By definition, outsourcing is a business practice where you hire external help to perform particular tasks instead of hiring new staff. It’s a standard method entrepreneurs use to reduce operational costs and control general operations.
There are several types of outsourcing. Some of them are occasional, such as hiring a certified accountant to take care of your annual taxes. Others are part of the daily operations, such as janitorial or cleaning services.
The Advantages of Outsourcing
You can outsource tasks from large corporations of independent consultants. Regardless of the size of the business you outsource, they can provide several benefits.
Focusing on Core Activities
When a company is in the middle of rapid growth and expansion, the back-office staff usually needs more help. This development can make your human resources too busy to the point that the core activities of your company end up suffering.
For instance, your company receives more orders every December because of the holidays. By outsourcing help for that month, you allow your staff to focus on their work and let the external service manage the volumes of orders.
Cheaper Alternative
Sometimes, hiring new staff, purchasing new machines, or needing a new place can be too costly, significantly affecting your operations. If this is the case, it’s much wiser to outsource help.
If your business is growing, forcing you to need new office space, outsourcing operations can significantly help reduce your expenses. Some functions you can outsource include data entry or telemarketing. The price of doing so is notably lower than renting or hiring.
In addition, outsourcing can also reduce the cost related to hiring new employees, including:
- Searching for applicants
- Onboarding processes
- Healthcare and benefits
- Taxes
Contracting with outsourcing companies can reduce, or better yet, eliminate these costs, allowing your company to get the same kind of work for a meager price.
Related to this, do your research before dealing with a contractor. Find a company that understands your vision. For instance, SME’s can benefit more if they deal with Hubzone-certified companies as they need to retain the excellent quality of services to keep their certification.
Promote Growth
As an entrepreneur, one of your goals is to ensure rapid growth. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy. The general costs of operations are often expensive, yet they are necessary to provide outstanding services, expand your business, and strive against your competitors.
Outsourcing is a good option if these expansion costs are too expensive for your company, would need some time to implement, or would adversely affect your daily operations.
Maintain Control
Company operations that continue to be costly must be considered for outsourcing. If you have departments that are starting to be out of control due to several changes and poor management, it’s time to find help somewhere else.
An outsourcing company typically provides better management processes by restructuring employee tasks and internal processes.
Staff Flexibility
Outsourcing helps particular departments in high demand to get help only when necessary. The good thing about outsourcing is that you have the option to deal with them long-term or short-term. You can release them once they’ve fulfilled the task they are needed for.
Developing Internal Staff
Some projects require particular sets of skills that your employees may not have. If this is the problem, on-site outsourcing is the solution. Here, you can outsource contractors to work in the office with your existing employees and provide the skills needed for specific tasks. This is also an excellent opportunity for your employees to acquire new skills by learning from the contractors.
Getting the Most of Outsourcing
Many businesses consider outsourcing mainly to save money and reduce the costs they might need to pay. Little did they know that outsourcing can be beneficial in other terms. As your business expands, outsourcing provides a way to boost innovation, attain new skill sets, and put your company in a better position in the marketplace.
If you consider outsourcing services, don’t just look at the cost. Consider how the contractors can help you grow, what they can offer to your company, and what makes them stand out among others.
Be sure to consider the expertise of the contractor. The skills they possess can greatly help your company’s growth. Regardless of why you’re outsourcing- from marketing to production- outsourcing can give you a higher chance to grow, innovate, and outshine your competitors.
In summary, outsourcing is a great way to acquire a new set of workers without paying too much. Depending on your needs, you can hire them for long-term or short-term contracts. You are not bound to deal with them forever and pay for costs related to employing new staff.
