Depicting business outsourcing
How to outsource effectively for your company
Learn the exact formula used by top companies to get more done for less via outsourcing.
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Outsourcing is delegating a part of company work to another person or company outside of the main company, business, or organization. It won’t be wise for a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) to hire in-house for all business functions such as having a full-time lawyer, accountant, web designer, social media manager, etc. There are many reasons why a company may need to outsource some of its work functions to persons outside of the organization. Whether it is as a cost-savings measure, to incorporate more talents, to meet up with workloads during peak periods, etc. For one reason or another, Small businesses at some point will need to outsource some of their business functions to a third party.
The mistake that some companies make in outsourcing is outsourcing their key business function to another agency or freelancer. Companies should always keep the production of their Unique Selling Point (USP) in-house. For example, it is not a good idea to be an advertising agency and outsource the entire process to another firm. At least, the ideation process could be done in-house. This way, it guides the execution process of the third-party firm.
A business task can also be outsourced to technology. Most business functions can be carried out with the same results, faster, and for less cash commitment with the use of the right technology. This includes business needs as legal, accounting and payroll management, Customer Relationship Management, etc. With the use of the right automation technology tool, most repetitive business task can equally be taken care of. These include apps such as Trello, Monday. Bumpa, Clickup, etc
For tasks that need to be outsourced to a human agent or organization, these tips come in handy.
Understand the motive for outsourcing: Having a set goal in mind for outsourcing is key to an effective outsourcing. This is because the end goal will to a large extent determine the type of personnel to hire, the expertise level needed, the length of the project, etc. For example, if a company just wants someone to fill in data into the system, they can hire even a college (university) student to handle this as opposed to, say, when they need to run a #500,000 - #1,000,000 Google ads campaign. That will require someone with more advanced specialized skills in that area.
Be specific as possible on project needs and expectations: Spelling out project needs and expectations is key to reducing friction down the road. This ensures that the freelancer or freelance company is clear on what is expected of them.
Search for the right talent: There are many ways to go about getting the right agent to carry out the project. Talents can be sourced via referrals, outsourcing and human resource companies, or third-party outsourcing websites as, Upwork, Outsourcely, Fiverr, etc.
Interview to ascertain their skillset: Here, the outsourcing company should look at the previous job of the freelancer or firm, check if they have done works that are similar to yours. Ask relevant questions and set up a little test if found necessary.
Manage and communicate regularly: Be in constant communication with the freelancer or freelance agency to remain in the know regarding the status of the project.
For modern businesses of today, outsourcing is a must if growth is needed. Outsourcing for the right task can help increase efficiency and grow a business while keeping costs low.
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