Common Reasons that Make Your Distant Assistant Less Efficient
Common Reasons that Make Your Distant Assistant Less Efficient
Many skilled individuals are enjoying the advantages that they have from working as home-based Distant assistants. But despite their ability to complete projects and their passion to succeed in their jobs, they are not exempted from occasional bouts of inefficiency. Here are 7 Common Reasons that Make Your Distant Assistant Less Efficient.
1. Unscheduled meetings
Attention is essential when completing a task. It requires a distant assistant to be deliberate with the things she does as well as to the set of instructions that she is to follow.
There are inevitable circumstances, however, when her presence is wanted in an unscheduled meeting. From time to time, she may get messages that say something like “Can we meet now?” or a surprise call from her client.
Unfortunately for some distant assistants, the sense of urgency strays them from their tasks and makes them forget what they were supposed to do next. Their chain of thoughts are interrupted and ideas of the moment are either set aside or lost forever.
2. Distractions in the home office
Pieces of research have shown that working from home does not only allows a company to save money but it also empowers workers to be more productive than when they are working in a traditional office setting.
Although it can be true, home-based distant assistants are still not free from distractions. Reason number 1 above already presents this as a fact.
Different types of distractions that your distant assistant might be exposed to:
- Noise from next door neighbors
- Desire for attention from her kids and other family members
- Unbearable temperature inside her home office
- Pets who want to play
- An empty, grumbling stomach
- An unexpected guest
- Other distractions from your DA’s workplace
Working from home does present unique advantages on you and your distant assistant’s end. But it does not necessarily remove the challenges that may arise from the work environment.
3. Slow or unstable internet connection
This usually tests a distant assistant’s patience and ability to manage the amount of work she has to complete for the day. A slow or on-and-off internet connection can drag:
- File uploads
- Web page load
- Online research
- Saving a blog post
- Skype calls or video meetings
- Project deadlines
Such situations typically call for a backup internet connection or an alternative plan to make things work. Try asking your distant assistant how she works her way through these; you might be surprised by her ingenuity and resourcefulness.
4. Delayed salary
Talks about salary and paying on-time are some of the topics which you might feel uneasy as the client. But from an idle perspective, these things could reflect the trust between your distant assistant and you as the client or business owner.
One distant assistant said this…
“There are two things which scarcity of resources cannot destroy. The first thing is trust that your client is reliable. The second thing is your passion for your special skill.”
A lot of questions can run through your distant assistant’s mind if her salary is delayed. They could be questions like:
- Have I done something wrong with my work?
- Did I do anything to disappoint my client?
- Is my client no longer earning enough from his business?
- Are my services losing their value?
- Does my client still want to work with me?
All these questions can make your distant assistant anxious about your work relationship. It can lead her to feel uneasy and confused as to whether she should continue with her job or not. In the end, a simple message of assurance can empower her to go on.
5. Health issues
From common colds to terminal illnesses, these health issues can weigh heavily on anyone. They weaken the body and make the person unable to perform particular tasks.
One thing common among distant assistants — and business owners — is that they sit for long periods of time. According to Mayo Clinic, even this can result in serious health concerns such as obesity, cancer and heart disease.
6. Poor communication
How do you communicate with your distant assistant? Poor communication can pave the way for inefficiency when:
- Introducing a new project to your distant assistant
- Finding ways to market
- Trying to resolve an issue with your business
- And in almost any endeavor you take together
Most of the time, your distant assistant would look for you on instructions regarding new or unfamiliar projects. The DA’s lack of direction can lead her confused as to what do or how to complete a project.
Good news is there are messaging apps and management platforms online that you can make the most out of. Among our favorite picks are Redbooth and Skype.
7. Dinosaur work devices
As old as pre-historic times, your distant assistant might have one of these “dinosaur” devices that she uses for work. Don’t get us wrong; working as a distant assistant does not necessarily have to be expensive.
In most cases, an average DA can purchase a working computer and phone that can match her budget.
It is these outdated devices which may impede her tasks. There could be a need for her to download specific applications or software. But because her device is as “old as time”, chances are she could have a hard time finding a compatible application to download.
Final Thoughts
Your distant assistant can be your best partner to succeed in your business. She can work alongside you every day and complete projects to the best of her skills.
When inefficiency strikes, you can talk to her and try to understand its possible cause. There could be different reasons for each DA.
We hope that you found the answers to your distant assistant concerns in this blog post. You can schedule a free consultation with us should you be in need of better assistance.
BNDA delights in empowering business owners and entrepreneurs through vetted DAs.
Let us know what you think about these Common Reasons that Make Your distant Assistant Less Efficient. Feel free to share your thoughts with others in the comments below!
Other Articles You May Like:
- Top Reasons Why People Decide to Work from Home
- How to Deal with a Distant Assistant Who Doesn’t Show Up
- 12 Tasks You Can Outsource to Distant Assistants
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About Jaime Jay
Meet Jaime Jay – a man who wears many hats, and wears them all admirably. He's a master connector, an entrepreneur extraordinaire, and a published author who knows how to get things done.
Before he found his way to the business world, Jaime served his country as a brave paratrooper in the U.S. Army. But that's just the beginning of his many accomplishments.
He's the founder of the renowned Bottleneck Distant Assistant Services firm, and his book "Quit Repeating Yourself" has become a must-read for entrepreneurs everywhere.
When he's not busy building his empire, you can find him on his beloved Harley Davidson, cruising through the countryside and taking in the invigorating effects of Uitwaaien – a Dutch practice that involves facing the wind to boost health and relieve stress.
He enjoys spending his free time outside building stuff with his wife, Nikita the dog and their two kittens (for now at least) Tommy and Tater.
He is ‘over-the-moon’ happily married to his wonderful wife Sara, his amazing daughter, Jessica, who is serving our country as a United States Army soldier. Jaime and Sara are the proud grand parents of two beautiful little girls.
Victoria Dorsano2023-09-17Bottleneck has been such an amazing support for my business! They have a seamless process to ensure you find the right fit for your DDA. I am so thankful I started working with them! I'm now able to accomplish so much more in my business with a personal DDA and editing team on my side. Thank you!!
Rockwell Felder2023-03-15I cannot thank the team at Bottleneck enough for their incredible support of our business. Their team has played a vital role in helping us staff our customer support and ensuring our customers were satisfied with our services. Their Distant Assistants were extremely helpful in answering inquiries promptly, handling complaints, and providing solutions to our customers' needs. Their professionalism, attention to detail, and communication skills are exceptional. Working with Bottleneck has been a fantastic experience, and I highly recommend their services to anyone needing a reliable and efficient virtual assistant, especially for customer support.
Karen Ravano2022-09-24I am grateful and blessed to be part of this team. It’s such a wonderful experience because i gain more experience and help me enhance my basic skills. This will be my stepping stone to my career as a newbie in this kind of industry. It would help to reach my goals.
Jeany Mercadal2022-09-16Bottleneck Distant Assistants can lessen the burden of company owners. We provide excellent services depending on our client needs. We are not scam, clients surely get more than what they pay for. Being part of this team helped me hone my skills and become excellent in all my works.
Jeff Peñaflor2022-09-14I started last March 24, 2021 as a Dedicated Distant Assistant and it was an awesome experience. In this new journey, as Security Administrator of Bottleneck Distant Assistants, I have been supported by the team, A LOT !!!! All help that I need, the whole team is there to support me. I know that there are a lot of room for improvements with my skills and what I know, but because of BNDA, I became equipped with all the weapons I need to conquer the daily challenges especially with my tasks. With BNDA, they will not just help you to aim high, but soar the skies!
Tinoe D2022-09-09I don't remember the last time I loved what I was doing until Bottleneck came into the picture. I love working for bottleneck, they are professional. The management makes the workplace fun and they're very flexible. I definetly recommend that you make that important switch and be part of something big today by joining BNDA.
Michael Goodcliffe2022-09-09Jaime and his team are incredible at what they do! Joining them has been one of the best decisions in my life! I whole heartedly recommend them to anyone who are looking to scale and improve their business. Their highly 'Dedicated Distant Assistants' are well trained. They are top notch!
GM Simon2022-09-08Working with Bottleneck is not just having one or two assistants working alongside you. You have the support of the whole team behind them as well.
Ma. Edeliza Silot2022-09-07Aside from the knowledge gained, the trainers are highly commendable.
Sara Knox2022-09-07What an awesome business! Finally, a way to hire the RIGHT person for my administrative tasks and they are remote! No office space to consider, W2's, 1099's or payroll. Jaime and his team of remote workers are top-notch! I hired my first assistant in May. I recently suffered a motorcycle accident and it left me unable to work for 2 weeks. But my assistant stepped right in to guide our CEO on all matters financial. It’s so nice to have that stress eliminated from my life!
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