Joe Rando
Working with a virtual assistant is something that should make your solopreneur journey easier. However, it doesn’t always work out that way.
But what do you do when you find yourself in this situation?
The answer depends on a few factors and there are different approaches for different situations. Let me explain.
The Place to Start Looking for Solutions When a virtual assistant
isn't working out
Carly Ries published a blog recently on The Real Reasons Virtual Assistant Experiences Go Wrong. Look here first.
The problem could very well be with you, and you’ll be “pushing on a rope” (as my mechanical engineer friend would say) if you try to solve it by focusing on the virtual assistant.
When a virtual assistant relationship (or any relationship for that matter) isn’t working out, start by looking in the mirror.
Hopefully, this solves your problem. If not… keep reading. I’m now assuming that the problem lies squarely with the VA.
If It’s Early in the Relationship
Based on many years of experience, I can tell you that if someone is not cutting it early in the relationship, the odds of them getting better are very low. Remember, we’ve already ruled out things like the virtual assistant not being sufficiently trained. So, at this point, they are not doing what you need even though it has been clearly communicated.
I have tended to give people time to work their way into a new role. I feel that it takes months for someone to really get comfortable enough to work independently and I try to give them time to figure out the role. Sometimes this was the right thing to do and sometimes it was a mistake – resulting in wasting valuable time.
The first thing to determine is whether it’s a work quality issue or a personality issue.
Personality Issues
I once interviewed a guy that was going to take a lot of work off my plate. He had fantastic credentials. But when I checked his references, one guy referred to the fact that he had “matured” and “wasn’t as difficult anymore.” I chose to be optimistic and hired him anyway. But very quickly it was clear that he was still difficult. He was good at his job but often alienated people that he interacted with. I spent two years constantly correcting and coaching him, but it was a waste of time. I would have been much better off if I had ended this relationship quickly.
When there is a personality issue, it’s not fixable. End it ASAP and find someone else.
Work Quality Issues
When work quality is poor early in the process, it’s a huge red flag. But what to do depends on the details.
Poor work quality can mean a couple of different things:
- Their skills are sub-par, that is, their ability in their field is insufficient
- Their understanding of the requirements or subject matter is flawed – their ability in their field is solid, but it doesn’t match the requirements
If the quality of their work is poor, a graphic designer just isn’t skilled enough or a writer can’t write well, you can’t wait around for them to improve and they may have been dishonest in who created the work they displayed that convinced you to hire them.
If their skills aren’t sufficient, move on as soon as possible.
If their understanding of the requirements is the problem and (we are assuming) you clearly conveyed the requirements, you have a judgment call to make. I once hired a VA to do social media posts for us. I laid out all the topics we wanted to be covered and when the first draft of posts came in for review, it was as though I had said nothing to him. The posts were fine, but not what I asked for. I ended the relationship immediately.
Another time I hired a contractor to write content for me. It was a technical business and so I would create seed content that he would then turn into blog posts. At first, he was messing up the tech-speak. As he rewrote it, things in my seed material that made sense from the technical perspective, didn’t anymore, requiring me to rewrite it. I was frustrated and wished he wouldn’t even mess with that aspect of my content.
But he was a good writer and he was learning as we went and eventually became a great asset to the business. It initially required an investment of my time, but it paid off in the long run. But, if he hadn’t the ability to eventually learn the subject, this approach would have eventually failed.
If their understanding of your field or your requirements is the problem, evaluate whether they can get up to speed in a reasonable amount of time.
If they can, it’s probably worth giving them a shot.
If they probably can’t, move on to someone else who can learn as quickly as possible.
If It’s Later in the Relationship
If you have a virtual assistant that’s been working well for a long time, but lately things aren't going well, this is a situation where it’s usually worth investing some time to salvage the relationship.
The first question when a virtual assistant ceases to perform is, “What’s changed?” You need to get the answer to this in order to try to fix things.
The base reason for a recent change in performance is usually either:
- Something about the job has changed; or
- Something in their life has changed
Start by talking to the virtual assistant. Let them know how great they’ve been but be honest that the work has not been up to their normal standards lately. Ask them what’s changed. If they claim nothing has changed, ask why the work quality is off. Be prepared with some examples of work that did not meet your expectations.
If it’s job-related, it could be that:
- The workload has increased
- The job requirements have become more challenging
- The virtual assistant is burnt out on the work they are doing
If the workload has increased or the job has become more challenging, you need to weigh the challenges of training up a new virtual assistant versus finding a way to accommodate this one. I am personally a big fan of finding ways to keep good people around.
I suggest having a straight conversation and exploring where the stress is coming from and then trying to find ways to reduce it. You may need to lower your requirements or hire an additional virtual assistant to pick up some slack. But see if you can find a way to salvage what was a good working relationship.
If it’s something in their life, the result could be:
- They are tired – there could be some new challenge in their life that’s causing this
- They are stressed – this could be a personal problem, a money issue
- They have a health issue – be careful asking about this as HIIPA laws come into play
If there’s a personal issue, then you need to explore it, but more carefully. Respecting their privacy should be a concern.
It’s possible that their life circumstances make it impossible for them to continue doing the job the way you need them to. In that case, you need to decide whether to respectfully part ways or find a way to accommodate their new circumstance.
But be realistic here. If someone is having a personal issue, you can try to keep them on in whatever capacity makes sense for both of you. But the fact is that they are a contractor, not an employee, and you are not obligated to keep them on if they can’t do the job you need them to. If you have the spare resources to be kind and cut them some slack, I personally would do that. But if you can’t, you can’t.
Don’t put yourself out of business trying to support someone that can’t do the job.
Final Thoughts
Dealing with a virtual assistant relationship that’s going poorly is no fun. But you deserve good work products for your money. Never extend the relationship past the point of reason out of kindness or inertia.
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