If you know a business or individual who may need some additional prompting about the most beneficial ways to utilise a V.A. service, you may want to send them a copy of this:

The ultimate rule here is simple: Communication

You should let your V.A. know:

When you are available to discuss changes and/or progress - when is the most suitable time of day, or night, for you to sit down and discuss your project? Take into account the resources you may need to have around you to make the discussion worthwhile.

What form of communication suits you best? Mobile Phone, Home Phone, E-mail, MSN etc - your Virtual Assistant can easily modify their form of communication with you to best meet your needs. Let them know what works best for you, at what time of the day.

What computer programs you are using, and especially what version you are using - changes can occur between versions, and you don't want to be seeing a different image to what your V.A. can see. Make sure you know what programs you will be using throughout the process, and always let your V.A. know if this changes at any stage.

What is your back-up plan should things not go as planned? - as great as it would be, things don't always go to plan. So what happens should your deadline change, your computer seize, or your needs change? Virtual Assistants are great for helping you get last minute jobs completed, but as close as they are, they are not always miracle workers. Always have a back-up plan and share this with your V.A.

You should ensure your V.A. has explained:

What do they understand the task to be? - Reiterate what it is you want them to do for you, and have them repeat it back. Put a task list together for you both to refer to.

What is the fee structure and payment expectation - is payment or part-payment required up front? If so, does a cheque need to be cleared before a job can commence? Does your V.A. take paymate, paypal, bpay or internet transfer?

How much time will be needed to get the job done? - You need to be realistic about this, and that is not always easy to do! Remember that communication and document transfer can take additional time. Do you need to proof read the document? How much time have you given to remedy any discrepancies you find whilst proofreading? Will you be online to receive electronic versions? Will there be a time delay? Take all of this into account.

What exactly are you getting for your money? - ask yourself, and ask your V.A. If you both have different expectations about the reason you are using the service, the initial lines of communication may be blurred, and that is exactly what we don't want!

To ensure that you are working on the same page, and can meet each other's needs, it is important to use this checklist, to make sure you have all your needs, and the needs of your V.A., covered.

Rosie Murphy, Virtually Yours 2005. http://www.virtuallyyours.com.au