We’ve all watched shows where the CEO in his expensive suit buzzes his assistant and asks his assistant to schedule a meeting for him. Then his loyal assistant nods their head in acknowledgment of the task and before the CEO can give out more orders, his assistant already informs him of his already planned out schedule for the day, reminds him that it’s his wife’s anniversary and that flowers and an expensive cologne had already been scheduled to be delivered to his house and a particular time. As if that wasn’t enough, the assistant pulls out his specific order of beverage before he could even ask. The CEO smiles in satisfaction and the assistant smiles back and walks away also satisfied because their work has been fulfilled.
If the only thing you got from those shows was entertainment, you’ve missed out on important lessons. One of which is a lesson on anticipating the needs of the client.
You’re probably thinking how is it possible to crawl into another person’s mind and determine how they are thinking? How can you possibly be that cool assistant that is portrayed in movies? Maybe you think it’s only possible in the movies.
It is possible in real life and all it takes is the know-how and practice, practice, practice.
5 Tips on Anticipating the Needs of Your Client as a VA
Here’s how to become that Virtual Assistant that can predict your client’s needs before your client even realizes he needs them.
Have a clear understanding of the client’s goals
Every CEO, business owner, or entrepreneur has different goals. A clear understanding of those goals informs how you, as a virtual assistant, go about your task. It is your job as a VA to align yourself with those goals to give the best you can for the success of your client.
Buy into the vision
As a Virtual Assistant, you must buy into your client’s vision. This helps you not just to be an order taker but allows you to put yourself in your client’s shoes, envision his struggles and pain points, create a plan that helps your client overcome their struggles, and relieve these pain points for the actualization of the client’s vision. You shouldn’t work for a client whose visions don’t align with you.
Be Vigilant
Vigilance is an important tool that a Virtual Assistant should not do without. A virtual Assistant should be able to recognize the client’s patterns, personality, interactions with customers and workers, and with family.
In addition to paying attention to the client, the VA should also be on the lookout for things going on in the company or organization, and in case of issues that do not require escalation, the VA can put things in order without bothering the client with it.
Experience
The badass skill of anticipating the needs of your client does not just come to you, it comes with experience and a lot of questions asked. Be determined and keep at it. Ask questions, practice, practice, and practice some more. Don’t be afraid to put your ideas out there. Your client needs your input as a critical thinker, this is probably one of the reasons you were hired as his virtual assistant. Don’t cut yourself short.
Be open to criticism
I’m sure you’ve heard motivational speakers say that failure is an opportunity to bounce back or something funny about how failure is not a stumbling block but rather, a stepping stone to your future. I’m sure you’ve also felt frustrated and sometimes even felt like throwing something hard at the speaker.
The reality is that you’ll get it wrong a couple of times before getting it right. You will make certain calls that you think your client might appreciate but would get blamed instead. However, every of this mistake is a new lesson learned, a stepping stone.
The best Virtual Assistants will take notes, reflect, and make better-informed decisions.
The last thing that a client needs is a virtual assistant that doesn’t take initiative. Take initiative, keep your mind working, eyes open and ears peeled. Allow your client to smile and feel the satisfaction of bringing you on board. You’ve got this!
Bye for now,
Alexis.
