How to collaborate effectively with a Virtual Personal Assistant (VPA)

You would like to outsource areas of work but cannot yet imagine collaborating with a VPA? No problem, we will explain what a typical workday can look like.

Process using a research task as an example

When assigning tasks, it is crucial at the beginning that you describe your assignment in writing and as detailed as possible. You can also do this verbally, but then ask for an interim status update after 1 or 2 hours. Review it and provide feedback.

Summary of the steps

1. You assign the task in writing and describe your requirements as precisely as possible.

2. After explaining the task, you set a deadline. The task should be completed by that point. You can specify just a date or add a time if needed. Requesting an interim status update is advantageous at the beginning.

3. Finally, you send the task to your VPA. Possible additions, such as the maximum time per task, can be added now. If the allotted time is not sufficient for completion, interim results will be provided to you so that you can then decide whether the task should be continued or closed.