As a part of managing and running my business, I annually review my business standards and standard operation procedures, or SOP. 
Standards, as defined by business definitions.com are “written definition, limit, or rule approved and monitored for compliance by an authoritative agency or profession or recognized body as a minimum acceptable benchmark.”
For the purposes of my business, they are documented rules for how I operate. These include my business vision, hours, services, and fees all the way to business travel and working from home. Standards are a structured way to keep what is important at top of mind, and help me instill trust, dependability, and make my clients feel safe because I am operating on solid ground as I help them with their own business growth.
As a past of my commitment to life-long learning and nurturing my own business, I am currently participating in a post-graduate AssistU course to review these standards. In the process of doing this, I have been examining things in a new light.
Annual review of things like my standards (alone and with guidance) is paramount to ensuring that I keep up to date as things change, I grow, and my business grows and changes. It’s a nurturing process and its amazing how going through them every year simply improves them and allows me the room to review things and remind myself about what is important before I am under the gun and in need of the standard I set in place.
Reviewing standards in a course context at AssistU allows me to engage with other, like-minded Virtual Assistants in the process. Reviewing them with Anastacia Brice as my teacher/coach/leader ensures that I am looking at things from every possible angle and standing for my clients and myself.
Do you have business standards?