Okay, well, maybe I am! LOL
Pam Ivey (one of our GeekGyrls) and Kristi Pavlik have just released the new book called The Business of Being Virtual
This book brings you insights into some of the best known and successful virtual assistants in the industry.
You can learn more about the book at www.businessofbeingvirtual.com.
Here’s the table of contents:
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Congratulations Pam and Kristi!!! 
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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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Realtor.com released an article today, “Real Estate Firms Favor Virtual Offices,” creating a greater need for Virtual Assistants.
I have a client that has done this very thing. He is the broker/owner of his own Re/Max office and went totally Virtual. His overhead was too much and his agents were not showing up at the office making it look very barren.
Having worked together for over 5 years, he decided that our relationship worked so well for him, he would take the plunge and go totally virtual and things couldn’t be better. He, his agents, and the staff all work remotely and if he has a need for a conference room, he generally utilizes one at his Title Company’s office or rents a conference room by the hour to do a closing.
This rise is expected to continue at least over the next 2 to 3 years.
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Get Your Geek On!
