A day off from the routine support system?

For most employees, working in the virtual assistance office means you are completely available for your clients. While in the office, most of our Virtual Assistants communicate with our clients face to face or via phone answering services and email. You know in your heart that you are a good virtual assistant and give your clients all of the attention they need. However, sometimes you take a day off to do personal things or errands. But your clients may still need some of your time. You know you will not have a lot of time to give them since you may be running around with your children, going to the doctor, or helping out a family member. So the question is how can you manage your clients when you are out of the office?

How to do the impossible?

It may be a challenge at times but the best way to start is by setting up some guidelines. At 247virtualassistants.com, we advocate that it’s a good idea to discuss your hours and days of availability at the beginning of the relationship with your clients. When you first meet them, take some time and explain how and when you are available to communicate with them including days off. Like, you may tell your clients that you are available Monday through Friday from 9:00AM to 5:00PM and you can be reached via phone answering services or email. You may tell them that you will return phone messages within twenty-four hours. If they have a quick question it is better to email you.

In today’s business world, many people respond much more quickly to emails than to voicemail. You can say you will reply to their emails within two hours. In addition, feel free to explain what will happen when you are out of the office for the day. One idea is to tell them that you only accept emails and no phone calls. At 24/7 Virtual Assistant services, we establish a backup person who can take emergency calls and perform tasks if the client desires through phone answering services. This way your client will still feel supported when you are out of the office. Be sure to stress that the workflow can continue even if you stepped away and there is an emergency. Then a colleague can get in touch with you or handle the task.

Communication is the need of the hour!

Furthermore, be sure to explain to your client what is considered an emergency. Give them some examples. Explain to them that if they just have a simple question to email you. As far as email, perhaps tell your clients you check your email once in the morning and once in the late afternoon. Especially when it is you are on your days off.

This takes the pressure off of yourself. If you are about to go to your doctor’s appointment, check our email first. Then you will not have to concern yourself with it until later in the day. If you are going to have a busy day, it is wise to make a reminder for yourself on your cell phone to check your emails. Sometimes when one is out of the office, it is easy to forget to check work email. Perhaps you prefer to check emails only at the end of the day or in the evening.

Why is it necessary?

It is important to remember that everyone needs days off and that if you are physically away from the office, your mind is not required to be there either. Some people may not adhere to your day off rules. What happens if you are out of the office, and you check your email and one of your clients has emailed you three times about the same subject? What if you are sitting in a café enjoying a coffee and your colleague texts you that one of your clients has called twice with something that could easily have waited? How do you handle this?

You definitely need to remind your client about your day off rules. One easy way to remind them is to set up your work email as an out-of-the-office automated message. If someone emails you on your day off and has forgotten you will be away, they will remember quickly when they receive this. Also on your work voicemail, do not forget to change that outgoing voicemail! It is best to make a new message stating the current date and say the date you will be back in the office. And when you are back in the office, do not forget to switch it back so your clients will not get confused.

Today’s world itself is very short!

Unfortunately, many people today have short-term memory. When you talk to your clients, be sure to remind them about your days off that are coming up. At 24/7 Virtual Assistant services, we always remind them of how they can get in contact with us. If a client’s regular virtual assistant is off for the day, we will always assign them a backup assistant they can depend on.

It’s all about communication with your virtual assistant colleagues. It’s important to build up your client’s confidence. Then will feel that they can depend on you and your company. Your clients will always have peace of mind that their needs will be met and their business will be taken care of. You will build up an excellent reputation as a company for catering to your clients. This is very important. You will look very professional to your clients by setting boundaries.

Remember!

Your clients must remember that no one is available twenty-four hours on a given day. If you set up your boundaries and adhere to them, your clients will remember. This is much healthier and can reduce stress as well.

You can have confidence knowing that you give excellent service when you are in the office. But when you are out of the office, it is okay to take that time for yourself. Some people try to be “on” all of the time for their clients. However, that often can create stress and even affect your health.

Lastly….be sure to make the most of your day off and enjoy yourself!