The 5 Virtual Assistant Business Operations Systems That Will Make Your Biz Run Smoothly!

Do you know what Virtual Assistant Business Operations means and why it’s so important? They are your day-to-day systems and processes that run your business. It’s important to identify and automate them so you can save time in your business.

If you followed me for any time, you know, I’m a systems person. I love systems. In fact, I’m one of those people that actually, flounder without any kind of structure or system. But don’t let the word “systems” scare you.

What we’re talking about here is asking you to make some decisions on how you run your business. And what pieces of technology are you going to use to help automate these systems. That’s really what it comes down to.

Examples Of Virtual Assistant Business Operations Tasks:

• Doing client work (tasks)
• Talking with clients
• Interviewing prospective clients
• Answering emails
• Answering phone calls
• Tracking time
• Marketing your business
• Troubleshooting issues
• Problem-solving
• Invoicing
• Running reports

Why You Need To Have Systems For All This Stuff

Do you recreate the wheel every time you do something? If so, you’re in dire need of a solid Virtual Assistant business operations system. It can help you to:

• Create boundaries with yourself, your business, and your clients.
• Free up your time and energy.
• Scale your business.
• Be successful.

Remember, I mentioned in an earlier blog post that a business is a system. No system = no business. It’s all about having repeatable processes. Being efficient and effective.

Looking and being professional to your clients and prospects. Because it will be very obvious to them if you have a Virtual Assistant business operations system in place or not. And don’t forget that you only get one chance at a first impression.

Automation equals more freedom. Automating what you do every day, week, or month to keep your business running, will free up your precious time. Not to mention, brain space. Because you’ve created systems and automated them, you can focus on other things besides running your business.

Overview Of The Day-To-Day Systems Running Your Business

To make it simple, I’m organizing similar types of tasks into systems. Please note: there may be an overlap between the systems since tasks are related.

• Client Management
• Task Management
• Email Management
• Business Management
• Prospect Management

Feel free to download the Day-To-Day VA Systems Infographic below. It summarizes the key business systems I’m covering in this blog post.

Let’s take a look at the tasks in each of these systems, starting with Client Management.

#1 – Client Management System

This Virtual Assistant business operations system is all about managing the relationship with your client and the work you do for them. Ask yourself, how do you manage the following for your clients? If you don’t know, now is the time to make some decisions and start drafting your client management system.

• Tasks or to-do’s
  • How do clients assign tasks to you?
  • What types of information do they need to include? Things like due date, files, etc.
• Status updates or calls
  • How do you let your clients know the status of the tasks you’re working on?
  • How often do you talk to them?
• Delivering completed work – tasks
  • How do you deliver completed work?
  • Do they sign off on it?
  • What do they do if there are changes?
• Issues
  • What do clients do if they have an issue?
  • How is it addressed?
• Communication
  • What’s your overall communication process?
  • How do you prefer to communicate with them?
  • How often?
• Quality work
  • Do you test your work before you deliver it?
  • If so, what is that process?
• Tools
  • What tools do you use to work with clients? Tools such as DropBox for storage, Skype for communicating, Teamwork for task management, etc.
• Onboarding new clients
  • What’s your process for onboarding new clients?

#2 – Task Management System

This system is all about managing your day-to-day tasks, deadlines, and workload.  Ask yourself, how do you manage your daily to-do’s (tasks)? If you don’t know, now is the time to make some decisions and start drafting your task management system.

• The tool
  • What tool are you using?
  • Does your client have access to their project?
• Workload
  • What’s your current workload?
  • How do you know if you can take on more tasks or meet a new deadline?
  • How are you tracking billable hours?
• Tracking time and tasks
  • How do you track time on tasks?
  • Do you round up to the quarter-hour or bill to the minute?
  • How do you track retainer hours?
• Deadlines
  • How are the deadlines assigned?
  • How do you know if you can meet them?
• Reports
  • Do you provide weekly status reports for clients?
• Task assignments
  • How do you get new tasks?
  • How do you get notified of changes to tasks?
• Client management
  • How do clients use your Task Management tool?
• Your business
  • How do you manage your business tasks?
  • Things like follow-ups
  • Business tasks

#3 – Email Management System

This Virtual Assistant business operations system is all about managing your email and inbox. Ask yourself, how do you manage your email and organize your inbox? If you don’t know, now is the time to make some decisions and start drafting your email management system.

• Checking
  • How often do you check your email?
  • Do you leave your Inbox open all day?
• Responding
  • How quickly do you respond to emails?
  • Is there an average time?
• Tools
  • What email program do you use?
  • Do you use tools for scheduling emails?
• Signature
  • What do you include in your signature?
• Autoresponders
  • Do you use auto-responders when you’re out of the office?
• Organization
  • How do you organize your Inbox? By client folders?

#4 – Business Management System

This day-to-day system is all about managing your business operations. Ask yourself, how do you manage your business? If you don’t know, now is the time to make some decisions and start drafting your business management system.

• Invoices
  • How often do you send out invoices?
  • Do you charge a late fee?
• Office hours
  • What hours are you available during the week?
  • Do you only work on certain days of the week?
• Holiday schedule
  • What holidays do you take off?
• Vacations
  • What’s your vacation policy?
  • What kind of notice do you give your clients?
• Payments
  • How do you accept payments?
  • What tools do you use?
  • Are payments refundable?
• Tools
  • What tools do you use to run your business?
• Referrals
  • Do you offer a referral program?
  • If so, what is it?
• Trusted Partners
  • Do you have a Trusted Partner that your clients can turn to when you’re unavailable?
• Moving on
  • What is your process for firing a client?

#5 – Prospect Management System

This VA biz system is all about managing prospective clients. Ask yourself, how do you interview prospective clients? If you don’t know, now is the time to make some decisions and start drafting your prospect management system.

• Discovery session process
  • Do you have a discovery session process?
• Follow up
  • How and when do you follow up?
• Templates
  • Do you have a questionnaire you use?
• Sales conversations
  • Do you have a sales script?
• Objections
  • How do you handle common objections?

What day-to-day Virtual Assistant Business Operations system do you still have to implement in your business? Feel free to post below and let me know what action you’re taking today to implement it. I’d love to hear from you. All comments and questions are welcome.

Thanks for reading – Susan