You can do a search online and find comprehensive lists of questions that should be asked of a virtual assistant. But I think the first thing that should be done, is draw up a list of the projects and tasks that it is the business owner is looking to get off his/her desk. Sometimes I think the concept of a virtual assistant is a bit of a misnomer. For the most part, a real virtual assistant is going to be more of a virtual business consultant.
I want to turn some of the questions I’ve seen into more productive questions to help potential clients and consultants match up and begin a successful working relationship.
First off, yes in some ways it is an interview. Both sides should be interviewing each other to make sure it’s a good fit. A professional consultant, should feel comfortable and confident about the work and relationship, and if not – be able to either refer to someone else, or politely decline the work. The client should feel comfortable that the consultant has the business experience to truly be of value to him or her. But keep in mind; this is not an employment interview. It’s more personal than some vendor relationships, just the nature of the work, but it’s not the same as an admin who’s sitting in a cubicle 5 feet away from your office. This is a business relationship that evolves as more trust is garnered on both sides (work is done on time and accurately on one side, and invoices paid on time on the other side).
A typical question asked to me is “How long have you been a consultant”. Well, the short answer to that is 7 years. The longer answer would include an additional 5 years of executive assistance in addition to 12 years of corporate HR experience, everything from clerk to the director level. This is where my real experience comes in, and this is how I truly know how to be a business partner with my clients. I’ve hired, fired, budgeted, managed, had an assistant, and had to look for another assistant, I’ve hired for incredibly specialized positions. I’ve worked in small start ups where I’ve worn almost all the hats, and I’ve worked for a Fortune 100 company, where I pretty much stayed on task. My experience is valuable, hands on, and will be of assistance to anyone looking for help in their business. But, because I’m not an employee, I’m not comfortable explaining all of my work background or companies worked for to a potential client. I can and will certainly explain my applicable businesses and industry compatibility, once I understand what the client is looking for.
This brings me to my next point. It’s important that a potential client knows what they are looking for, and what they are willing to actually hand off. I think the most difficult part of a new working relationship is when a client or potential client says “Well, I’m not sure what I can give you to do, I’m so used to doing everything myself.” Refer back to paragraph one – what caught your eye about a virtual consultant – be honest with the consultant you’re talking to – do you want to get your bookkeeping off your desk? Do you have collections you want done? Do you want help with your customer service? Are you looking for help dealing with your employees? Is it benefit renewal time and you have no idea what to do? Or are you drowning with phone calls and emails and need help prioritizing them? Do you need help with sales presentations on short notice?
One of the ways I’m set apart from other consultants is I work regularly at night. I work during the day too – but I have a couple of clients who are busy every day during work hours, they call me in the evening with what they need done, and when they get to work the next morning, the projects are waiting for them.
If a potential client knows what exactly they are looking for, it’s much easier to ask specific questions – instead of asking a virtual consultant to rank their level at something, it would be better to describe the type of projects the client wants to have done, and ask about the consultants previous experience with that type of project.
Instead of asking how many clients a potential consultant currently has, a better question with very concrete answers would be “I need someone to be available x hours a week, month, or I have a deadline of a specific date for a specific project. Do you have the time to cover these hours or the time to get the project done on time?” A consultant often has several clients, some active, some “sometimes” clients and some project work. So a number doesn’t answer what the client really wants to know which is “do you have time for me?”
Fees and Fee arrangements are always interesting conversations to have. Most consultants are going to charge according to their experience and value, you can expect to reasonably pay $40/hr and up. If someone is charging $15/hr, you should expect a short contract (they can’t afford to work for that amount) or lack of experience to give you the type of service and results you are expecting.
