I think it's important to let your clients know that you have a team if that is the case.

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Nikki Anderson
Owner, LGC Virtual Services

Great discussion and input from all of you. I have appreciated hearing how others handle this, as well as what they call the sub-contractors.

I'm not yet in a position where I subcontract, but if and when I come to that I would absolutely inform the client. I always put myself in the client's shoes, I would be really upset if I found out another way and that person would lose me as a client. So really if I'm going to close a contract because I told them I was going to subcontract a project, I was probably going to lose them anyway.

Another way to get the message across to your clients is on your website. I added a team page to my site with VA's that I subcontract to listed as my team members. I only use first names and no pics with a brief intro/bio about them. It's just a friendly way to say hey I work with these sub-contractors and this is who they are. Just a little something about them to let clients feel more acquainted with them.

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Hi Everyone!

I'm new here and I'm so thankful I saw this thread as I've been having the same dilemma these past weeks about sub contracting. I have somebody helping me on minor tasks but my clients are not aware of this.

I think if a VA has bigger dreams for his/her VA services business, it will be inevitable to subcontract. For as long as you make sure you are closely working with your assistant/s and you maintain high quality service, clients should not be worried. But of course I think it's not that easy to convince clients about you subcontracting since they hired you for your skills and not your assistant.

If I'm going to take up a new project, I'm still confused whether I'd take the risk of being upfront to the client about how I run my business or keep mum about it for as long I deliver the "goods" at the end of the day.

HI Everyone,

I was going to say that no, you don't have to tell your clients that you have subs. However, there have been quite a few good comments and I think that being honest with clients only adds to their opinion of you. If they trust you and you do good work for them then they will trust that whom ever you have work with you will be trustworthy as well.

Best of luck.

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Simone M. Pohl
Executive Virtual Services

I think it's important to be honest with your clients. This way, you will know about your client's true feelings - if they really trust you or not. On the client's part, trusting ANYONE they choose to pay with money online is prerequisite.

If you have anyone helping you, I think it is always best to be upfront. Like anything, it is going to be how you communicate it to your client. I lead a team and most of my clients are thrilled that I am not a "one person company". They love the team concept! My subs have direct client contact.

Keep in mind that you need to establish your list of what an ideal client is. If a client wants you and only you, then you need to take that into consideration when working for that client. Your business can only grow to a certain level if all your clients require "you and only you".

Congrats on finding a great helper and best wishes!

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Cathryn Jones
Assistants For Agents, LLC

Do you tell your client before or after they have signed a contract that you may sub out some of the work? I am talking to a PC who is interested in a monthly retainer. I'm suddenly getting very busy and don't want to pass on the client but instead I would like to pass a couple of hours of work per week to the sub bc I'm not sure I may be able to get to it.

Is it necessary to tell the client right away that I will probably sub out some of the work, or can I tell her later? I already sent her a draft contract that states that I may have the need to hire a sub in the future.

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Paulette R.
Rhythm Virtual Solutions | Alpha & Beta Translations

OK, interesting thread here. But you need to think out of the box...

Think as a business, not as an employee. You are the business owner, the client is coming to your business because you sold them on your capability to get the job done. Do not offer up to them your internal work processes or procedures, or who you use, etc. Always sell yourself as a company, not as a single VA; in this way you are leaving the understanding that any one of your "team" could be assigned the client's project/task. They expect you to have other clients, and if you need a team to complete all the work, that's your business, not the client's. It's not a question of "trust" ... the client is entrusting their work to your company, not to an individual. You are selling your business, and you just happen to be an individual...sure...but would that prevent you from hiring subcontractors or employees to be a part of your business? If you are getting to the point where you need to expand your business and bring on additional s/c to help with the workload, are you going to call up all your clients and ask them if they are OK with you hiring subcontractors to help you out? NO...I know I wouldn't!

In fact, that being the case, the client would expect you to do whatever is necessary for you to get the work done that you contracted to do.

So...keep on working, bring in those clients, hire s/c as needed, and don't worry so much about what the client will think. Would you really want to have a client controlling how you get your work done?

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Janice Deckers | Owner
www.otbas.com