00+ refund, damaged item, repeat customer issue) - Track every refund in the "Refunds Log" Google Sheet (link: [URL])
Daily sales tracking — 15 minutes per day
- Each morning, export orders from Shopify (Reports → Sales Overview) - Update the "Daily Revenue" Google Sheet (link: [URL]) with: date, orders count, total revenue, total refunds, net revenue - Calculate daily ad spend from Facebook Ads Manager (link to account: [URL]) and add to the same sheet - Note any unusual patterns (e.g., 3+ refunds in one day, spike in orders, new market)
Supplier follow-ups — 30 minutes, 2x per week
- Check on pending shipments from [Supplier name] (AliExpress store link: [URL]) - Message the supplier on AliExpress if a shipment is delayed >7 days: "Hi, order #[X] was placed on [date]. Expected delivery was [date]. Can you confirm current status?" - Track all replies in the "Supplier Comms Log" (link to sheet: [URL]) - Escalate to me if the supplier doesn't respond within 48 hours
Weekly summary report — 30 minutes, every Friday
- Send me a Slack message (or email) with: total revenue this week, total refunds, refund rate %, average response time to customer emails, any quality issues flagged by customers, any supplier delays - Format: bullet points, no more than 10 lines
Non-responsibilities:
Do NOT create product listings
Do NOT make pricing decisions
Do NOT place new orders with suppliers
Do NOT respond to customer complaints with refunds over A$50 without my approval
Do NOT post on social media
Do NOT edit any website or store
Success metrics (reviewed on day 30):
Average response time to customer emails: 4 hours or less ✓
Number of refunds processed: 100% accurate in Refunds Log ✓
Supplier follow-ups completed: 100% on schedule ✓
Weekly summary delivered: 100% on time ✓
Customer satisfaction: Zero complaints about your service ✓
Your communication: Proactive flagging of issues (e.g., "I noticed X problem") ✓
How you will be managed:
Day 1: I will review all emails and summaries before sending
Week 1: I will review emails daily, approve before sending
Week 2 onwards: I will spot-check 20% of emails, full approval of refunds over A$30
Month 1 onwards: Weekly sync call (Fridays, 15 min) to review weekly summary and flag any issues
If performance targets are not met by day 30: we will discuss a plan to improve or part ways
How to ask questions:
Slack DMs for same-day answers (respond within 4 hours)
Weekly call for process issues or clarifications
Do NOT email me unless it is urgent (use Slack first)
Tools you will use:
Shopify (admin link: [URL]) — manage inbox and export orders
You will receive Shopify access, Google Sheets folder invite, AliExpress message, and Slack invite
Review the email templates and refund policy (1 hour read)
Practice: manage 5 test emails (I will provide, 1 hour)
Go live: manage inbox with my review (full day)
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Why this template works
Clarity: "4-hour response time" is measurable. "Good customer service" is not.
Boundaries: "Do NOT make pricing decisions" prevents surprises. "Escalate if refund > A$50" gives autonomy without risk.
Scalability: Once the VA knows the targets, you move to weekly reviews instead of daily. That is 40 minutes per week, not 2 hours per day.
Promotion path: If the VA hits all targets by month 2, you can expand tasks. The SOW becomes a living document.
Common SOW mistakes
Mistake 1: Making it too long (3+ pages). → Fix: If it does not fit on 1 page, delegate less or hire two people.
Mistake 2: Being vague on metrics. "Provide good customer service" → Fix: "Average response time 4 hours or less, zero customer complaints about your responses."
Mistake 3: Listing 20+ tasks. → Fix: A VA doing 20 tasks does all of them at 60% quality. 5 tasks done at 95% is better. Pick the 5 that free up the most of your time.
Mistake 4: Not defining "escalate to me." → Fix: "Escalate if refund > A$50, if customer is angry, or if issue is outside the standard policy."
Mistake 5: No consequences. → Fix: "If response time exceeds 6 hours for 2+ days in a week, we will discuss and adjust. If targets are not met by day 30, we part ways."
After day 30: updating the SOW
If the VA is crushing the targets, update the SOW on day 31:
Expand their responsibilities (add 1-2 new tasks)
Increase their pay (usually A$50-100 bump)
Move to every-other-week check-ins instead of weekly
If the VA is missing targets:
Give them a 7-day improvement plan (specific, actionable)
Re-check on day 38
If still missing: part ways and post on Onlinejobs.ph again
Why this matters
A 1-page SOW is the difference between independent work and dependency. It takes 2 hours to write well. It saves you 3-5 hours per week of management for the next 6 months. That is 24-30 hours saved per month, or A$3,600-7,500 in reclaimed time value.
Write it once, reference it every month, and watch your VA go from "onboarded" to "independent" in 4 weeks instead of 4 months.
Before and after: SOW reduces weekly check-in time from 3 hours to 30 minutes
Before SOW (weeks 1-2):
Operator hired a VA without a written SOW. Every day:
"Hey, how should I respond to this customer email?" (5 min × 5 emails = 25 min)
"Is this refund okay?" (5 min × 3 refunds = 15 min)
"Should I message the supplier?" (5 min × 2 asks = 10 min)
Daily review of the spreadsheet (10 min)
Total: 60 min per day × 10 days = 600 minutes (10 hours) of the operator's time spent on micro-management.
The VA is also frustrated: "I don't know what is okay and what is not. I am walking on eggshells."
After SOW (weeks 3+):
Operator writes a 1-page SOW:
"Reply to emails within 4 hours using the templates"
"Refunds under A$30, approve independently. Over A$30, Slack me."
"Message supplier if shipment is 7+ days late"
"Weekly summary every Friday"
Week 3:
VA manages inbox independently (VA's responsibility)
VA processes refunds under A$30 (no back-and-forth)
VA follows supplier protocol (no daily asks)
VA sends summary Friday morning (5 min to review)
Total: 30 min per week for weekly sync call.
Time saved: 9 hours per week × 4 weeks = 36 hours in month 1 alone.
Plus: VA confidence goes up. They know the rules. They make decisions. Operator stops being the bottleneck.
By month 2, VA is fully independent. Operator spends 15 min per week on management.
Action items
List the 5-7 core tasks your VA will handle (from lesson m19-l1).
Define success metrics for each task. Example: "Response time 4 hours or less" (measurable, not vague).
Define your escalation rules. Example: "Refunds over A$50 need my approval. Angry customers get escalated."
Fill in the SOW template above with your specific details.
Share the SOW with your VA on day 1 of their trial week. Have them sign it (or acknowledge via email).
Next lesson: compensation, bonuses, and retention. You have a VA working 40 hours per week. Month 2 is coming. How much should you pay them to keep them? The bonus structure that makes them independent instead of transient.
Sources
Remote team management best practices — Reforge operating remote teams course 2024
Scope of Work templates — Upwork VA hiring guide 2024
Performance management for remote workers — Gallup management research 2024
AU operator onboarding practices — Majorka operator interviews 2025
Module 19 — Hiring Your First Team
Your first VA, your first ad manager, your first ops lead. The hiring playbook for AU operators scaling from 1 to 5 people without losing the founder edge.