by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Feb 17, 2015 | Productivity
We are always on, I mean ALWAYS. With all of our mobile devices, computers, cell phones and smart technology, it is easy to get distracted. If you are honest with yourself, you might look back on a work day or two and agree that you relate to A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Disorder) more than you want to admit.
Studies show that FOCUS is the key to productivity. Here are ways you can gain more focus and leverage your existing tools to do so.
Start your day right!
- Come into work and sit down at your desk. Then do the one thing that will set your day up right: TURN EVERY DEVICE YOU HAVE ONTO AIRPLANE MODE!
- Shut down your email application, close your browser and breathe.
- Grab a coffee and start your “to do” list for the day.
- Break your day into quadrants: Morning, Mid-morning, Afternoon, Late afternoon.
- Identify tasks that need to be completed in each quadrant
- Leave 5-10 minutes a quadrant to check email and respond immediately.
- Once your to-do list is complete, book a meeting with your devices. Turn on Airplane mode and give yourself the treat of checking notifications.
- Discipline your day to keep Airplane mode on then reward yourself with notifications only when a task has been completed. (No Browsing)
- Browse your social media or any other online information that charges you only after you have finished the full to-do list.
Productive meetings.
- Warn your team that the meeting is a mobile device free zone.
- Ask everyone to check their device prior to the meeting and deal with immediate concerns so that they will be free to contribute – but leave audible notifications on
- Put every device into a basket at the door of the meeting room– BUT NO ONE IS TO GO TO THE BASKET TO GET THEIR DEVICE.
- Each time the meeting participants hear a notification sound from one of the devices, put a single tick on the whiteboard or flipchart, but keep the meeting moving.
- Make the meeting about Five things:
- Reason for the meeting
- What needs to be done
- Who is going to do it
- When it will be complete
- Who will follow-up on it
- At the end of the meeting, note how many interruptions there would have been
What are your key tips to maintain productivity and efficiency?
Patti Blackstaffe works with people and organizations for engaged and successful change, guiding leaders and their organizations toward mastery and leadership through change management advising, coaching, innovation, facilitation, process review and efficiency. You can find Patti at http://www.strategicsense.ca
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Dec 17, 2014 | Delegation, Small Business, Virtual Assistant
Owning and operating a scalable business takes a team to fortify the back end, the daily routines, the foundational systems, and processes, let alone the everyday task of social media. After you’ve done it all yourself day after day and you’re ready for a business lifeline, take heed of my client’s advice to other business owners and start-ups. Cultivate the business mindset for growth and profit. You don’t have to go it alone, nor should you.
Humbled and honored by a client’s written word, I’d like to share his opinion about our long-time valued partnership.
Besides transcribing shows Suzie helped organize timelines and tasks for my books, edited and proofed them, served as a sounding board giving much-needed feedback, she found online collaboration tools to help facilitate an easier process, she’s schooled me on social media tools, made introductions to other resources and been an avid cheerleader and friend.
Her role has been a key factor in reaching my goals.
You’re hiring a partner, a coach, an employee, even a boss when you hire the right virtual assistant. If you hire the right virtual assistant, your life is made easier and more productive.
Have you truly got the time to build your business, generate revenue, and manage ALL of the necessary components of your company? Single-handedly?
Take some time to investigate your options for growth. If you haven’t already, write out your goals, both short term, and long term, including action steps and a timeline. List every hat in the company with about how much time you SHOULD invest and DO invest in each. Are there places that are falling between the cracks? Projects or responsibilities that never seem to get finished or even started?
Upon review, are you a superhero with a magic red cape who can do it all and be it all to everyone? Make an honest and sincere assessment of your organization? Can it withstand just one person at the helm or would you benefit from a co-pilot? A little scrutiny goes a long way toward your successful longevity.
If you’re still not sure about delegating, here is another client exchange:
I actually found Suzie from internet/social media, her posts and activity was something we were trying to do so I figured if she could do it for herself she could do it for us. Suzie wasn’t my first attempt at a VA, the 1st one didn’t work out mostly because our styles didn’t fit together.
My personality is that I know what I don’t want more than what I do want ….so people who work with us have to be able to think things thru and come up with solutions. I’m not good at giving detailed specific instructions. I tried Suzie on a couple of ugly projects and she worked thru them, she pushed me when I needed pushing and she made the decisions when she knew she was right.
Suzie could do the specific projects faster than we could do them, get them done on time better than us and all though my cost per hour for Suzie vs some of my employees is much higher, I found that it takes Suzie less time and it takes no supervision from me.
Don’t get hung up on a comparison of hourly costs and don’t think a VA is for the grunt work. Hiring a VA is a way to get another smart person on your staff at a low overall cost.
Delegating allows you to:
- Focus on your core genius: Do what you must do: the tasks and projects that ONLY you can and should be doing. The mainstay of your company.
- Increase your productivity: You can work on more high-level business operations instead of the routine and mundane day to day necessities.
- Eliminate distractions: There are many daily tasks that don’t require your immediate attention. Moving those off of your plate diminishes notifications and multi-tasking.
- Be client/company centric: You have more time to dedicate to building your business structures and relationships.
- Reduce your stress: You’ve got a vested partner working behind the scenes to ensure that everything is efficient, successful, and administered in a timely fashion.
- Bolster your work-life balance: The more you are able to move off of your desk, the more time you gain for your personal life. Nix the nights and weekends.
These are some time-saving and life-saving benefits for the entrepreneur. The gift of time is something we all need more of. If you want to seriously focus on what is important, rather than on what needs to be done, delegating might just be the tool for you.
When you do less, you achieve more.
If you’re ready for a few upgrades in 2015, contact us for a free consultation.
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Nov 18, 2014 | Business Values, Customer Service, Small Business
Earning a new client takes hard work, effort, and a real understanding of their needs and desires. A couple of posts or knowing your own value isn’t enough. You need to actually demonstrate your expertise, gain trust, and validate your ability to solve their most pressing problems.
Service vs Services
Your service, not services, is one of the key factors that can be your unique selling proposition. Your competitor may sell the same widgets, but it’s YOU who has the opportunity to capture your audience and offer something exceptional and distinctive.
Be compelling.
Putting an end to their troubles is what they want most. This is your real product. It is you, your service, and your ability to meet the customer/prospect needs that will drive your business. Their greatest pains are your selling features; how you’ll add to their lives like the genie in the magic lamp.
You’ll never have a product or price advantage again. They can be easily duplicated, but a strong customer service culture can’t be copied. Jerry Fritz
As an Executive Virtual Assistant, a few key areas where my clients struggle are:
- Not enough time to contribute to their day-to-day business operations
- Social media management
- Productivity
- Work-life balance
- Understanding the digital environment
- Focus and staying on task
- Project management
- Business development
These all essentially relate back to time; something they don’t have enough of, nor do most solopreneurs. Let’s just say I can create a highly sought-after commodity. Now if I could snap my fingers to solve “world peace” we’d all be better off.
Being in business isn’t just about the sale; it is about fulfilling needs, valuing your customer, and providing impeccable service. Remember, if you aren’t making love to your clients, prospects, or associates, someone else will.
Serve and deliver to generate not only happy customers but brand advocates; the foundation of your success. Shape your organizational culture around real pledges, results, and solutions to encourage the trust of your buyers and potential customers. Your business can’t survive online without it.
Your network is always looking for confirmation to ensure that a potential partnership or connection is dependable, trustworthy, and “real”
- Warrant the trust and loyalty of your audience; your community.
- Cultivate your relationships through trustworthy communications and reliability.
- Remove the feeling of vulnerability and risk of doing business with someone in the digital world.
“When you try to get close to people you build trust. Staying consistent with that strategy will not only build your influence and authority, but it will also help you make true connections! In order to create a personality that people will trust online, you have to learn how to make time to be personal.” Wade Harman
You are the architect of your business growth
Establish trust and comfort to build the foundation for a long-term partnership. Make it evident that you genuinely care about your clients and their goals. Your paycheck comes second to their ultimate satisfaction because, without them, there is no business. No success. Just a sign that says “Open.” You can’t eat that.
According to the report by Customers 2020: “The customer of 2020 will be more informed and in charge of the experience they receive. They will expect companies to know their individual needs and personalize the experience. Immediate resolution will not be fast enough as customers will expect companies to proactively address their current and future needs.”
Don’t be a statistic. Understand and acknowledge the inherent value of creating an impeccable customer experience. Innovate and be intuitive to stay at least one step ahead. Simple everyday measures to honor and respect your clients/prospects will far exceed any type of product you sell. It is the behind the scenes sincerity of thought that generates the win-win.
SERVE up some hearty unsurpassed service
What dining options do you provide?
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Oct 22, 2014 | Business Values, Communication, Customer Service
Successful relationships are launched with open and honest communications generating not only trust but a comfortable safety zone for conversation.
You can’t build a foundation with silence or filtered information. It doesn’t work.
Of course, you don’t want to harm feelings or be politically incorrect but if you choose to zip the lips, then you are doing a tremendous disservice to both yourself and the other party.
Misinformation, resentment, or incorrect assumptions may end up taking a leading role because you did not voice your opinion. In valued relationships, whether professional or personal, make sure you ask questions, maintain an open mind, listen, foster feedback, act, don’t react to the responses, and follow up with a summation and action steps of the discussion.
Knowing, tips, tools, and skillset to successfully perform your job is vital to your success but more important is your instinct and soft skills to help nurture your partnership. If your interpersonal communication skills need a little polish or you’re only in it for financial gain, then you may suffer the consequences.
It is so important to uncover what IS working as well as what ISN’T working otherwise the relationship could dissolve.
Confidence in Communications
Thriving vendor – client partnerships prosper with ongoing conversations that don’t merely revolve around sales or projects but also the dynamics of the process as a whole. Initiate the dialog with the desire to listen and communicate clearly. It is a two-way street and you each have something important to say. Encourage a secure, non-judgmental environment.
“Too many business owners and sales people try to sell their product or service, neglecting the fact that their customer is a person. In fact, the customer is a person who has feelings, influences and a mind of their own. They want to be connected with, and to trust and believe the person from which they are buying.” Rebecca Wilson
Honestly, how many times have you thought?
“I wonder when Mr. Park N. Later will send me the files to finish the project?”
“I don’t believe Ms. Jan C. Never followed up on my email last week?”
“Wow! Mr. Bee Frankly is right on top of my feedback survey. This is a great day.”
Do you know what runs through your client’s mind? Are they 100% satisfied with your products AND service?
Recognize there is a vast difference between service and services. Create the ultimate customer experience with unsurpassed service and they will continue to buy your services.
ASK! Don’t assume things are fine simply because you have a contract.
Don’t wait for issues to arise.
Outline your CHIPS™ for Effective 2-Way Communications
CHIPS™: Client Handbook: Ignite Partner Success is your company framework or platform that shapes systems, processes, communications, and strategies for your everyday service and solutions. Let it be a guidepost of how you effectively relate to your stakeholders, creating detailed segments for each facet of your business, like a policy manual.
- Schedule periodic calls to check in to discuss what is working and what isn’t; where can you both improve
- Don’t rely on an email or text message. Things get lost in translation. Making the investment is a values-based opportunity to demonstrate your respect and interest in not just the sale but your client and relationship
- Jot down a few notes highlighting the good, the bad and the ugly
- Give each party plenty of time to speak, vent or otherwise share their thoughts regarding your partnership
- Understand YOUR role is to provide the best customer experience
- Be flexible and willing to compromise
- Understand your client’s point of view
- Clearly and kindly articulate your viewpoints
- Cultivate continuous improvement and dialog
- Summarize the call, reiterating what you heard
- Create action steps
- Ask for feedback about the call
- Before you hang up, commit to the next conversation
Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing. Rollo May
Embrace every relationship you have by investing in authentic conversations because you care enough to want it to succeed.
Because you want to build empowered, valued partnerships.
Because it feels good. It is fulfilling.
Never shy away from asking the real questions, the most difficult questions of what is working and what isn’t working.
Who will you call today?
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Oct 15, 2014 | Delegation, Entrepreneur, Productivity, Time Management, Virtual Assistant
Do more –achieve more is a recipe for exhaustion and collapse. And you are probably tired of being tired right? Doing more does not make you more productive or efficient. In fact, the more that you heap onto your plate, the less you are able to effectively manage. Your proficiency decreases.
Identify the essential and eliminate the unnecessary.
Learn to think creatively to find more effective ways of getting things done is nothing new- work smarter, not harder. Putting in laborious hours into your day doesn’t necessarily equate to powerful payoffs of valued activities. Just think of the wasted hours surfing the net or scrolling through social media updates. That is time used. Time wasted. Get the things done that add value and impact to your life and your business.
1. Do LESS – ACHIEVE more
How is that possible?
It sounds pretty silly doesn’t it?
Kick start doing less:
- Learn to say no
- Set boundaries and priorities
- Resist the urge to be busy
- Slow down – be fully present in whatever you are doing
- Stop multi-tasking. It’s counter productive
- Finish projects, don’t just check off a few To Do items
- Reduce distractions
2. Do LESS – ACHIEVE more
How could you give up tasks and projects yet increase your productivity and effectiveness? Here’s the little secret …
D E L E G A T I O N
Entrepreneurs are accustomed to doing it all from changing printer ink, uploading tweets, proofing blog posts and ordering supplies to curating content, creating images, retweeting and sharing content and testing the latest social media apps.
This is just the short list of every day, mundane To Dos that eat up time and energy. Have you ever truly kept track of the hours you spend on the low payoff routine activities? What is your tally? 20+ hours perhaps?
This is time you are not working ON your business. If you aren’t, then who will? With only one person at the helm, there is only so far that you can scale. While it isn’t easy to relinquish some of your daily demands, it is a tremendous benefit to free up your valuable time and avoid burnout.
VALUED FOCUS
As a business owner you need to focus on the items that are of the most value to you and your company. Simply put, the things that YOU and ONLY you are capable of doing. The core business activities that: generate income, build relationships, nurture clients, develop new leads or foster a positive customer experience. You get the idea. Structure your day around these key elements.
Remember that old 80/20 rule?
Apply it here. You know that 20% of your efforts yields 80% of favored results. The trick is to determine what represents that 20% and DO MORE OF IT! Live and breathe that as your core genius.
The Pareto Principle, or “80/20 Rule” as it is frequently called today, is an incredible tool for growing your business. For instance, if you can figure out which 20% of your time produces 80% of your business’ results, you can spend more time on those activities and less time on others. This doesn’t mean that the low payoff tasks and projects aren’t useful or worthwhile to your business – they are. BUT, they don’t exemplify the best use of YOUR time.
You’re the CEO not an employee. Of course it can be a challenge to step outside of that role, removing a few hats and grabbing the reins but as the President, you owe it to your company to take charge. You owe it to your clients and prospects.
If you buried deep in paperwork and social icons, how do you intend to shake hands and build long-lasting relationships? You all have a propensity to take on more work, do every task or project which leaves you overwhelmed and distracted. This cycle needs to stop before you do.
Don’t keep adding more work.
Nothing is less productive than to make more efficient what should not be done at all. Peter Drucker
When you are able to focus on fewer things you increase your productivity and achieve better results. AND you want results. Every business owner does.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What are THE most important core business activities that you should be doing?
- What generates revenue?
- What leverage points produce the greatest results
You now have some key items or tasks that you have identified that do not need your focused attention. You have three options: do, dump or delegate. Make an executive decision on how you will manage or pass off these non-essentials. Consider what you will gain when you are no longer tied up doing some of the daily minutia.
Do less Achieve more!
What will you give up….. to gain?
