One of the benefits of having a Virtual Assistant is that you are able to assign or delegate various tasks to them. Being a small business owner, these are tasks you could normally do yourself, but as your business grows you find you no longer have the time to do so. You know what can be done and what the finished result should look like, but can you be sure that your Virtual Assistant will understand, especially if they have only just started working with you?
There are several methods you could employ to ensure you delegate efficiently, but here we will explore three methods that use technology to effectively communicate tasks quickly. Used correctly they will guarantee that all tasks and projects are completed correctly, every time.
-1- Visual Delegation
Use Join.me to visually delegate tasks and to communicate specific details of what you require. join.me combines screen sharing with meeting tools allowing you to present, train or even demonstrate techniques remotely. It is a browser based application, so it requires no downloading of software, but it does also have applications for the iPad/iPhone and Android devices. The team at Join.me offer both free and paid options, with features of the free version including the following:
- up to 10 meeting participants
- screen sharing
- internet calling
- multi-monitor setup
- chat
- ability to send files
- The paid version offers a dozen additional features, but deciding on whether to use the paid or free version depends on your specific requirements.
-2- Audio Delegation
Instead of compiling a detail email at the end of each day in which you assign and explain the next days tasks you could make an audio recording doing the same. Begin each recording with the date and time, and then proceed to dictate the tasks, along with any specific instructions for each task. End the recording, make sure it is save as an MP3, and then simply email the audio file to your Virtual Assistant. This is faster and more convenient than typing out a detailed email message.
-3- Task Lists
Perhaps you prefer delegating and managing tasks in writing, but this often involves a bit of trial and error to find a template and system that delivers the best results. Using a system like Asana can eliminate this by making it easier to assign tasks, communicate with your team, and monitor progress. Asana is a shared task system and it is free for teams of 15 members or less. With Asana you can easily create and assign tasks to your team, even breaking complex tasks down into smaller pieces. You can then easily monitor the progress on each task, and even communicate directly with your team through a comments system on each task. This conveniently keeps all communications relating to each task together, eliminating the need for follow up email messages and even phone calls.
Asana allows you to set due dates for each task, or subset of tasks, so that you and your Virtual Assistant are both always aware of deadlines and priorities, and you can intervene early enough when you feel a project is falling behind schedule. All tasks are updated in real time, so you would no longer need to wait for a daily or weekly status report to monitor progress, you can simply log in to the system and see exactly what has been completed and what is currently being worked on.
Using one of these methods, or a combination of them, will help raise the caliber of your communications to your Virtual Assistant; not to mention the finished product that they return to you. What other methods do you employ?
About Out of the Office Virtual Assistance:
At Out of the Office, we are committed to providing earth-friendly administration and offer ideas and ways to increase your productivity, decrease your workload, and work more efficiently. We nurture a successful business relationship, while continuing to grow as your business partner. We are focused on streamlining your administration, social media planning and execution, and offering creative solutions for your business success.
Image credit: geralt | CCO Public Domain