The Gritty Virtual Assistant Blog

Dear Gritty VA,

I hired a Virtual Assistant and in general, I am satisfied. However, I am dissappointed about the lack of follow-up and progress reports. Is this something that you train your Virtual Assistants how to do? I don’t want to micro-manage, but I do expect reports, and what is being or not being accomplished without having to ask what is happening. –PD

Thanks for contacting me, PD. I’m always happy to provide clearer understanding so that business owners (both clients and Virtual Assistants) can negotiate mutually happy business relationships.

The first thing that is important to understand is that Virtual Assistants are not employees. They don’t "report" to their clients. Virtual Assistants are independent business owners, and how they run their business and what services they provide to their clients is up to each of them individually.

Looking at it another way, would you have this same "issue" with your attorney or accountant or bookkeeper? It is entirely reasonable that you would expect some kind of regular updates from those professionals, but you understand that you aren’t their "boss" and they don’t "report" to you. That is the same understanding you should have with your Virtual Assistant.

What I mentor Virtual Assistants to provide clients with at the start of the business relationship is clear communication about what her (or his) business standards, policies and processes are, so that clients know what to expect and how things work. That communication should continue throughout the relationship with regard to staying in contact and keeping clients up-to-date.

It does sound as though the Virtual Assistant you are working with has not offered you a system of communication that is meeting your need for a bit of "progress pulse." I encourage Virtual Assistants to provide monthly retainer clients (clients they are working together with in ongoing collaborative partnership each month) with a telephone meeting each or every other week. This helps keep communication lines open and allows you to stay in sync with each other with regard to projects, goals, upcoming work and events, etc.

I’m not sure what other kind of "reporting" you feel is necessary, and that will need to be discussed and negotiated between you and your Virtual Assistant. Trust and communication are critical to any relationship, and without those elements, there’s no basis for doing business together. I would encourage you to open up the dialogue and give your Virtual Assistant the opportunity to improve her business and services to you.