Assistant Client Management 101: How To Show You're Worth Every Penny!

Virtual Assistant Client Management are rinse-and-repeat processes that you should set up at the early stages of business. Ideally, when you are just starting out because these Virtual Assistant Client Management systems will help you once your business takes off.

Virtual Assistant Client Management Systems You Should Implement

#1 – Organization

Let technology help you get and stay organized when setting up your Virtual Assistant Client Management processes. For example use:

• Evernote or One Note are great free tools that can sync between multiple devices. Use it to keep minutes from client meetings or store client documents. Or to brainstorm problems and brain dump your thoughts and ideas for later use.
• Templates for documents you do over and over again. For example documents like client agreements, client or prospect information forms, or your business policies. Make sure you read my post Always Document Your Virtual Assistant Business Policies…It Will Make Your Life Easier! if you haven’t set up your VA Biz Policies yet.
• Send your Welcome Kit to your new client. You can learn more about it in my post Why You Should Have A Virtual Assistant Welcome Kit + What Kind Of Content To Include.
• Create email templates for frequently asked questions or canned responses for out of the office or following up with a prospect.
• HelloSign or DocuSign to electronically deliver and sign contracts. You can create templates that you use over and over again to make it easy to send documents.
• DropBox or Google Drive for document storage that both you and your clients need access to.

#2 – Productivity

Need more time in your day? Head over to my post 8 Virtual Assistant Time Management Tips That Will Help You Stop Losing Money or try the below ideas:

• Use an online calendar such as iCal or Google Calendar. You can easily sync calendars with your mobile devices so you can stay on top of your calendar when you’re not in the office. Consider scheduling your day ahead of time to help you keep focused and on task.
• A simple Virtual Assistant Client Management trick is to create email folders to keep track of emails – don’t leave them in your Inbox. Once they’re complete, move them to the appropriate folder. This makes it easy for you to find it should you need it again. There are also tools such as Sanebox that can help you manage monster inboxes.
• Cut down on interruptions. Turn off your phone, put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door, close messenger and your email. It is so easy to get distracted if you leave your email or Skype open. Finish what you start! In fact, only open your email 3 times a day. Same thing with social media. Time vanishes when you’re in there – it can be such a time sucker. Another idea is to schedule time on your calendar to do check email and social media, then stick to it!
• Schedule time on your calendar to work on your own business and treat it like a business meeting! And schedule time off – you need it to recharge your batteries and be more productive.
• Batch your work. For example, designate specific days to do client work and maybe another day to do discovery calls but don’t do them every day. This is a productivity killer. It’s so hard to get back to work after bouncing on and off calls.
• Learn what your productivity type is and what your peak hours are so you can work with your strengths. My Productivity Planner workbook walks you through both of these and more. It’s included as a bonus when you purchase my VA Biz Action Plan Bundle.

#3 – Task Management

Stay on top of your deadlines and be sure nothing falls through the cracks. A Task Management tool is the one tool all Service Professionals (including Virtual Assistants) should have in their Virtual Assistant Client Management tool belt. To me, it’s the most important since it’s all about delivering quality work on time.

It helps you:

• Meet your deadlines.
• Know your availability to take on more work.
• Track time against tasks.
• Create status reports.
• And so much more!

There are several tools on the market that offer either a free version or a free trial period. Take a look at Teamwork or ClickUp for instance (my 2 favorites).  Don’t be afraid to try out a few different ones until you find the one that works for you! The most important thing is that it works for you!

#4 – New Client Kick-Off Meeting

When you start a new project or take on a new client this call is imperative to:

• Set expectations.
• Define roles and responsibilities.
• Discuss business policies and communication preferences.
• Set task priorities and deadlines.

That is what these meetings are all about and they are an essential piece of your Virtual Assistant Client Management processes. They not only show you are on top of things but help you stand out as a professional.

Listen to or read my blog post Don’t Forget To Schedule A New Client Kick-Off Call – Your Clients Will Love It + Be Impressed if you want to go into more details.

#5 – Status Meetings

Weekly or bi-weekly meetings with your clients should also be a mandatory part of your Virtual Assistant Client Management system. They help you:

• Stay in contact.
• Stay accountable.
• Communicate.
• Quickly resolve issues.
• Know what’s coming.

These meetings can be as short as say 10 minutes or as long as 30 depending on the client or project. They are a game-changer for staying on top of all your clients and their needs. You set them up during your new client kick-off call so they are standing meetings on the calendar.

Bonus Tip: Get A Trusted Partner™

A trusted partner is somebody that steps in and supports your clients when you are unavailable. For example, when you are sick, have an emergency, or want to unplug and take a well-deserved vacation. Get all the ins and outs in my post, You Need To Start Looking For A Trusted Partner Immediately If You Don’t Want To Lose clients!

I hope that my Virtual Assistant Client Management tips will help you to get and stay organized and build better relationships with your clients – I still use them in my business today. Also, don’t miss checking out The Ultimate VA Success Guide: 8 Tips On How To Get Clients As A Virtual Assistant if that’s something you need help with.

What do you think? Please take a moment to leave me a comment and share your thoughts.

Thanks for reading – Susan