Comment équilibrez-vous la qualité et la quantité de travail lorsque vous chargez à l’heure?

Finding the perfect balance between quality and quantity when charging by the hour is an art! 💼🕒 It all comes down to strategic time management. Prioritize tasks, set clear goals, and always keep the client's expectations in mind. Quality work speaks volumes and builds trust, while efficient time management maximizes productivity. The key is to deliver value at every hour worked, making the quality vs. quantity debate a win-win for both you and your clients

Shifting from an hourly rate to a value-based fee will ensure you charge your true worth. Your clients are making an investment when they hire you. So ask yourself, "What return on investment (ROI) do my clients receive back, when they hire me? How I you MEET the needs of my clients?" MEET is an acronym for the four key types of ROI your clients can receive when hiring you, as follows: MONETARY - How do you help them save money/make profit? ENERGETIC - How do you save your them the energy or effort of doing things themselves? EMOTIONAL - How do your services make your clients feel? TIME - How do your services help them save time or reclaim time they've lost from other activities? The above will help you to ascertain your true worth.

Knowing your worth is dependent on many factors. Some including the Industry “standard” rate, your own confidence and most important what you personally need to earn. Need Vs want are two completely different aspects of pricing. I NEED to earn X to live and cover costs but I WANT to earn Y. As with any role, the want comes with motivation, progression in business and the developing skills you learn. Working out your hourly rate needs to be calculated by number of clients you can take on, costs and most importantly the profit you want to make - there should be an eliminate of profit to make the business stable. If you struggle with confidently delivering your price point then you may want to reconsider if that price it right for you.

My pricing is determined by value and ROI, either by package, project based, or. VIP Day. I don't use hourly rates or track my time for those purposes.

Balancing quantity and quality of work as a virtual assistant when charging by the hour requires strategic time management and a focus on delivering value. Prioritize tasks based on importance, use time tracking tools to stay accountable, and communicate effectively with clients to ensure that expectations are met.

Knowing your worth as a virtual assistant is crucial in establishing a sustainable and rewarding career. Before setting your hourly rate, take a deep dive into your unique skills, experiences, and the specific niche you operate in. Research the market trends and understand what clients in your industry are willing to invest. It's essential to balance your expenses and desired income with competitive pricing, ensuring you are neither undervaluing nor overpricing your services. Aim for a rate that reflects your expertise and the quality you deliver. Remember, your value is not just in hours worked, but in the impact you provide.

Working out your hourly rate on the time you spend on client work and working on your own business needs also to be considered. The hours you work in marketing and doing your own admin is billable, but you need to work this into your client rate. Tracking your time spent on your business is essential. I use Toggl track.

I use Toggl Track and charge clients by the minute - no rounding to the nearest 15 minutes. If we are telling clients that we are only charging for work completed then this is what we must do exactly that.

Because you always want to deliver utmost quality in your work, I'd provide clients with time estimates for nearly every task and project. Estimate approximately how much time it'll take you to complete a project and it'll set an expectation for your client. If you need to conduct additional research or complete training for a specific program your client uses and wants you to know, I'd factor in some of that training time as well.

To balance quality and quantity when charging by the hour, start by clearly defining the scope of work and expectations upfront. Focus on efficiency by using time management techniques, such as batching similar tasks. Set milestones to ensure quality while maintaining productivity. Regularly review your work processes to identify areas for improvement. Communicate openly with clients about progress and challenges, allowing for adjustments without compromising quality. Lastly, prioritize tasks that offer the greatest impact, ensuring value for both you and your clients.

Tracking your time effectively is a cornerstone of successful virtual assistance, especially when charging by the hour. Utilizing reliable tools like Toggl, Harvest, or Clockify can streamline this process, ensuring accurate invoicing and helping you monitor your productivity in real time. It’s not just about logging hours; it's a strategic approach to identifying tasks that take longer than expected and optimizing your workflow. Transparency with clients regarding your time tracking methods fosters trust and professionalism. Consider regular reporting intervals to keep clients informed about progress and project timelines. Mastering time tracking not only increases accountability but also enhances your overall service delivery.

Education around the Virtual Assistance industry in general is required to manage the expectations of all parties involved. VAs can operate in capacities from employees to entrepreneurs, and it's important to understand the distinction.

In my experience, the best way to manage expectations is to maintain frequent communication with customers/clients. Before agreeing to take on any project, make sure that both parties are clear on the expectations and put as much in writing as possible. As VAs we must manage our own expectations and convey them to our clients during the initial communication. We must be bold enough to set boundaries and unapologetic if it means losing a potential or existing client.

Don’t be afraid to hold your hands up if something goes wrong , and ensure you provide solutions equally don’t be afraid to address if you are spending more time on a project than estimated or a client moves their expectations of the tasks agreed. Open communication and mutual respect of each other and the value you are bringing is essential.

In the almost 17 years I have been a freelancer, the #1 lesson has been never to give an estimate of time for work "sight unseen". People have a tendency to under-explain the task at hand, and after milestones are set and the project is agreed upon, it is revealed to be more complicated than the client let on - leaving you in a position to uncomfortably renegotiate the terms of the deal or provide an excessive amount of work "off the clock". Instead, I let clients know that I can give them a general, non-committal estimate based on prior tasks; however, I need to be walked through the work. I also explain that complications may influence the amount of time necessary, so if they have a cap they rather I work within, that is preferred.

Managing expectations is key to a successful virtual assistance relationship, particularly when charging hourly. Clear communication about the scope, deadlines, and deliverables sets the foundation for trust and collaboration. Establish realistic goals and prioritize tasks effectively, ensuring you dont overcommit or promise more than you can realistically deliver. Transparency about your availability and capacity allows clients to plan accordingly and creates a more productive partnership. Regular updates on your progress, potential challenges, and adjustments needed keep everyone aligned and informed. By setting and managing expectations, you create an environment where both you and your clients can thrive and achieve successful outcomes.

Reduce your own admin and onboarding process by automating as much as possible. This will help you ensure that you focus on the must dos for your client rather than the repetitive tasks in your own business.

I couldn’t function without time blocking client work. I use Google Calendar to do this and map out every second of my day - toilet breaks included !

Balance quality and quantity by streamlining your workflow. Use productivity tools and techniques to enhance efficiency, such as templates or automation. For example, if you’re managing social media accounts, use scheduling tools to automate posts and save time, allowing you to focus on creating high-quality content. This approach ensures that you deliver top-notch results without sacrificing the volume of work.

One thing I've found helpful is to add a review task to the overall project schedule so that there is sufficient time to review the end product before submitting to customers. Including hours for the review task upfront also helps with the estimating of hours needed to complete the project. Forgetting to include review hours could lead to spending hours doing work without being compensated depending on the negotiated payment agreement with the customer.

I disagree with having to justify your price increase. You are a business owner and are in charge of your own rate. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by increasing unrealistically for the value you provide and give as much notice as possible . If my public rates go up I advise my clients that they have gone up but theirs will not increase at the moment. I then leave 3/6 months and advise with 2 months notice of a rate increase. This gives me a buffer to see client reactions and 2 months to replace any client who is not able to meet the raise as well as ensuring everything is finalised with the clients.

In the UK, we have a phrase, "Mates' Rates," which refers to giving a discount to friends or family members. Don't do this. It just devalues your work. Just because someone knows you intimately does not give them an automatic right to devalue you and your work. They ought to respect you enough to pay you your true worth. Also, if you live in a country where the cost of living is lower than, say the UK or USA, does not mean you can or should charge a lower price. Granted, if you want to be an outsourcee to UK/US-based service providers, then it's worth charging them a competitive enough price for both you and them to be profitable. But if you service your own clients directly, you need to charge them the going rate in THEIR country.

When charging hourly, focus on efficiency without sacrificing quality. Prioritize tasks based on client needs and deadlines. Streamline workflows with tools and techniques. Communicate openly with clients about expectations and progress. Set realistic goals to maintain a steady pace. Remember, delivering high-quality work consistently builds trust and loyalty, ensuring long-term success for both parties.