As virtual assistants, we are known for our work versatility and flexibility. This is exactly one of the reasons why we are valued by many businesses. We help solve problems and get other people out of disasters that may severely impact their business or organization. However, what should we do if we are the ones encountering certain problems or disasters while we are working?
Now, when we say disasters, we are not about earthquakes, tsunamis, or typhoons, what we care about is the disaster that might hinder you in accomplishing a project or task on time. These events are mostly out of our control, but we can always be prepared for them and solve them quickly when we know what to do.
With that said, there are many kinds of disasters or problems that may impede our progress. That’s why we will be classifying the most common ones accordingly and these are:
Client-related Problems
Technical Problems
Health-related Problems
Domestic Problems
We will go through each of them one by one and see how we can handle the different situations that we may have to face in the future.
Client-related Problems
There will be a lot of client-related problems that you may have to face in the future and you need to know how you can handle each one of them. These problems may arise when you least expect them and the severity varies depending on the situation and how well you and your client can communicate with each other.
The first most common problem in this category is losing your client’s contact details and data. For the former, it can be easily solved as long as you and your client have a mutual contact like a website or a middleman that can connect the two of your once more. As for the latter, it becomes a bit more complicated. Depending on the data that you’ve lost, the client may even be mad at you and threaten to sue you. This is why working in The Cloud and having back up files is essential. This prevents this scenario from happening. Having a Data Processing Agreement and Virtual Assistant insurance can also minimize the impact should this problem happen to you,
Having your clients and associates disappear on you along with their payments, workloads, or even having the client’s data stolen from you is another disaster you will have to mitigate before it even happens to you. Let’s say you have a big project ahead, and your associates suddenly disappear on you leaving you with more workload and worse, is if they run off with the client’s data. What would you do? In this situation, the best thing that you can do is rely on other VA’s to help you finish your projects. This is why having a good relationship with other VA’s is important. Another thing you can do to protect yourself is by having a coherent Associate Agreement that can ensure that your associate will stay with you until the end.
As for having all your major clients disappear on you suddenly, the best thing that you can do to survive this is by relying on multiple clients to support your income. Relying on only one major client is too risky no matter how well they pay. Having multiple clients creates more security for you as a VA.
Technical Problems
Surely, your client’s end won’t be the only one that will cause you problems. A lot of VA’s experience of technical problems throughout their career. These problems stem from multiple sources ranging from dysfunctional equipment, outdated software, and even getting hacked by viruses. It is important to know how we can prevent these problems from hindering us too much.
When it comes to equipment, the primary one that we use is the laptop. It can suddenly crash, get stolen, or even simply stop working along with your internet. If this happens, having back up files in the cloud will be your true life-saver in recovering your files. In the case of it getting stolen, then knowing how to locate and protect your device using its GPS can help you. This is also why having passwords on your device is important especially when it contains the client’s data. If you can afford it, then having a spare laptop will also help a lot.
When you suddenly lose your internet while you are chasing a deadline, having a spare data connection through your phone will also help. If you have the time, then contact your Internet Service Provider immediately and ask them what is going on.
To protect yourself from getting hacked these are the things you might consider doing:
Using password generators such as KeePass, or Dashlane.
Having a strong password, and having a security plugin such as Wordfence.
Adding your website to Uptime Robot
Learning about WordPress security.
Using Office 365 for its security features.
Health-related Problems
Aside from your equipment, even sometimes your own body can fail you. You may sometimes be working on an important project then suddenly you get sent to the bathroom by an unexpected attack of diarrhea, or sometimes your shoulders and wrists just can’t take it anymore. There are even some cases of VA’s who get sudden news of a pregnancy or simply get sick with the flu.
Remember that the most important thing is still your health. Thus, here are some ways you can prevent sickness from hindering you in getting that project done:
Get your flu shots regularly
Have good relationships with other VA’s in case you need to outsource
Do not wait until the deadline to get moving
Switch to an ergonomic workspace to prevent strains on your body
Get health insurance
Inform your client immediately if you really can’t move because of an illness
Finishing tasks before the deadline is important, but health and safety always come first especially during this pandemic. Remember these tips to stay healthy and follow them if ever you find yourself in these circumstances.
Domestic problems
It is also inevitable that we may encounter some issues arising from our own homes as well. With the recent economic impact that this pandemic has had on everyone one of us, it is not hard to imagine how this could affect our own families. Thus, it is important to know how we can stay afloat in the middle of all this.
Some domestic problems which may occur include the following:
The family breadwinner loses his/her job
Getting into an accident
Your home or car gets damaged due to extreme weather
Home maintenance expenses
These are only some of the issues you might encounter. However, do not be afraid as there are always some ways you can get yourself out of these situations or avoid them altogether. Some of these ways include having an emergency fund, having multiple sources of income, getting fire protection/home insurance, getting car insurance, and having other VA’s to rely on in case you need to outsource.
Conclusion
There are so many things that could go wrong, but it is never a reason for us to be frozen still because of fear. We hope that the things in this article empower you to be more prepared as a VA despite the scenarios being quite scary. This article can serve as your guidebook on how to prepare for the worst.
While we all hope for any of these problems to never happen, being prepared and extra cautious can never hurt. Having plan B means that you are secured if ever plan A fails. Remember that there’s a reason why airbags exist even when there are brakes. In this way, we can protect ourselves, our families, and even our clients’ interests!
