Why VAs Should Set the Tone for Clients
"As a Virtual Assistant, you are not just a task-doer—you are a strategic partner. Set the tone, own the workflow, and let efficiency lead the way!"
As a virtual assistant (VA), your ability to efficiently manage communication and workflow can determine your productivity and overall job satisfaction. However, what happens when a customer repeatedly changes their mind, insists on using email for everything, or refuses to use any project management software?
👉🏾 You feel overloaded, unorganized, and locked in an endless cycle of back-and-forth messages.
One of our VAs recently presented a challenge to a client who insisted on handling everything via email but declined to utilize Asana. She was manually tracking communications, copying and pasting updates, and continually arranging material to fit the client's shifting preferences. Familiar? Let us discuss why the situation is not sustainable—and how to solve it.
Problem: When Clients Control Workflow
Most clients lack awareness of the value of organized communication; hence, it is up to us, virtual assistants, to lead.
Emails vanish. Tracking multiple tasks across long email threads is ineffective, as important information can be buried rather quickly.
Changing requests = mess. You will spend time rewriting projects, looking for past directions, and seeking clarity if there is no central hub to track changes.
No system = no effectiveness. A VA without a suitable system is like a chef without a kitchen—you are inviting fatigue, stress, and confusion!
Many virtual assistants (VAs) strive for flexibility, which often leads them to allow clients to dictate their working conditions. Although adaptability is a valuable quality, lack of structure results in inefficiency, missed deadlines, and annoyance for both sides.
It is time to turn from reactive to proactive and take charge of your workflow.
The Solution: Grab control and apply systems
💡 Set up a hub for communication.
Many times, clients who object to Asana or Trello do so since they are not familiar with them. Start with an initial solution instead of asking for a complete changeover
Highlight the benefits: let them know a consolidated platform may improve clarity, save time, and prevent data from being lost.
Provide a seamless transition: if they plan on not using a project management solution, recommend rapid updates via a shared Google Doc, Notion board, or Slack.
Compromise when needed: For instance, you might let urgent tasks through email but need non-urgent tasks processed through a certain method.
The secret is to shift from chaotic, scattered communication toward a tracked, ordered approach that helps both of you.
Write a "How I Work" Guide.
Starting projects without establishing expectations makes up one of the main errors VAs make. Rather, present a clear onboarding procedure including your communication policies.
Set Clear SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) — Record how requests should be made, how changes are monitored, and what the approval process looks like.
Add response time expectations: Indicate when you are free and how fast clients might expect an email or message reply.
Use a client handbook or welcome packet: From day one, a brief PDF in Canva or Notion page outlining your preferred procedure will help clear up any uncertainty.
Clients are more inclined to respect your organized, professional system when they see it in place. They have entrusted you with their needs due to your expertise; therefore, kindly show them how your procedure operates most effectively.
Automate to reduce email clutter.
Regular emails miss time. Automation solutions enable you to focus on other important tasks instead of handling all of the onboarding, invoicing, task tracking, and project updating tasks by hand.
Workflow and CRM Tools: HoneyBook, DubSado, or ClickUp enable you to automate contracts, invoices, and onboarding.
Project Management: Trello, Asana, Monday, or Notion lets you distribute chores all in one spot.
Client Communication: Slack or Voxer helps reduce the number of emails and speeds up responses for quick updates.
Email Automation: Design templates or prepared responses for regularly asked subjects to save time.
Reducing meaningless email clutter can free you more time to finish projects and less time wasted managing interactions.
Stand Strong on Your Processes
It is normal for not all clients to be a suitable fit for your workflow! Ask yourself: If a client keeps rejecting effective systems and increases your workload, why?
👉🏾 Does this client fit with my business the best?
A client might not be the perfect fit if they reject using simple efficiency measures that enable you to deliver better service. You, as a VA, should:
Clearly explain why your approach performs best
Politely enforce your systems without feeling guilty
Be ready to leave high-maintenance clients
While honoring a client's preferences comes first, sacrificing your efficiency and well-being comes second. Your professionalism and the techniques you use to simplify correspondence will appeal to your ideal clients.
You Are the Expert
As a virtual assistant, you aren’t just a task-doer—you’re a strategic partner. Clients hire you because they need help managing their business. If they were great at organization and efficiency, they probably wouldn’t need a VA!
By taking the lead on communication and workflow, you improve your efficiency and help clients run their businesses more smoothly.
So, stop letting clients dictate your workflow, set the tone from the start, and create a system that works for both of you. Your time is valuable—make sure you’re running your business, not the other way around!
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