5 Epic Reasons Why Your Distant Assistant is Missing in Action
DA MIA. You may ask, “Why is my distant assistant not showing up?” “Where could my DA possibly be?” Or express a line of disappointment, “How could he be so eager in the application only to end up missing in the actual work?” However you opine, it’s unarguably frustrating when all of a sudden your distant assistant is not around. Here are the 5 Epic Reasons Why Your Distant Assistant is Missing in Action. Consider the different situations and understand how you can overcome them.
1. Acts of God
Whether you believe in God or not, there are natural phenomena that even the most successful business owner cannot control. Think about the strike of lightning, the emergence of flood, the eruption of a volcano, or the death of a loved one.
People may run from them, but they cannot keep them from happening. There are forces of nature that are just too mighty to cease. And, they bring a negative effect to anyone and anything they pass by.
When Hurricane Katrina swept over New Orleans in 2005, it amounted to more than $100 billion worth of damages. Millions of lives were affected, thousands of jobs were lost, and prices soared like never before. And, its effects even carried on to the national level.
The thing is…
Your distant assistant may also experience such tremendous acts. It could take away his computer, his internet connection, or worst his life. And even if he wants to continue working, he could be left with no choice but to wait for things to settle down.
According to the World Risk Index, as of December 2016, the top 7 countries that are least likely to experience such risks are: Qatar, Malta, Saudi Arabia, Barbados, Grenada, Iceland, and Bahrain.
You would want to hire a distant assistant from these countries if only natural risks are to be considered. But exposure to natural risks is not as important as a country’s capacity to overcome it. You also think about how they cope and adapt.
When this happens…
Like they say, you can choose to act or simply react. If your budget allows, you might want to hire a distant assistant from a different region. It’s like having a spare key or insurance when disaster strikes.
This is why careful business planning is critical. You need to identify what actions to pursue in case something happens. When a distant assistant is missing in action, you can check on news about his area to verify your thoughts—and take definitive actions to avoid further damages in your business.
2. Public Unrest
Many sought-after distant assistants come from countries with low costs of living. Their pay rate is much lower in contrast to others. What’s even great is they can also provide good quality results.
But, you may find that a number of them come from marginalized backgrounds.
“As we’ve seen in South Africa and Nigeria, poor economic performance is also a critical bellwether for the likelihood of civil unrest.” -Charlotte Ingham, Political Analyst
Poverty and failure in government administration may result into lawlessness and disorder. When it happens in an area near your distantassistant, your DA can get carried away as well.
Public riots and protests can turn into utter chaos. That’s when military forces and defense authorities come in to mitigate the issue. The battle between the bad guys and the good still continues.
The good thing is…
Such uneventful scenarios can be an isolated case. It may not directly affect your distant assistant, and he may still be able to continue with his work. But when it does, you can ask him to notify you firsthand.
That way you have a gist of what may have occurred if your distant assistant is missing in action. Still, preparation is key and so is communication.
3. Power Outages
There are different scenes for every country. In Germany, for example, a distant assistant may suffer from a power outage due to a technical problem or bad weather.
One example…
Francis shares the hassles of having to find an internet cafe and the expense it cost him. It took him awhile before finding a good place to continue his work. This is a typical scenario in other countries as well.
Another example (from the Philippines)…
One thing unique about this country is that the power outages are scheduled. At times, it even reaches up to 9 hours in particular regions. This is because there is not enough power supply.
As funny as it may sound, citizens experience rotating power outages. They take on shifts as to which area will not have electricity and which ones will have. Once electricity is restored in one area, another area shuts down.
It takes patience and a understanding to bear with such situations. Unfortunately, even internet cafes may not be available as well. Having a portable backup connection helps.
4. Lack of Communication
You may have heard this over and over again, but it’s true: consistent communication is critical in any organization. It can be done to achieve purposes, such as: completing a project, creating workflows, and providing feedback.
Nowadays, more tools exist to make things convenient for both client and distant assistant. You don’t have to wait until your distant assistant is missing in action.
Sometimes you could be too wrapped up in other tasks that you neglect your distant assistant. For effective communication, you can take on the lead and ask your DA how things are going.
He might already be having a hard time with a project, or is having some issues in his personal life. Either way, it affects the quality of work they produce.
5. A Life of His Own
It’s frustrating sometimes when a DA suddenly takes on a leave just to pamper himself. Well, he is also capable of getting tired and bored—everyone does from time to time. But it’s better if he notified you beforehand, isn’t it?
You can take time to assess how much work he’s been doing. He just might need a break to power up his energy. Communicate with him to clarify the situation.
When Your Distant Assistant is Missing in Action…
There is truth in the saying that goes, “There’s a story behind every person. There’s a reason why they’re the way they are.”
Just like any other worker, distant assistants have their own stories to tell. Every day they deal with different scenarios in life just as any normal human being does.
When they are missing in action, it’s natural to worry about how it will affect your business. This is why it’s important to be clear on your expectations before delegating any tasks. When the going gets tough, you can verify what’s really happening and act on it.
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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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