Top 5 Tips for Delegating Tasks to Your Filipino Virtual Assistant

Hiring virtual assistants in the Philippines (VAs) is a great option if you’re running on full capacity or looking to improve productivity and efficiency. With many online assistants specialising in various business processes and marketing skills, they can take a huge load off your shoulders. But regardless of how good the VA is, you will not see results if you are unable to delegate. The following are my five biggest tips to best delegate tasks to your virtual Assistant.

Know your assistant’s strengths and weaknesses

Before you assign anything to your VA, it is important to ensure that he is indeed the right person for the job. If you don’t know what your assistant is capable of, then it will be tough to get the most out of your virtual assistant. In addition, if you’re not aware of what your assistant’s weaknesses are, the two of you are at a greater risk of botching down an important project. So take the time to know your virtual assistant well before delegating a task to him.

Clearly define the tasks you want to delegate

Proper delegation starts with good communication. Therefore, start by defining the tasks you plan to delegate or assign to your virtual assistant. Whether you want your VA to book a flight or do target market research, communicate the relevant details of each task as clearly and succinctly as possible. Do not hold back on information. The more specific you are with your initial instructions, the less time you will have to spend clarifying.

Encourage your virtual assistant to ask questions if there is something he doesn’t understand. And more importantly, let him know he can contact you and you’re willing to answer his queries. By providing your VA with everything he needs to know about the task at hand, your assistant will be more prepared and capable to fill your shoes.

Set standards

Along with the details of the job, you should also set guidelines or work standards for your virtual assistant to follow. For instance, if you’ve hired your assistant to create marketing copies for you, you should show him the writing style that you have been using before so he can come up with copies whose tone and voice are similar to those in your previous write-ups. If you are to delegate accounting tasks, ensure that your assistant knows how data and information are processed and handled properly.

Be clear about your deadlines

Whenever you delegate a task to your Filipino virtual assistant, especially those that are time-sensitive, you should set schedules or deadlines. Whether you expect your assistant to report in everyday or every week, you should make it known and be very clear about it. Not only will this help with overall productivity, it also enables your virtual assistant to manage his time efficiently.

Take advantage of available technology

Today, there are many collaborative apps that you can use to simplify the process of delegating a task to your virtual assistant. For instance, you can use Grexit, an app that helps you keep track of continuous projects and assignments. There’s also Google Docs, which allows you to create and edit documents online while collaborating with other users. As for communicating with your Filipino Virtual Assistant, there are a number of free video and chat applications like Google Hangouts and Skype you can use.