With the current trend and technological advancements, translation communication is getting lost. The option to send an SMS, email, or chat has become a priority, and we have lost the human touch of genuine interaction. As Virtual Assistants, actively and effectively communicating with our clients or businesses we work with serves as our bread and butter.
Let’s take a step back and recall the 5Cs of communication. Clear enough to avoid confusion, cohesive in thought to maintain clarity, altogether avoiding lapses, concise without forgetting the point, and concrete with all details needed to relay a message. We are taught that these 5Cs are both crucial for us to be understood and to deliver what we want to express.
Communication is vital for any business and industry because it is how every task or project gets delegated, how progress reports are carried out, and how important information is relayed. Imagine a world where gestures and communication become obsolete; what would be another means to communicate?
Here’s a quick guide on Active and Effective Communication that can change your perspective as a Virtual Assistant.
Practice Clarity and Precision
As Virtual Assistants, we work remotely; therefore, the need for communication is pivotal. There are a ton of VAs who assume that clients can only understand perfect English or native speakers. But you don’t have to be close to perfect or a native to get your point across to clients and businesses. Communication becomes a tool rather than a means of verbal exchange.
Being transparent and precise through communication can become challenging. Factors include the language not being your mother tongue or you learning the means as a second language. Therefore, chances of getting lost in translation become inevitable. As a virtual assistant, it’s best to set proper expectations based on your mastery of the language. Some clients and businesses have English proficiency exams within their hiring process, to ensure that there would be a healthy exchange as they converse with their employees.
Master Clear Communication Skills
Active Listening
Whether active listening is a communication or an auditory skill has always been debated. You can never clearly get your point across if you are not actively listening to the conversation you are in. As Virtual Assistants, since we work remotely, most of our interactions would be through phone calls and video conferences; therefore, if we aren’t actively listening, we will indeed have lapses.
Imagine talking to your best friend as they rant about their problems. You weren’t listening. Therefore, the advice you gave was off-topic. The same instance can happen in a professional setting; you weren’t listening to the instructions, and consequently, the results of your task were beyond what was asked for.
Written Communication
You are a virtual assistant handling phone calls or working on the back end, where type-written communication becomes your means of exchange. With tools such as Grammarly and Autocorrect, people assume they no longer need to be fluent in the language they are conversing with. However, these tools could provide clarity, and thought processes more extensively.
If you are well versed in verbal communication, written communication comes easy. When it is the other way around, there may be lapses, especially when trying to relay a thought that can only be understood verbally. If you are an aspiring Virtual Assistant, mastering written and verbal communication is non-negotiable. Clients and businesses expect you to be capable of handling conversations, especially if that is the main task of the role you applied for.
Non-verbal Communication
As a Virtual Assistant, you assume body language and non-verbal cues are no longer part of communication since you work remotely. Yet, you have forgotten that even a simple shrug of your shoulders can be translated in various ways. If you want to converse with your clients quickly and the businesses you work with, mastering non-verbal communication can benefit you differently.
Not only does non-verbal communication work through translation, but it serves as a means of professionalism when interacting with people you speak to. Remember that our body language and facial expressions can express what we don’t say verbally.
Tools For Effective Communication As Virtual Assistants
Tools used for online communication go way back through the exchange of emails. The biggest issue for Virtual Assistants hired during those times was that responses would take longer. Therefore, it would delay their task. The rising modernization of technology has made it more accessible. Think about waiting for a response from your client with a turnaround time of 24-48 hours just to get a task done; now, we can conveniently converse with them in real-time.
The next challenge would be relaying a message through an online platform, “instant messaging,” professionally. We usually chat socially with friends and family and assume that the same level of conversation can be used with clients. Virtual Assistants must be capable of sending messages professionally while maintaining a limited number of characters to ensure their point gets across without sounding rude or unprofessional.
There are a lot of Online Platforms today, so familiarizing yourself with the controls, functions, and features of the communication tool will work in your favor. Some platforms can even schedule meetings ahead of time to maintain a healthy exchange between the client and the Virtual Assistant. We all need feedback and criticisms; getting them promptly helps improve our skills while ensuring our effectiveness as a Virtual Assistant.
Overcoming Communication Challenges
Dealing with Ambiguity:
One of the biggest challenges in communicating with clients and businesses would be asking the right questions verbally and in writing. Getting lost in translation starts with various wrong questions; not only will it prolong the conversation, but it is also the reason behind misunderstandings.
As a virtual assistant, you were hired to get the job done promptly with minimal supervision, and asking your client or employer several questions that can be answered with one thought is a complete waste of time.
Asking the right questions leads to fewer mistakes and will also drive a healthy conversation since the tedious back and forth is emitted. Think about repeatedly being asked how to do a specific task. It’s annoying, and you are most likely going to answer in short, vague responses; therefore, you won’t reach an understanding, and it creates a ripple effect of several more questions.
A critical factor in asking the right questions starts with gathering your thoughts, looking at the task before you, and considering which questions need to be answered. You are leaving behind questions that can be answered on your own.
Manage Client Expectations:
If a client or employer has already set the benchmarks for tasks you have to accomplish, gather questions as you are conversing with them. Your client's time has already been managed, so taking up more space through repeated chat will only showcase your incompetence.
If you are working with different time zones, ensure you have created or agreed upon certain hours of the day to converse. No one wants to respond to a chat when they shouldn’t be online. Set expectations that you are available during specific hours while aligning them with your client's hours. Fruitful conversations can be achieved through proper expectations.
Effective communication is the backbone of success for any virtual assistant. In a world where clear and concise interactions can make or break a client relationship, honing these skills is non-negotiable. By mastering the art of asking clarifying questions, confirming understanding, and using the right tools, you can eliminate ambiguity, increase efficiency, and exceed client expectations.
Remember, communication is not just about conveying information; it's about ensuring that you and your client are on the same page at every step. As you refine your communication techniques, you’ll find that your ability to manage tasks, meet deadlines, and build strong client relationships will only grow stronger. So, take the time to practice these strategies, seek feedback, and never stop learning. In doing so, you’ll become a more effective virtual assistant and a more confident and capable professional in any remote working environment.
If you are looking for a Virtual Assistant who has mastered the art of effective communication, book a demo with us TODAY!