When I woke this morning, I ask “What do my clients expect of me?”
The tape said, “Stick to it.”
The stapler said, “Press on toward your goal.”
The computer said, “Info and resources are at your fingertips.”
The phone said, “Speak with truthfulness.”
The chair said, “Sit and reflect before acting.”
The calendar said, “Be up to date.”
The clock said, “Be a steward of every minute used.”
While reading this conversation you may get a slow smile but I think you will agree that each day you step across the threshold of your office you’re also walking into client expectations. Clients trust that you will handle their projects with the utmost attention and care, as they would. Clients hope that they have chosen the best virtual assistant to support their business’s efforts. One who is knowledgeable in the areas they require. One who is like-minded in their approach. Additionally, clients come to anticipate certain results will be produced.
Setting Good Expectations
To avoid any confusion be clear in your communications. From the beginning determine what will be taking place, who’s responsible for each part, how the work and applicable updates will flow, and what types of results can be expected. While discussing these various parts also chat about next steps should different results be desired. Say the results being sought aren’t producing than what alternate options need to come into play?
Don’t hesitate to include these specifics in the text of your work agreements and in the project scope outline. Nothing is worse than working on something only to learn that you both have different views of what’s to happen and by whom. When you break things down, both sides can follow along and everyone will communicate better.
Virtual assistants come with tons of knowledge, skill, and insight since they do this day in and day out. It’s essential to inform clients of any foreseen limits to their project requests. Any obstacles that may deliver a diversion or delay can then be planned for and hopefully avoided.
Exceeding Expectations
Giving more comes in the way you make the client feel – help the client have a good experience plus offer an experience above their expectations. The client should feel listened to. They should sense that you’re invested in their tasks and have a strong desire to do your best work. They should understand that they can come to you for solutions and ideas. They should rest assured that they can depend on you to do what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it. They should believe that they’ve made a fine choice in trusting your business as their support partner.
I encourage you to go above ordinary to extraordinary with each task and project you handle. It takes a little more effort but the payoff and impacts are huge.
Expectations can be a great thing. Simply remember to communicate, consider each other’s viewpoint, and work together towards the end results.
As the bookends (from the top list) would say, “I’ve got your back.”