Top Virtual Assistant Qualities

Managed service providers like Quickskill have accumulated best practices through internal trial and error, and incorporated aspects of the different companies serviced over the years in order to better position our teams and our clients for success.

Below are the 7 qualities of a virtual assistant you should look for before you hire:

1Experience

There should be a demonstrable track record of successful projects, processes, and systems. If you have a particular project, a virtual administrative assistant should be able to show you examples of accomplished work similar to yours (same industry, size of the business etc.). Look at their portfolio, and check for third party reviews, testimonials, and more.

Want to learn more about what it’s like to work with a Quickskill virtual assistant? Download our free guide:

2Technical Skills

It’s not enough for the work to get done. Technical skills can make a big difference in a great assistant as opposed to a mediocre one. Your virtual administrative assistant must be able to use the most modern digital tools to help your business scale successfully. Everything must be of exceptional quality and properly documented. The job should get done the right way, right away.

Check out our Tools Database to see the tools our virtual assistants regularly use to support their clients:

3Security

Issues around data protection should concern you, especially where customer records or invoice details are involved. The best work around is to give your virtual administrative assistant tiered access to data you’d like to keep secure. Look for virtual assistant services that provide tiered access in addition to NDAs.

4Management skills

It’s important that your assistant be part of a managed team. Managed teams give each virtual administrative assistant access to continued education, mentoring, and ongoing support that can only come from having a resourceful team around. For more information on how to find really great people, check out this article from our friends at Time Doctor.

5Communication skills

Communication between you and your assistant is core to making the relationship work. If you prefer to communicate via video conferencing software or group communication tools, is your virtual assistant able to accommodate your preferences? The answer should always be, “yes!” The best virtual assistant services have a project manager who reviews requirements, updates any processes, and seeks feedback from clients. You definitely want this added asset on your team!

Never worked with a virtual assistant before? Check out our article:

Have a VA? You Need to Master These Communication Skill

6Reliable Processes

Do you have documented processes that can be delegated to a virtual executive assistant? If not, the best virtual assistant services will gather the right information from you and put together a system that leverages best practices in your industry. They should be able to make any process more efficient. Examples should be readily available.

7Price

Look for flat rates, otherwise you risk the hidden fees and additional charges that can stack up when you pay per hour. The hourly pricing also leaves you with some of the responsibility for managing your hourly usage, which defeats the point of hiring a virtual assistant to save you time. 

Don’t risk the long-term success of your business by hiring a mediocre virtual executive assistant who is not part of a greater, managed team.