If you’re always busy with daily tasks, hiring a virtual assistant can be a great way to free up your time and focus on core business tasks. However, if you’ve just hired your first virtual assistant, you’ll need to invest time and energy to make your cooperation smooth and productive. Specific tools to manage virtual assistants are extremely useful in this case.
In this article, I would like to share my top 4 tools to manage my remote team on eBay dropshipping business.
1. Trello
Trello is a visual tool for organizing your work or project. It is super simple, where you can organize “cards” into lists. For me, it is a great way to explain daily, weekly, or even monthly tasks in a fun and simple way. When I first started hiring my virtual assistants, I did everything manually, so I found it confusing to explain daily tasks. Trello removed this useless morning hassle.
2. Monitask
Monitask is an employee monitoring software. It is a web-based time-tracking application that also takes computer screenshots randomly or at intervals. You can review your virtual assistant’s computer screenshots as evidence that the assistant is performing. There is no spying, only transparency as Monitask claims.
I prefer Monitask because it is an easy option to monitor working hours and check which applications virtual assistants use to ensure they are working productively. It is not only a great way to get a report for payroll, but it also gives me a good understanding of the VA’s productivity and focus on specific tasks.
3. Google Drive
Google Drive is a cloud-based file storage and sharing tool. It is a great way to share files, including coaching videos, Google Sheets, and Google Docs. There may be superior alternatives out there, but for us, the main benefits are:
- Nearly every freelancer knows Google Drive, which saves me time that I would spend explaining to new VAs how to use it.
- A large amount of storage is a decent option in terms of price. It is crucial as coaching videos has some weight.
- With the help of Google Docs and Google Sheets, it removes the need to use Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Word that many freelancers don’t use.
4. TeamViewer
TeamViewer is software for remote computer control, desktop sharing, file transfer, etc. It helps me remotely connect to one of my virtual assistant’s computers when they get stuck on a specific task. While the first three tools are mainly used every day, TeamViewer is not necessary for daily routines. However, managing the team when micro issues appear successfully is potentially the best option.
Final Thoughts
These are the only four tools I use for management purposes. It may seem too basic, but I think that if I took on more tools, I would add additional stress to my virtual assistants. The more complicated a process is, the less productive it is.
Do you know of any better alternative tools to manage your virtual assistants? Please share your options in the comments below!
