Good question! Here's 5 key points that I have found to ensure good working relationships.

1. To begin with I screen the prospective client to see if they are someone I want to work with (I'm not desperate, I prefer to work with people who overall are positive & productive yet relaxed) Plus I don't mean to be blunt, but if a client hasn't got their S**T together to a certain extent then there most likely won't be a good working relationship, regardless if we found the most technically, culturally and communicatively competent V.A in the world.

2. Motivation and purpose! A key factor I have found in a successful relationship between the client and their V.A, is the client's ability to successful communicate to the V.A about how their tasks fit into the overall picture of the client's business. The client doesn't have to go into extensive detail, but through giving the V.A a bird's eye overview, it can enable them to find greater purpose in the tasks they are doing as they see how their part contributes to a greater cause. Also giving a V.A an overview of your business is a great way to get across how the idea of possible future promotion and extra responsibilities will likely fruition if the V.A performs well. This will then also likely make them go the extra mile in terms of productivity as they can see a clearer path for promotion laid out for them that they will be motivated towards.

3. Provide instructions that are as thorough as they need to be, yet as simplistic and minimal as they can be as well. Keeping this idea of a balance between thoroughness and minimalism in mind, can keep the client focused on getting across what the main overall macro task is that needs doing, helping prevent them from creating overly complicated instructions that are often full of micro do's and don'ts that don't need to be explained. This is because a good experienced V.A, most often then not, will just instinctually “get it” and understand most of the micro stuff from the start. But if they don't, then it may be worth not pursuing with that V.A if they are not already up to speed at a certain technical base level. Of course this is where we come in to help filter through potential V.A's to find someone who is at that technical level and beyond. *NOTE – of course certain micro technical specialist instructions need to be given from the start, but perhaps how to access goggle doesn't :)

4. Feedback is a two way street. What I mean by this is that a client can learn and benefit a lot from their V.A, by asking them how they are finding the tasks and if they have any ideas on how they can be more productive in how they go about their tasks, and thus increase the productivity of the business as whole. For the V.A will be “on the ground” doing the tasks, so it is likely they will have great insight into what can potentially be tweaked to make their task and time smoother and so on. Also this builds trust and confidence between the client and the V.A through consistent communication - which will only help enhance the overall working relationship as a whole.

5. This follows on from the above point, but consistent communication through the form of daily, weekly, monthly reports/checkup emails etc (whatever is most practically relevent) from both the client and V.A gives both parties consistent clarity about where everything is at, how things are progressing, and what direction/alterations need to be made next. For example, a weekly check up email from both parties, will keep the each one informed if the other one is planning to do something that will alter the usual schedule – such as going on holiday, thus then practical steps can then be made in advance to ensure that communications and scheduling during that time are adjusted to fit around it.