Going Virtual: Sharing the Adventure- Part Five

Four months in to my association with the title company, there has been an amazing increase in business for them.  Given the dismal real estate market, this says a lot for their marketing skills.  But for me, their increase in business put me in a tough spot. Due to the discount I offered when we first signed the contract, and the amount of time I have been expending (52 hours a week) it became clear that this business relationship was not working out to the best benefit of my company.  Or my family for that matter.I met with my client a few weeks ago and discussed adjusting our relationship. I felt it would suit their business best to hire on a full time title processor, and keep me in a more limited capacity.  They agreed, and asked me to conduct interviews. I’ve had some acquaintances ask me why in the world I’d suggest that they hire someone else. There are several reasons. The first being that I haven’t had time to devote to gaining new clients.  A business can not rely on one steady client. I needed to free up time to not only market to new potential clients, but to have time to do virtual assistance work for more than just one client.My second reason is because part of my job as a virtual assistant is to help my clients business run as smoothly and efficiently as possible.  With my services being utilized for pre-processing and a full time processor at their office, they will be capable of conducting many more closings than they could with me solely doing the work.  It’s my job to let my clients know when I feel their business can benefit from changes.And my last reason is for my own sanity. Part of being a wise business-woman is knowing when to say “enough”.  I realized that I could not grow my business, nor could I be available to my family working at the current levels.  I had so many creative ideas for my business that ended up sitting in OneNote because I had no time or energy left to pursue them.Approaching my client with the issue was nerve-wracking, to say the least.  Yet, they were understanding and appreciative of the fact that I was able to stand back and view the situation objectively.  They were impressed with my expertise and professionalism enough to ask me to interview for them.  I’ve prepared for an electronic transfer of information that should make integration of the new employee practically seamless.  The use of an e-receptionist service and electronic documents has really been key so far.I’ll keep you updated on how the changes go, and results of the new client search. For right now, I’m excited about the new territory I’ve just navigated and the new direction I’m heading in.