19 November 2021
By Roger Jones
roger@TheCork.ie
Outsourcing allows you to get more done and delegate important tasks and processes to professionals without having to significantly increase the size of your full-time team.
Currently, more than a third of small businesses outsource at least some of their operations to third-party providers. In addition, many others intend to investigate this option in the future.
Photo by picjumbo.com from Pexels
When a company obtains a product or service from an outside provider rather than handling it in-house, this is referred to as outsourcing. For small businesses, outsourcing allows you to get more done and delegate important tasks and processes to professionals without having to significantly increase the size of your full-time workforce. It enables you to keep costs under control, increase efficiency, and devote your time and energy to the aspects of your business that you find enjoyable and effective.
In a variety of different business situations, this concept can be extremely beneficial. Here are some of the most important areas where you should think about it.
Accounting
Accounting is one of the most common areas in which small businesses choose to outsource their services to third parties. If you’re not a financial expert, it can take a significant amount of time and effort to learn all of the processes and compliance standards that your company must adhere to in order to succeed. A skilled accountant, on the other hand, can often manage this area for a number of different businesses at the same time. This improves efficiency while also saving you money.
Marketing
When it comes time to expand your company, an outside marketing firm can assist you in doing so efficiently. They can relieve you of the burden of ad design, content creation, and social media posting, allowing you to devote your time and energy to the internal operations of your company. Additionally, these companies are typically staffed with professionals who can assist you in developing innovative ideas and useful strategies that you would not otherwise have had access to.
Sales
Similarly, your company might not have the personnel or expertise to make sales calls or to set up sales funnels and processes that are geared toward closing deals, among other things. By contracting with sales firms or professionals, you can delegate those responsibilities to highly qualified individuals who will generate more revenue for your company.
IT Management
IT is one of the most significant outsourcing industries in the world. In fact, the global market for outsourced IT services reached $85.6 billion this year, representing a 6% increase over last year. It is possible to outsource to a managed service provider or work with a company that provides on-demand assistance to handle any technical issues or initiatives that you may be facing. Make sure you do some research if you want to Learn more about IT consultancy.
Duties In The Administrative Department
Virtual assistants are becoming increasingly popular, especially among solopreneurs and entrepreneurs who work from their homes or other remote locations. Inbox management and scheduling, as well as social media posting, are all tasks that virtual assistants can complete. Because there are virtual assistants who charge as little as $10 an hour, this is frequently one of the most affordable ways to outsource. For skilled VAs or those who specialise in a particular field, you’ll most likely pay between $30 and $75 per hour, on average.
Customer Service Support
Businesses that deal primarily with customers online or over the phone can outsource their customer service strategy to a call centre or chat service provider outside of the company’s walls. In order to accomplish this, you must first put processes in place and ensure that the company that will be dealing directly with your customers receives clear instructions.
Manufacturing
For a small business, establishing a dedicated manufacturing facility can be prohibitively expensive. As a result, a large number of product sellers choose to outsource this step. You are also not required to outsource this process in order to do so. The United States retains an approximate 18 percent share of the global manufacturing market. In this case, you may be able to find domestic outsourcing partners to keep your operations close at hand.
Shipping And Logistics
Also available is the option of having your manufacturing facility or a separate drop shipping service take care of the shipping and handling of your products directly to your customers. A popular choice for eCommerce sellers who want to devote their full attention to the online and marketing aspects of their business.
Research
There may be some information that you need to learn about your customers or about your industry in general. Whether you’re considering launching a new product or expanding into a new market, conducting thorough market research is essential before proceeding. For those who don’t want to spend days or even weeks surveying their target audience or getting lost in a sea of online information, they can outsource this step to a market research company. They should also have greater access to resources so that they can bring in particularly valuable insights.
Responsibilities In Human Resources
It includes any tasks in your company that are related to hiring, training, onboarding, or managing your team. This type of outsourcing is the most common in this field, and it involves working with a recruiting service to bring in qualified candidates for a new position. There are, however, options for outsourcing training, benefits administration, payroll, and time and attendance issues, as well as other administrative tasks.
Outsourcing also enables businesses to turn on new projects quickly, allowing them to respond more quickly to market demands and better meet the needs of their customers. Customers frequently request services that the core business may not be able to provide – outsourcing can assist in meeting this demand while also generating new revenue streams that may not have been part of the original business model.
The above should give you a good idea of what you can outsource as a small business, but there are always new ideas and more ways to improve your operations.
