How building trust with your virtual assistant can help grow your business (and 4 easy steps to do it faster)

Let’s face it – adopting new ways of doing business and working can be daunting.  And one of the biggest roadblocks we’ve often seen boils down to one thing: trust.

We get it. You’re considering hiring a virtual assistant (VA) for the first time, and suddenly, your mind is buzzing with questions:

• Can I count on this person to deliver?
• Is a remote assistant as dependable as a full-time hire who I see in the office daily?
• Should I give them access to our systems and sensitive info?
• Would hiring an employee be a safer bet?

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. These are common concerns. But here’s a little insider info – hiring a virtual assistant isn’t all that different from bringing on any new team member (except we help with the heavy lifting.)

Whether they’re down the hall or across the globe, every new hire, be it in-office or remote, full-time, part-time, or a virtual assistant, goes through a ‘get-to-know-you’ phase. It’s all about building trust and it takes a little time, but guess what? That’s totally normal.

Developing trust with your virtual assistant (and the VA service provider, for that matter) is an evolving journey, especially during onboarding. Let’s walk through it together.

Key takeaways: Making trust work with your VA

1. Trust is natural and necessary—it’s in our nature to seek trust, especially in work relationships.
2. There are four pillars of trust:
   • Competence: They have the skills to get the job done.
   • Predictability: You can count on their consistency and reliability.
   • Integrity: They’re committed, ethical, and genuinely care.
   • Benevolence: They’re a good match for your business and to work with.
3. Trust-building is a process—it’s about growing confidence through consistent interactions and experiences.
4. With the right VA you can fast-track trust—a well-trained and vetted virtual assistant is more likely to earn your trust quickly, making your work easier and more productive.

So, how do we judge trust?

Trust is instinctive… and reliable. Sure, it’s a feeling, but it’s also about practicality. Here are the four simple questions we subconsciously ask ourselves:

Competence: “Do they have the skills to get the job done?”
Predictability: “Can I count on them to be consistent?”
Integrity: “Are they honest and do they have my back?”
Benevolence: “Are they a good fit for our team culture?”

Step-by-Step: Building Trust with Your Virtual Assistant

You’ve just hired a virtual assistant; naturally, you’re eager to see them excel right out of the gate. We get it – efficiency is key in today’s fast-paced business world. And our team is ready to go, but there’s still that initial onboarding period.

When onboarding…

1. Hand of simple tasks first

For companies engaging with a virtual assistant for the first time, it’s natural to be cautious and hesitant about which tasks to hand off.

At the same time, if a new virtual assistant is given an impossibly complex task as job one, they’ll probably wonder what they signed up for!

Starting with small, manageable tasks is a great way to help your VA settle in and learn how you work. Plus, you can see how they work. This helps reduce risk and build comfort.

 2. Establish clear deadlines

Knowing when a task is due is incredibly important for your virtual assistant. It will impact how they schedule their time, approach, and manage the assignment. This helps set expectations right off the hop.

3. Assess performance and skills and provide feedback

Review your VA’s work and make sure it’s up to your standards. Share your feedback with them and let them know if there is anything they need to know or improve on. You may have a certain way of doing things, so make sure they’re aware.

4. Slowly expand delegated tasks and responsibilities

As your virtual assistant starts to prove themselves and what they are capable of, it becomes easier to pass on more complex or sensitive assignments. By this stage, they have begun to earn your trust. Once you know they can do this, the door opens to delegating more and more of the tasks that are bogging you down!

How Virtual Gurus Takes the Guesswork Out Trust-Building

When it comes to hiring a virtual assistant, we know the importance of a perfect match. That’s why at Virtual Gurus, we’ve streamlined the process to make it as effortless as possible for you.

We Do the Heavy Lifting:

You might be wondering, “How do I ensure my VA has the right skills and fits well with my team’s culture?” Well, that’s where we shine. We vet every virtual assistant to ensure their skills and experience align with your specific needs. This means when you’re ready to onboard a VA, you’re not starting from scratch – you’re already halfway there.

Tailored to Your Needs:

Our matching process isn’t just about ticking boxes. We look at what your business needs: whether it’s someone who’s a wizard with spreadsheets, a master at managing your busy schedule, or a pro at customer communication, we find you a VA who’s not just competent but also compatible with your way of working.\

Peace of Mind:

What does this mean for you? Less worrying about the ‘what ifs’ and more confidence in your decision. With Virtual Gurus, you can rest easy knowing that your VA has been hand-picked to meet your business requirements. It’s about making trust-building a smoother ride for you.

So, when you choose to work with a Virtual Gurus VA, you’re not just getting a skilled professional; you’re getting a partner prepped and primed to fit into your team right from the get-go.

The Flipside: How Virtual Assistants Can Win Trust

Trust is a two-way street. That’s why we go the extra mile to prepare our virtual assistants with the skills and strategies to help them quickly gain the trust of a new client. This includes:

1. The value of delivering ahead of deadlines
2. Advice on how to exceed expectations
3. How to grasp a task through active listening
4. What types of questions to ask to ensure greater understanding
5. How to go above and beyond to wow clients
6. Being available when clients need them

A little extra effort and initiative go a long way. It’s a big reason businesses, from startups to scale ups, and even established enterprises, have come to trust Virtual Gurus and our team of virtual assistants.

Comfort… Confidence… Collaboration!

It’s almost impossible for any relationship to move forward without trust. But once it’s been established—trust us—the sky’s the limit.

Ready. Set. Delegate.

Our vetted, trained VAs will earn your trust and win your confidence. Want to learn more? Book a free productivity assessment today.