I recently asked an experienced VA I know in my area for her comments on some various virtual tools and how she manages her work. We had an exchange of emails and she agreed to let me share her comments. Her notes are italicized; the rest are mine. I'd love to hear your opinions.
1. What do you find to be the very best way to store documents and share them with your clients?
This is always a quandary for me as I haven’t found the perfect project management/time tracking tool all in one yet. I have tried at least a half dozen or more in the last 5+ years. Currently, I use Basecamp from www.37signals.com and I am not pleased for a variety of reasons. I am looking at www.myclientspot.com, but again, it has some limitations for me as I have several team members and over 20 clients. The great thing with BC is that each client has his/her own project space to upload documents, download documents, messaging, files, milestones, To-do’s, a writeboard, etc.
I have a Marketplace Partner with VAFileworks and their system is an online document sharing site. Each client would need his/her own account, so that is the downside of such a program. Basecamp is set up so I can allow clients to have access to any project space I want – or not. Central Desktop is nice this way, too, but lacks the timesheet feature.
I've talked with many VAs about project management and time tracking and it seems we all concur - there is no perfect tool all in one. Maybe someday I'll find out what would make the perfect tool for everyone and hire someone to create it --- don't I wish? I too have used 37signals and their tools but haven't found it perfect; I don't use it much. But it is the one I've used most often till recently. I also tried Client Spot and it did not meet my needs. What I have recently started using and am very happy with is Google. Google docs allows filing sharing, real time updating, it's free, and so far the clients I've used it with are very happy. After checking on all these others, including VAFileworks and Central Desktop, I think I'll stick with Google. Plus there is the calendar and Google talk, free communication with clients!
Some downsides with Google documents and such are that I have several team members and a bunch of clients – how do I ‘hide’ documents from one client to the next? I love Google and use their products quite a bit, but not sure about security. At least BC has an https:// url and client’s data is secure – at least there is an extra layer of security. Central Desktop is one I would consider using again if they had a timesheet feature. I emailed Clientspot yesterday and the responded with some results they may be implementing. So, that is very encouraging. Central Desktop is also responsive that way, too, but their time tracking or timesheet feature is not available yet, otherwise, I’d be there still.
Google Docs does allow you to share only with certain people and you can choose whether they only view it or can collaborate. I have at least a half dozen clients I share docs with this way and they each see only what I've allowed them to see or access. When I access Google docs, it's an https:// url also. Since I've found tracking my time using an Excel spreadsheet works best for me and my clients, I'm not concerned about it now having that feature.
2. What do you find to be the best way to communicate with your clients?
Both email and/or phone – it depends on how the client likes to interact. I have monthly or bi-weekly strategy meetings to keep us both accountable and on track.
I find some clients prefer the phone. For your monthly or bi-weekly meetings, are those in person, by phone or email? I try to stay in contact weekly with an end of the week status report.
I don’t do status reports anymore. I don’t have time. What I do though is each time I have a client call, I write up a recap and that becomes our action item/to do list and then also the agenda for the next call. I try to keep things simple and minimize the time I spend on admin duties.
I am almost 100% virtual with clients, so even the ones that are local – I rarely ever meet with them in person. So, 98% by phone.
My status reports are just simple email 'keep in touch'; I find it particularly useful for clients that have retained me and then haven't contacted me with work in a while. Keeping in touch once a week helps keep them on track. Since I communicate nearly 100% by email or phone as the projects are being worked on, the status reports are very simple. I too rarely meet with clients and have some I've never met.
3. How do you plan your work week? Do you schedule specific days/times for each client?
I don’t usually do any work. I am a project manager and manage my team mostly. I used to block out time for each client and work on their projects based on my calendar, but that doesn’t always work – especially if you have clients with a rush project.
I agree that blocking out time doesn't always work. I try to schedule a certain amount of time for each client each week based on their needs. Obviously, there are rush jobs and things that come up. Someday I hope to get to the point of being a project manager and having a small team. How long were you in business before that happened?
About 4-5 years – I’m in business now almost 6 years, so it’s taken me a while. It’s been bumpy, but it’s well worth it to not do as much actual work to me.
4. What are the top 3 online tools you use and why?
* TraxTime for time tracking Have you ever used myhours?
Yes, and it is not stable, so I won’t use it. I used to use TimeStamp (complimentary), but LOVE TraxTime. I too wasn't thrilled with myhours and just use a simple Excel spreadsheet.
* Basecamp for project management (for now)
* Outlook for calendar management I recently learned about TimeBridge; have you ever heard of it or used it? With it, Outlook and Google calendars all synched, I seem set.
Yes, I do, too. I have been using it for almost a year now. I used to use Meeting Wizard, but you have to click on every email and confirm it in order for it to populate Outlook and some meetings got missed or never got to my inbox. That doesn’t work for me. My assistant books my appointments and we use a combo of TimeBridge, Outlook and Google calendars.
I'm happy to hear that you've been using TimeBridge and like it. I just had another client today ask me about setting appointments and she's going to use this now.
* Professional Cart Solutions for ezine, product sales, and etc. Can you recommend one or two specific ones?
I use Professional Cart Solutions. There are others out there, but this is the one I am most familiar with. I am also their National Education Director for their Learning Management System. PPS is the #1 private label of 1ShoppingCart.com (there are a bunch of private labels of this cart – KickstartCart, Cartville, AutoWebBusiness, etc.)
An experienced VA shares comments on virtual tools
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