Working safely with a Virtual Assistant really isn’t something that should concern you. However, I’m often told that it can be an issue for people thinking about hiring a Virtual Assistant for the first time. Fortunately, there are things you can do to cover your bases, and more importantly to give yourself peace of mind.
Access to your accounts
The easiest way to make sure that you maintain a certain amount of security with all your accounts is to use a password manager. You can also give shared access to many programs (such as your Facebook business page, MailChimp, and Gmail) to a Virtual Assistant. My suggestion is that if you’re just starting a relationship and you aren’t comfortable with giving away access to your programs don’t give Administrator level access to anything. However, you need to bear in mind that will limit the ways your Virtual Assistant can help. So keep in mind you will probably want to give higher access levels as your relationship develops.
Software to help you share things securely
LastPass: Allows you to give your Virtual Assistant a password that allows access to select accounts without giving them the password to the account. That way you can control what access they have and if you end your working relationship you can just remove access for their account.
Dropbox: Dropbox is great for sharing files. Just create a folder specifically for your Virtual Assistant and they’ll be able to access everything you put in that folder. Dropbox is also great if something goes wrong, then you can retrieve an earlier version from back to around 30 days ago.
Google Docs: For documents, spreadsheets and displays. Makes it easy to edit without having to worry if someone else is in the file, displays who last edited a file as well as a revision history for the whole document.
Documentation
Put everything in writing: I’m a huge fan of this. There’s a certain amount of security that comes with having things written down. It gives you a clear record that you can go back to if there’s ever any dispute. And it allows both you and your Virtual Assistant to be clear on what’s expected. Here are a couple of documents that you might want to ask about:
Contract
In most cases, your Virtual Assistant will provide a contract or terms for you to sign, if they don’t, you may want to provide one yourself. Make sure it uses plain English and covers everything you have concerns about. If you have serious concerns on any aspect of your agreement, get it written by a lawyer. If you don’t have concerns, then a terms and conditions document might do. I have a Terms document that I send to anyone who is going to be a regular client. For one-off or occasional work, I usually don’t bother, however I can send the Terms document if it’s requested.
Non-disclosure agreement
If you deal in any sensitive information, you need to have a non-disclosure agreement. You may want to use one regardless. Just be sure that it covers what you need it to cover. If you’re really concerned about having a watertight non-disclosure agreement, don’t use a template downloaded off the web, or an NDA you’ve been given by another business. Spend the money to get a lawyer to write it up, or at least look it over, for you so that if you ever need to use it – it stands up in court.
Tasks & Responsibilities
Sometimes, I think it’s useful to make a list of the tasks that you expect your Virtual Assistant to do. And how much responsibility you want them to have when doing them. That way you don’t have to worry about your Virtual Assistant overstepping their boundaries. But you don’t have the situation where your Virtual Assistant has to ask you about every step of the job. If they need to check every detail with you, it will limit their effectiveness as they won’t be able to process things in a timely manner and you won’t be saving much time if you have to supervise every step of the way.
Trust
Probably the most important thing in my opinion. Work with someone you can trust! By all means don’t immediately share access to every little thing. But the more you hold back the less your Virtual Assistant can do. So, it’s important to find someone you can trust, and develop a good working relationship with.
Find a Virtual Assistant you feel good about
This is probably the most important thing you can do. If you can find a Virtual Assistant that you feel comfortable with and who you trust right off the bat. Then you’ll find it easier to talk about any concerns you have. Some of the best ways to find a Virtual Assistant you can trust are:
Networking: You can ask your contacts for recommendations and also see if you know any Virtual Assistants already. If you know a Virtual Assistant already but for some reason they’re not suitable for you to work with (i.e.: their skill set isn’t a match, you feel they’d have a conflict of interest etc.) then ask them if they can help you find another Virtual Assistant. Most of us are involved in several networks and would be more than happy to help you find someone that works well for you.
Virtual Assistant Groups: If you go through one of the many Virtual Assistant groups you can be sure that anyone who contacts you will have a certain skill level and background. If you’ve got very specific needs, then mention that when you make contact and only people who meet your requirements should put forward.
Ask Questions: Once you’ve settled on one or two Virtual Assistants that you think could be suitable, talk to them and ask any questions you might have. Nobody should have any problems with that, and if they do then they are probably not the one you should be working with as communication should be easy with your Virtual Assistant.
Research: Do your research. Ask people about their experience with a Virtual Assistant and what has worked or hasn’t worked. Check out articles on the internet about working with a Virtual Assistant. My only tip is to be very careful to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples. If you read about someone who wanted a Virtual PA and hired the cheapest available and had a bad experience – well duh! People who hire by price only are always going to have problems with the people they hire. In terms of research – it’s also worth your while to check out the Virtual Assistant you’re looking at hiring. Do they have a Website? Social Media accounts? Do they have a blog? Particularly if they’re going to be working on your social media, website, or blog. Their own accounts should give an idea of what they can do.
Blog Posts: In the past I’ve blogged quite a lot of ideas for getting off to a great start with a Virtual Assistant. Mostly, it revolves around you having a specific idea of what you want. And being able to communicate well with the Virtual Assistant you choose to work with. But if you’d like some more ideas, check out my past blog posts in the What is a Virtual Assistant? and Working with a Virtual Assistant categories
Offshoring
When you’re offshoring, chances are you’ll find someone who does the job professionally and ethically. However, the added distance and business practices makes it worth taking a few extra precautions. Make sure that you keep control of your data and have a contact that includes non-disclosure as well as details on how your data may be used. Get their business address and do your due diligence to make sure it’s correct. Lastly, consult a lawyer so that if you need to proceed with legal action, you have everything you need.
So there are some things you can do to ensure you’re working safely with a Virtual Assistant. My main tip is if you’re not confident in the person you’re working with. Then maybe you should look further afield. Most Virtual Assistants will have no problem with helping you to find someone new if the relationship doesn’t click. Just be timely and sensitive about how you broach the subject. Passive aggressive behaviour doesn’t impress anyone and worse, doesn’t help the situation.
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