Question 1

How is it best to "check in" with a client? When should I do so?

Accepted Answer

After working with a client for some time, it's likely you'll have both settled into a comfortable working pattern together.

This is very positive, however, it's also important that you both review how the relationship is going from time to time too.

Could you be adding even more value to their day? Could you be doing anything differently? Has anything changed?

Revisit Their Initial Brief

Go back to the original "brief" you received from us following the client's initial consultation call with Virtalent and revisit any notes you subsequently made from your first few calls together.

Are they delegating all of the tasks that they originally spoke to you and our Selection Team about? If not, why have they decided not to delegate something? Could they do so now?

Now that you’ve established a good working relationship with your client and they feel comfortable, where else can you add value? Are you skilled in a certain area that they didn’t realise at first, or has the client started working on a new project where you think your experience could be relevant? Clients will always appreciate a proactive approach to working with them.

At Virtalent, our goal as a team should not only be to take care of the day-to-day tasks and projects our clients need support with, but ultimately we also want to help grow them their businesses and realise their ambitions.

Keep Their Goals In Mind

Think back to when you started together. Why did they hire you, a talented, professional Virtual Assistant, in the first place?

Whether this was to save time or access new skills, it can be useful to ask your client whether they feel they have achieve their original goal.

Have they achieved what they set out to do?
What has changed for them since working with you, both personally and professionally?
What are their short-term and long-term goals now?
Have they changed?
How will YOU help them hit those goals?

Maintain Open Communication

When a client is busy and you also have other clients to attend to yourself, it's easy to let day after day pass by without 'checking in' with each other. Gradually you could become distant and lose the rapport you've worked so hard to build together at the start of your relationship.

Try to ensure you set aside time to ensure your client has everything they need from you (and you have everything you need from them!), to discuss the progress of any ongoing tasks/projects and plan the weeks ahead.

It only needs to be a 10 minute 'hello' on the phone here and there!

Question 2

Can I meet my client in-person?

Accepted Answer

At Virtalent we have a deliberate “remote-first” culture that we’re incredibly proud of. This means that everyone, from our Client Success Manager through to our accountants in Staffordshire, work together 100% online. We haven't had an office since we launched the company in 2014!

It's rare for most clients to meet their VA in-person too.

However, we do appreciate that you might like to meet your client in person at some point, especially if you have worked with each other for some time.

We don't openly advertise this to new clients, but if you have already started working with a client and you feel meeting with them would be beneficial, we are happy for this to happen.

Please remember, however:

Please let your Client Success Manager know this is happening, so that we are aware.
Both you and your client must be happy with this arrangement. Meeting with a client is in not compulsory or something you 'should' do - it is optional. We are an online-only service and so your client should not expect you to do this.
The time you spend traveling (door-to-door) and meeting with the client must be logged to their account. This is time that you can't spend working on other tasks for other clients (or doing anything else), so we feel this is a fair approach. Please ensure you make your client aware of this and that this is agreed beforehand.
You'll need to ask the client reimburse any reasonable travel costs you incur. Please try to estimate these in advance of your meeting and let your client know what to expect, then upload the expense to the portal as soon as possible (then simply add it to your next invoice so we can reimburse you).
You should not be meeting with a client on a regular basis. This should be a Christmas party, a rare in-person 'catch up' or an important annual meeting, not a regular weekly meeting with all other staff.
You should not be working per se. You shouldn't be re-organising a client's filing system or distributing flyers at a conference, for example. The emphasis is on meeting with the client.

Please speak with your Client Success Manager about the meeting if you are unsure.

How is it best to "check in" with a client? When should I do so?

Can I meet my client in-person?

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