Virtual assistants have become increasingly popular in recent years as real estate businesses have sought to cut costs, increase efficiency, and benefit from the flexibility of remote work. However, not all companies have had success with virtual team members.
If you've added virtual assistants to your team, but you're not seeing the level of productivity you need and you're having challenges managing your team, don't abandon the idea of using remote workers just yet. Here are six signs you need help with your real estate virtual assistant team and what to do about it!
1. Tasks Are Late
One of the main benefits of virtual assistants is that they help improve efficiency and productivity, but this won't be the case if they're not meeting deadlines.
Late tasks can lead to lost revenue, angry clients, and internal frustrations from employees relying on remote team members to help maintain processes. However, before you assume VAs are not right for your business, review your task management processes and tools to ensure you have the right system in place.
Use Project Management Software
If your real estate assistant is consistently late with tasks, it's time to look at your project or task management system. Without a clear system in place, tasks can easily fall through the cracks.
A good system allows you to track progress and deadlines and communicate with your VAs in real-time. Several software tools are available for this purpose, including Asana, Trello, and Teamwork.
2. Work Quality Isn't Good
If you're not happy with the quality of work your virtual assistants for real estate are producing, it's time to revisit your onboarding and training program. Many virtual assistants come from different backgrounds and may not be familiar with the nuances of your industry.
Revisit Your Virtual Assistant Training Manual
If the quality of work your VAs produce is not up to your standards, revisit your virtual assistant training manual and onboarding processes to ensure they cover everything from your company culture to the specific tasks they'll be working on.
Make sure you have a comprehensive training program in place that covers everything from your company culture to the specific tasks they'll be working on. Also, get feedback from your VA about where they need more help. To improve their performance, they may need additional training on certain tasks or more guidance on how to communicate with you and your team.
3. Your VA is Hard to Reach
Communication is key when working with virtual assistants, but it can be challenging when they're in different time zones or working on different schedules.
However, with technology and guidelines, your virtual team should be as accessible through your workday as your in-house employees.
Set Communication Expectations
To ensure smooth communication with your virtual assistants, set expectations for when they need to participate and handle tasks during your company's "working" hours. Additionally, provide communication tools such as Slack, email, or video conferencing to make it easy to connect with your remote assistants when they should be online.
Also, set routine check-ins to ensure that you and your VAs are on the same page and that any issues are addressed in a timely manner.
4. Your VAs Seem Like a Separate Team
Virtual assistants should be integrated into your team just like any other employee. However, because they are remote-only and may not be seen or heard from as often as the team member working in your office, they can feel like a separate group that isn't "truly" part of the company.
Integrate Your Virtual Assistants into Your Team
To create a cohesive team that works together seamlessly, schedule full-team virtual meetings with in-house employees and VAs. All-company meetings, including virtual social events, can help your virtual contractors feel like part of one team.
Additionally, encourage your in-house team to engage with VAs through messaging and video, and add your virtual assistants to your website as team members.
5. You're Not Sure About the Hours They Work
One of the most significant benefits of working with virtual assistants is the flexibility they provide. However, if you're not sure about the hours your remote assistants are working or if the hours they report are accurate, you may experience a lack of trust in your virtual team.
Use Time-Tracking Software
To avoid this issue, use time-tracking software or a project management system that allows time-tracking. Then, when the work your remote team members deliver matches the hours they track to tasks, you'll feel more confident that you're getting the productivity you expect from your virtual team.
For example, VPM Solutions provides time-tracking and the ability to approve timesheets before paying virtual assistants. This ensures that you have accurate records of the time your VAs are working, which can help with project management and accuracy when paying for the hours worked.
Additionally, through our Company Accounts feature, if a manager forgot to approve timesheet, another person on your team can access your account, review timesheets, and approve them.
6. Your Virtual Assistant Doesn't Understand Real Estate Tasks
Another common issue that real estate professionals face when working with virtual assistants is finding team members who have a good understanding of real estate tasks. This can be a major hurdle, as training VAs on the specifics of the real estate industry takes time, and mistakes can be costly.
Choose Virtual Assistants With Experience and Training
Fortunately, VPM Solutions provides a solution to this problem. We provide thousands of virtual assistants with experience in the real estate and property management industries. To further support their development and deliver virtual team members with the skills you need, we provide industry-specific training through our VPM Academy.
Our training programs cover a range of real estate-related topics, including property management, marketing, and more. By completing these programs, our virtual assistants are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to help you succeed in your real estate business.
Don't Give Up! Get VPM Solutions
If you're struggling with managing your virtual assistants, don't give up on them just yet. By identifying the signs that you need help with and taking action to address these issues, you can turn things around and start seeing the benefits of working with a real estate virtual assistant.
If you're looking for a platform to connect you with industry-trained virtual assistants, VPM Solutions is here to help. Our platform is designed specifically for real estate professionals and offers a range of tools to help you manage your virtual team effectively.
Whether you need help with administrative tasks, marketing, or lead generation, we have a pool of talented virtual assistants ready to work with you. So start your Free Company Profile and start exploring our platform.
