Are you considering hiring a virtual assistant (VA)? Well, that’s good! Whether you’re a small business owner in Birmingham or a busy entrepreneur in Staffordshire, a virtual assistant can be pretty revolutionary to your business. But what’s the onboarding process exactly? Is it easy? Is it all time-consuming?
Honestly, it’s totally valid that you’re asking all of these questions! Well, let’s walk through the steps from the initial discovery call to the signing on the dotted line so you know exactly what you need to expect!
Step 1: The Discovery Call
So, it’s all going to start right here with the discovery call, so this is where you and the VA (or their agency) really get to know each other. You can think of it as a friendly chat rather than a formal interview. The goal here is to discuss what you’re looking for in a virtual assistant for your small business.
Are you drowning in administrative tasks? Do you need someone to handle your emails or manage your calendar? Overall, this call helps the VA understand your needs and determine if they’re the right fit.
Step 2: Proposal and Agreement
Once you’ve had a productive discovery call and both parties feel it’s a good match, the VA will usually send over a proposal. This document outlines the scope of work, the services they’ll provide, and the cost of the blueprint for how your working relationship will unfold.
By all means, you should just take your time reviewing the proposal, and it’s perfectly fine to ask for clarification, too. So, once you’re happy with the proposal, it’s time to move on to the agreement.
Step 3: Signing the Agreement
The next step is to formalise the agreement with a contract; it’s going to cover deliverables, confidentiality, work hours, payment terms, notice periods, and exactly what your VA will be doing for your small business. Once all of this is signed, you’re officially on your way to a more streamlined life within your business!
Step 4: The Onboarding Process
Okay, now that the agreement has been signed, the real onboarding begins. This is where the VA gets to know your business inside out. They might request access to necessary tools, software, and accounts to perform their duties effectively. You might also need to share logins for platforms like your email, calendar, or project management software.
If you’re using specific systems or have a particular way of doing things, this is when you’ll share those processes. Just remember this: the smoother the onboarding process, the quicker the VA can jump in and start taking tasks off your plate.
Step 5: Setting Up Communication Channels
Finally, you’ll establish how you’ll communicate—this is key! Do you want to have weekly check-ins? Do you prefer communication via email or instant messaging? It’s pretty obvious that clear communication is crucial, whether they (and you) are based in Birmingham, Staffordshire, or anywhere else in the UK. But there’s going to have to be some clear expectations early on to outright avoid any misunderstandings.
Ready to Get Started?
Getting a virtual assistant doesn’t need to be something that’s confusing or intimidating. Now that you have an idea of how the onboarding process is going to be, this alone gives you an idea of how it’s going to work– plus, you’re setting yourself up for a successful partnership, too. So, go ahead and reclaim your time and focus on what truly matters!
