Working as a virtual assistant takes more than just skill. It also entails character and a customer-oriented attitude to make sure that clients are happy enough to stay with you for a long period of time.
Practically, virtual assistants can follow these tips on how to make clients happy:
1. Communicate – the idea of communicating with a client is to NOT make them wonder what is happening on your end. This means that you need to keep them updated about what has been done, what are you currently doing, why you can’t work at the time you are expected to work, and what are the pending tasks. Giving the client, who happens to be located at the other side of the world, some updates, builds trust and strengthens the business relationship. Imagine yourself in their shoes. If you send someone some tasks overseas, how would you know if they are actually working on it, or if they have completed it? Isn’t it that you would want to get updates from them every now and then? Do the same thing with clients who are committed to pay you for the work done. Tell them what you have done so far, whether thru email, the project management tool you are using, or thru the communication tools you agreed to use (Skype, Slack, Whatsapp, etc). Don’t worry about over communicating or if they don’t respond. They’re probably just busy. As long as they know what is happening in your end, you’re making them less worried.
2. Be Honest – You probably think that communication and honesty goes hand and hand. The truth is? It doesn’t. You may be giving client updates or “chatting with them a lot” but if what you are saying is not true, then you are piling up trouble. If you say, “this is what I’ve done”, or “these are the pending” but they don’t see it in their system, then they know that you are not telling the truth. Not being honest naturally breaks trust and eventually breaks the relationship. Remember clients scrutinise your work when you work with them virtually more than when you are actually sitting with them side by side. They actually know when you are telling the truth. When they got you onboard, they surely have prepared their system for it so don’t manipulate it. Simply, tell the truth. Honesty is the best policy, especially in the virtual world.
3. Show them you care – One of the important reasons why clients need virtual assistants is because they are overwhelmed with work and they need help. If you are there to show them that you care, it helps ease their troubles. Be there to assist with their endeavours and make their lives easier. Sign in at the expected time (or let them know in advance if you can’t be around) and give them quality output. We define quality output here at Virtual Elves as “sending output that does not need any corrections or revisions, on or before the deadline”. Another way to show them that you care is to be responsive. Don’t ignore their emails or instructions. Instead, acknowledge them and let them know when you can complete them.
There are probably many other ways that you can make your clients happy. These three are the most important and easy to remember. If you follow them, you will start well. There are also other practical ways to communicate professionally, learn what to share to the clients at work or show clients that you care.
Read next article: 3 Obvious but Serious Things to Consider about Being a Virtual Assistant (VA)
