How to manage multiple clients as a Virtual Assistant
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- by Amanda Johnson
If you want your Virtual Assistant business to grow, it’s understandable that you’ll need to manage the workload of multiple clients. And that’s something that isn’t always simple, especially when you’re first starting out. It can be a bit of a learning curve, working out how to manage your own business needs as well as those of your various clients.
But it’s no different to when you are working in an employed role and supporting a variety of clients. If you want to manage it effectively, there are things you can do to streamline the process and make it work well for you and your clients.
So here’s an overview of what you can do, to excel at managing the workload of multiple clients as well as your own business!
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If you want to manage multiple clients, get efficient with your time
You must organise your workload. Have a daily routine where you take the time to assess and plan out your day before you start any work. Block time for client work and work to smaller time chunks within that blocked time.
Schedule everything! Not just for your clients, but also for your own business, including set times for checking emails and social media. And switch off distractions too!
Make use of technology
Technology can greatly assist you, but only if you use what suits your needs and you learn how to use it well. It’s there to help you with your time management, communication and the tasks on your task list/
Look at project management tools such as Basecamp, Trello, and Asana. They’re great for keeping track of everything and keeping all communication in one place. Sync up your calendars, so you know exactly what’s going on and who is doing what.
Using a time management tool ensures you’re accurately charging for all the work you do for each client. Check out The top 7 time tracking tools you can use, as it includes some top tools, including MinuteDock. Also, I’d recommend check out the Timular tracker device and app it makes reference to.
Become deadline focussed
Prioritise your tasks, so you know when things are due, rather than working on projects based on when they’re passed over to you. This helps you avoid getting overwhelmed with the volume of work you may have waiting for your attention.
Make use of weekly catch up calls
Ensure you’re using the weekly catch up calls to your advantage. Not only are they a great way to review how the week went, but you can also use them to help plan and delegate your client work and any launches or events they may have coming up.
Communicate, communicate, communicate!
Clients may not always be great at communicating, as I’m sure you’re aware! They will sometimes classify something as urgent when it isn’t a high priority, whilst others may go radio silent on you, just when you need them. It’s part and parcel of your job to communicate and follow up with your clients and ensure you have all you need to do the job they’re paying you to do.
But communication is a two-way street. You can help clarify and manage expectations by using a Customer Charter to set clear guidelines around communication between you and the client. You can use these guidelines to define how often you’ll communicate and what is expected from both parties if work is to be completed to the high standard you both expect. It’s also a good time to clarify what urgent means and to set boundaries around how urgent work is charged and carried out.
Don’t be afraid to say no
Sometimes, when it comes to managing multiple clients, you just have to say no. Whether it’s no to extra work or no to taking on another client, you are in control of your business, your time and your workload. If you feel that you cannot manage your workload, look to hand off some clients to another VA or get an Associate in to help.
Managing multiple clients isn’t always easy, but it’s a lot more manageable if you follow the advice above. I’d also recommend you take into consideration the role your health and your lifestyle has on your business, and thus the impact on your energy and productivity levels.
So over to you! How do you effectively manage the workload of multiple clients? Did the above blog post resonate with you, or do you have a fantastic tip that you’d like to share? If so, I’d love to hear from you – so pop a comment in the comments section below!