Four Features of a Qualified Virtual Assistant

Many of today’s most successful business owners employ one or more virtual assistants. Some of them have a team of virtual assistants working to streamline the daily operations of the business. Virtual assistants complete a lot of different tasks such as answering email, answering phone calls, attending to credit card denials and much more.

If you’re a business owner who is thinking about getting virtual office services, you will want to know what qualities to look for so you end up with the best possible candidates. Discover four features of a qualified virtual assistant.

A Professional Manner

Qualified virtual assistants have a professional manner in every situation. Whether it’s answering customer calls, talking with vendors or responding to email, a qualified virtual assistant is always courteous and respectful. Virtual assistants are representatives of the business they are serving. So, hiring a group of well-trained assistants is an excellent way for an owner to establish a customer-friendly reputation for his or her company.

Flexibility

Sometimes it takes the input of several people to solve a challenging product issue or answer a specific question posed by a customer. A qualified virtual assistant knows when to enlist the help of another employee or employees at the company in order to convey correct information to a customer. Plus, the assistant understands the importance of letting the customer know that the problem is being solved as quickly as possible. In short, the best virtual assistants know how to think on their feet.

Grace Under Pressure

Some businesses both big and small receive a lot of phone calls and emails from customers and vendors throughout the day. In fact, this level of communication is essential for the health of the business. A virtual assistant who is well-trained and competent can handle incoming calls and more without becoming stressed. An experienced virtual assistant understands there is time to handle each call or email in an organized, efficient way. Staying calm and tackling one issue at a time is a hallmark of a qualified virtual assistant.

Excellent Judgement

One of the common duties of a virtual assistant is to sort through the incoming email of a business owner. This means it’s the assistant’s responsibility to differentiate between email that needs immediate attention and email that can be put aside for a short while. A virtual assistant must have excellent judgment so all the emails in the business owner’s mailbox receive a timely, appropriate response. A business owner who keeps up with his or her email is likely to earn a favorable reputation with customers and vendors alike.

Finally, reliability is one of the most important qualities of a virtual assistant. A business owner must know that the virtual assistant or team of assistants will be there when needed. In addition, the owner must know that a virtual assistant will give every customer the highest level of service.