Marketing and growing my VA practice has allowed me the opportunity to build relationships with entrepreneurs in all walks of life, and in many varied industries. Ethics has been the thread that binds me to other successful business owners, and helps to spread the word on how to maintain and encourage good business practices.

One of the biggest obstacles that many of my VA peers face is the use of sub-contractors. As with any industry, there are those that take pride in their abilities and prefer to be totally honest in dealing with clients (and other VA’s looking for assistance), and those who do not.

We sometimes forget that we should also be responsible for building a good working relationship with our sub-contractors. We should provide clear and concise instructions, as we would an employee, and give them all the necessary information to understand our business philosophy, our mission, and the relationship we maintain with our clients. As a sub-contractor, we should handle this business with the same professionalism as we would any other client. How we complete their project will have an impact on whether or not they’ll use us in the future, as it is with any client.

Take the time to find out about your sub-contractor and be sure they’re a good fit for you and the project you need assistance with. Be sure you have a good Sub-Contractor Agreement and that it’s signed before you forward any work to be completed. Be clear about deadlines. Give yourself an extra day or two so that you can check their work to be sure it is what your client has come to expect from your organization, and that your sub-contractor can realistically complete their end of the project on time.

I can’t tell you how many horror stories I’ve heard from VA’s whose sub-contractors don’t complete projects on time, or as instructed. It’s probably their number one complaint and what may prevent them from accepting a project that will require additional help.

I know I enjoy being a sub-contractor, and do everything in my power to make sure that the work product maintains the impeccable standards I set for myself with my own clients, and that the VA I’m working with has a good sub-contractor experience. I keep in touch with the VA client to let them know if I’m having any difficulty or need clarification on their instructions. It can certainly be a win-win for both of us. It allows them to provide good quality and on-time services, and brings me a little extra business that I would not have obtained if not for a good, ethical relationship with another successful VA.

If you have an ethical dilemma with a sub-contractor, please share it with me and we’ll find solutions that will help strengthen your relationship as a VA and a sub-contractor.

Wishing you continued success and the wisdom to consider ethical options.

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One of my first clients calls me periodically to ask questions, and get my advice for free, sometimes keeping me on the phone for hours. She recently purchased a new laptop computer, and was having problems with Outlook and getting her contact list restored to the new system from her backup copies. She made a series of appointments for me to come out and help her make the transition. I say “series” because she would make the appointment, and then the night before call to say that she thought she’d figured out the problem, or finally got some help from the company she purchased the new laptop from, one of my first suggestions.

I started asking about the software and hardware she had purchased, and in making comparisons to the old system we happened along the problem. What we found was that she had some pirated software on the old system. Now she didn’t consider it pirated software, I mean, her husband had been working for the company she’d purchased the old laptop from, and the software came with her system. She’s pretty sure she paid for it. If it came with the system, they should have provided her with the actual software CD’s. If they failed to do so, she should go back to them to secure a “certified” copy. It took some time, but she did finally admit that perhaps she didn’t pay for it.

I proceeded to suggest a few of my favorite software “deal” sites so she could purchase the software she needed to be able to transfer her contacts back into the new laptop. When she started considering asking her husband to get her a copy of the software…I proceeded to tell her that I considered her to be a good ethical business owner, and hoped that she would reconsider doing anything that could jeopardize her credibility with her clients. How would she feel about the ethics of a company that “stole” someone’s product?

I must admit I don’t get through to everyone, but on this particular occasion, I had struck the right cord. She called me back the following week to tell me that she’d upgraded her entire Microsoft package to the latest version, and felt really good about it. She also told me that she felt really bad about having taken up so much of my time and canceling so many appointments.

Incredible! I felt like buying a new leather belt just so I could cut a notch in it. Not only did I reap the rewards of having helped someone move in a more ethical direction, but two days later I received a check from her for $100, with a wonderful thank you card. She said that she really felt good about herself and the direction of her business. Needless to say, I felt pretty good, too.

What we both were experiencing was the POWER of ethical business practices. When you take the time to consider the impact of what you do, you come away not only with the pride in knowing that you did the right thing, but you give your self-esteem a boost as well. Ethics can be a powerful elixir in attaining your business goals. Use it liberally and watch your business GROW!

Wishing you continued success and the wisdom to consider ethical options.

©Copyright Accurate Business Services 2009

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