We all make mistakes. It’s how you handle them that can set you apart from your Virtual Assistant colleagues.
What do you do when something goes wrong for one of your clients?
• Maybe you have sent something out with a typo or a broken link on it.
• Maybe you have answered a client request incorrectly.
• Maybe you charged a client the wrong amount for something they bought.
• Maybe you forgot to schedule important social media posts.
• Maybe you have taken three times as long to complete a task as they budgeted.
• Or maybe you have done something differently than what the client expected you to do.
The list can go on.
We are all human, including our clients. Mistakes will happen. Things will not go according to plan.
What do you do when you make a mistake?
Sure, you probably want to bury your head in the sand when something goes wrong.
But stepping up and fixing the mistake, or making sure it won’t happen again in the future, is the most important thing you can do.
Figuring out how to fix your mistakes is what will help you grow as a virtual assistant.
Here are my 5 easy steps to fixing a mistake:
1. Own it.
The number one thing you have to do when you see or are made aware of an error is to own it. If the mistake is as a result of something you have done, you need to admit the error before anything else happens. Definitely try to figure out what happened, but taking ownership is the first step.
2. Communicate it.
Tell the client immediately. Sometimes you will find out about an error from the client, but in many cases you will discover it yourself. In both cases, be sure that you let the client know right away. Communication is one of the essential skills to sharpen as a VA, and this is even more important when the client is unhappy.
3. Apologize.
An apology goes a long way when something goes wrong. No matter what contributed to the mistake, be sure that you tell the client you are sorry. Don’t make excuses – although you can indicate what contributed to the situation, no one wants to hear ‘because’.
4. Fix it.
Do whatever you can to fix what went wrong. If it is an email that went out with an error, send another with the fix. If it is a payment issue, rectify it with a refund. Specifically reverse the error if you can. If you can not, alert those affected and then fix your process moving forward.
5. Adjust as necessary.
Your client will want to know what you can do in future to avoid making the same mistake again. Figure out what this needs to be and implement it. Do they need to sign off on the final proof of something? Do you need to use a checklist so no steps are missed? Do you need to give a time estimate for a similar project in future?
No matter what error was made, you need to fix it, let everyone know, and ensure you have put steps in place to avoid the same problem in the future.
Working through issues like this is exactly what you can do in a mastermind group. The Inspired Action VA Mastermind is a small group of supportive VAs who work together through the day to day issues that crop up just like this one. If you are struggling through your VA business, check out this group to see if it’s the right time for you! Our next session starts in just a few weeks.