There’s been some discussion in the Aussie VA industry over the last couple of days about clients approaching them for quotes by getting them to complete pieces of the job, having it returned, then saying “thanks but no thanks” … then not paying for the work just completed.

Of course, this is a pretty canny way of getting your job completed for nothing – approach enough Virtual Assistants for a ‘quote’ and voila! You get the whole thing done for nothing.

So this post serves as a warning … to VAs and to clients.

If you’re a VA – particularly getting started – there’s a tendency to want to bend over backwards in order to get the work. But be careful. If you’re asked to provide a quote by completing part of the task, you’re doing the job, not working out a quote and as such you’re entitled to be paid.

You must ensure that you:

• understand the difference between quoting a job and doing the job;
• are clear on the client’s requirements;
• ensure the client knows whether you are providing a quote or doing the work;
• ensure the client knows if you are actually going to do work – even a piece of the work – that you will be charging for it;
• ensure you get a contract in place BEFORE completing any work;
• do not return the job until the client has paid – or return it in a format that includes watermarks or is locked for editing or printing.

Unfortunately there’s a tendency for newbies in particular to offer the first hour free or some other ‘free’ incentive to attract clients but this can have the effect of encouraging some potential clients to exploit this to get their whole job done for free.

Luckily clients like this are few and far between, but you should be on the look out.

If you’re a client who thinks they can get work done this way, be aware that the industry is a tight knit one. There are large numbers of forums globally and we all talk to each other. In this digital world it takes a split second for the word to get around.

Besides, would you take your car to the mechanic and ask them to give you a quote by completing the service, then walk away and say ‘Sorry, that’s too much’? You’d be unlikely to get your car back.

In the same way, virtual assistants are providers of a service and just because you don’t see them face to face that’s no reason to take their skills and service offerings for granted. If they do a job for you they are entitled to be paid – just as you are entitled to be paid for your service provisions.

© Lyn Prowse-Bishop – eSOS