Choosing A Virtual Assistant Vendor

Check their facilities

Check the facilities and infrastructure of your chosen vendor.

Check for the following:

1. Cyber security
2. Internet speed
3. Internet service provider
4. Backups for critical files
5. Relevant programs for the job
6. Are they equipped with a generator?
7. Do they have an IT department on standby?

Check that your vendor has all the necessary systems to protect your business from threats. You need to check that communications are always active. You must not be cut off from your virtual assistant when you need them the most.

Diverse Service Offerings

Think long-term when it comes to your virtual assistant vendor. Your business will need more than just an assistant as it expands. Services such as web development, content writing, and marketing are essential if you’re looking to expand. Aim for companies that offer you more than just assistance.

Getting a virtual assistant vendor with a diverse service offering will mean your other needs, such as marketing and web development, are only a phone call away. Be sure that your vendor has plenty of service offerings for your convenience.

Consistency

These days you need an assistant you can trust to handle key duties because of the sheer amount of workload business owners need to get done. Consistency is essential for your business to thrive. You need to work with the same virtual assistant every day to achieve the best results.

Check your chosen virtual assistant vendor and tell them you want to work with the same person consistently for a good workflow. You’ll only have to get one person up to speed, and you can have a solid assistant for many years to come.

Recruit to suit

You want a virtual assistant whose attitude is compatible with you and your office’s culture. The vendor you want to hire for your company must recruit a virtual assistant specifically for your company. Write a list of qualities and experience you need from your virtual assistant and give it to your chosen vendor. The process of recruiting for your company may take days or weeks.

If you’re in a rush, it may be best to pick from their current pool of candidates. Interview their in-house candidates to check their compatibility with your company.

Please note if the vendor has plenty of assistants for you to choose from at the start. You may find they don’t have many clients because vendors usually have work for all their assistants.

Referrals

Search for online reviews you can check to make informed decisions when choosing your vendors.

Use these sites to check your possible choice of vendor:

1. Glassdoor
2. Indeed
3. Comparably

These are all great sites to check your possible vendors. Check how they treat their employees because a happy employee is productive for your business.

Check the vibe

Shop around for different virtual assistants by looking for different vendors. You want to get a vibe of the company you may hire in the future. One good sign to look for is if they are eager to give you the information you need. They are direct in explaining how their service works to help you avoid miscommunication.

Visit the virtual assistant vendor’s office if possible. Check their work environment to see how they treat their staff and how the staff works with each other.

You can try asking for a virtual tour if visiting the site isn’t possible. Make a shortlist of the vendors you want and set up an appointment with their representatives.

Check what kind of energy the representative is showing you during your scheduled consultation.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do I feel relaxed when talking to their representative?
2.  Is their representative explaining things well?
3. Do I find anything odd while talking to their representative?

Interview your prospective candidate and get a feel of their energy.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. How do I feel when talking to my prospective assistant?
2. Are their credentials and training sufficient to serve my needs?
3. Based on the interview, do I see areas they need to improve?

Answering these questions is very important because you will be working with your virtual assistant for extended periods of time. You need to make sure you both get along for a smooth and relaxing work environment. Check that your pick is also competent enough to do the job.

In conclusion, choosing a virtual assistant vendor is important because it determines the quality of virtual assistants you can get. Check all the factors listed above to help you find the best virtual assistant.