For those of you starting out or those who can remember what it was like to start out, getting new clients for your virtual assistant business is definitely the toughest part of starting your home business.  However, retaining your clients is probably the most crucial aspect of your VA business.  So here are my Top 5 Keys to Retain Clients.

1. Never get complacent while doing client tasks, especially if they are tasks that are mundane or redundant.  Always take the time to do the task correctly as if it was your first time doing the task and you were trying to impress your client.  As humans, we have a tendency when we get into a routine or tasks that require less thought to not pay as close attention as we might for something new or something involving more mental alertness. Not paying attention lends more room for mistakes.

2. Always respond to your client’s emails, faxes, voice mails, etc. even if it’s just to let them know  you received them.  All too often technology still has glitches, and all too often there are VAs that ditch their clients with no word given.  You want to be the one that stands out–the one they always know they can rely on and reach when they need to, even if you can’t do what they need immediately.  So make a habit of responding to client communications as soon as possible.  I mentioned this in last week’s ezine, and it’s worth mentioning again because of the value it brings to your business.

3. When your client gives you new instructions via the telephone, I like to confirm them back to the client verbally.  Often times, they do things so much that they skip a step because they do it so subconsciously.  Confirming it back to them verbally gives them that second to say, “Oh, I forgot…” or “Oh, there’s also…”  You’d be surprised how this helps them appreciate you more, because your work becomes more accurate with better communication.

4. Offer them a reason to do more business with you by discovering what other tasks you can do for them.  I had a client for six months who always seemed stress when I talked to her.  Finally, in one of our calls, I asked her, “Is there another area of your business that I can help you with?”  And I started to name off some of the things I was doing for other clients.  When I got to website content updates, she stopped me. She said, “You can do that?”  I told her yes, that I had worked with basic html since 1994 and learned CSS in 2000.  She had been sending all her updates to her web designer, and her web designer (like most) was overbooked and took forever to do updates for her.  So from that one question and naming off things I do for other clients, I was able to gain another 2-5 hours per week of work from her updating the content on her website.  So pay attention to how your clients react or sound, and inquire about what else you can do for them.  They appreciate it so much and will keep coming back to you.

5. Finally, make sure you stay in contact with them especially if they normally contact you every day or every other day, and you haven’t heard from them in that time frame.  You don’t have to be annoying about it, but having your name in their inbox reminds them you are still there and you want to be there!  I have had clients who get so wrapped up in their creative and emotional side of the business that they actually forgot to delegate me tasks.  So speaking up when you haven’t heard from them in a while is a very good way of bringing those tasks to the forefront of their thoughts (just long enough to delegate!).These three customer service issues seem so simple, but they can have a dramatic impact on the quality and the feedback of your relationships with your clients. I’ve met clients who even referred VAs with less skills than another simply because their customer service skills went above and beyond the normal call of duty. So keep in mind that your customer service skills, no matter how simple, can be one of your greatest marketing tools.

With more virtual assistants entering the market, it’s imperative that you do everything possible to retain your clients!