6 Signs Your Client Needs More Hours
Does your client message you at all hours of the day…and night? Is their communication unclear and scattered? If you peek at their calendar, is it jammed with meetings, tasks, and zero rest or family time? Do they express overwhelm or frustration? These are all signs your client may need more hours with you.
6 Signs Your Client Needs More Hours
I’d venture a guess that you became a virtual assistant because you truly wanted to help people in their businesses. One key way that you can do this is by recognizing when it’s time for your client to increase their support.
#1 They're Less Than Present
I remember when I was in the early years of running Rock Solid. Even when I was spending “quality time” with my family and friends, my mind was on work. I was constantly thinking about the emails I had yet to answer, the tasks that had to be done, and the clients I needed to close. Unfortunately, my family and friends could tell that Tracy wasn't actually with them, and it was so difficult.
When you notice your client showing up late to meetings, if at all, and if they’re distracted during the meeting, this is a warning sign. If they express that they worked all weekend, there’s a good chance that they are not present with their family either.
#2 Their Work Hours are Endless
Does your client’s schedule look packed with back to back meetings and tasks? Worse, did they give up trying to follow a schedule? If they have lost control of their hours, it’s a good sign they need to delegate another task (or five). See our blog on supporting delegation for more help with this.
#3 They Work. Every. Single. Day.
There isn't much else I need to say about this. You probably know whether or not your client is working crazy hours. If they are, then they need increased support.
#4 Every Work Email Begins With An Apology
Are they answering every email with, “I'm sorry for the delayed reply,” or “Thank you for your patience,” or “We will need to move the deliverable date for your project to…" etc?
This is a sign of being overbooked and overwhelmed. It is not a great way to run a business, and it definitely isn't providing their customers with a good experience.
If they are not delegating inbox management, and you’re seeing some of these warning signs, bring it up! They may not have the bandwidth to even consider offloading the task of responding to every client email.
#5 The Quality of Their Work is Slipping
Your client is a brilliant entrepreneur who passionately serves her customers. However, if she’s overwhelmed with work, you may be noticing that some of the normal things are slipping. Are there more typos than normal in her communications? Did she put together a presentation deck that looked…well…less than polished? Is she forgetting appointments and constantly rescheduling? This is a big red flag for overwhelm!
#6 The Work is Rushed, and Probably Late.
This is another hallmark of an overworked business owner. They can't do everything all the time and provide an amazing product, a stellar client experience, and keep their sanity. You’ll start noticing it first with internal communications and needs, but rest assured that it’s showing up for clients too.
So…What Do You Do?
If you browsed these 6 signs that your client may need more support, and too many of them checked out, it’s time to have a conversation. Your client hired you because he trusts you to work in his business. Use the trust in this working relationship to suggest areas where they may need more support. It’s highly likely that you’ll get them started on a track toward healthy ownership again.
Talk soon, my friend.
