Running an online business can be a time-consuming task. You have so many commitments that it sometimes feels as if you are spinning plates, trying your best to keep them all going but always afraid that one will slip. That’s when outsourcing can come handy.
Often, when people are looking to expand their business, they look to outsource services to another company rather than hiring someone new which can be a tricky process.
Depending on what your business specializes in, there are all sorts of companies out there who can take certain services off your hands. You may need a complete rebrand to change the image of your company.
You may need an expert marketing campaign that helps you get your name out there. You may need IT support to ensure that the tech side of your business continues running smoothly. Here are some of the top reasons that online businesses choose to outsource.
Turn to the Experts
When you outsource a particular area, such as accounting or marketing, you will be going to a firm or agency which specializes in that particular field.
It is what they do day in and day out so you are heading straight to the experts. Before you choose a particular company to outsource to, you should check their credentials to make sure you are happy to put that area of your business in their hands. For example, when it comes to marketing, you will want an agency that has proven experience in the
Before you choose a particular company to outsource to, you should check their credentials to make sure you are happy to put that area of your business in their hands. For example, when it comes to marketing, you will want an agency that has proven experience in the online sector.
You should be able to see details of their past clients and they should also present a clear plan outlining what they will be doing for you. After that, you should feel comfortable letting them get on with their job, while keeping track of them over time to make sure you are achieving the results you hoped for.
Focus on Growing your Business
If you are trying to do everything yourself, you risk spreading your time too thinly and not achieving the goals you have set for your business. Keep in mind that you are not an expert in the field so it is likely that many of these tasks will take you a lot longer than if you had decided to outsource them.
If you entrust certain responsibilities to other companies, you won’t need to worry about them anymore, so you’ll be able to tackle what you are best at. People tend to be much more effective when they are able to focus on certain tasks rather than trying to handle everything.
Try to make communications with your external agency as smooth as possible by having one point of contact between your business and theirs. Though you want to keep in regular contact, keep it simple and don’t overdo it.
More Cost Effective
One of the main reasons that people choose to outsource services to other companies is simply that it’s more cost-effective to do so. Employing people can be expensive – not just the actual salaries but all the other in-work costs as well.
Not only this, the actual hiring process itself can be time-consuming and costly.
When you outsource, you can keep a close eye on their performance and it is much easier to look elsewhere if you are not happy with the service you are receiving.
When you’re outsourcing, you are likely to have a dedicated team working on your account which you would never be able to employ on your own at a reasonable rate.
Distance Isn’t A Factor
In today’s interconnected world, you don’t have to be restricted by distance when you are choosing a company to outsource to, whether you are looking for IT support or a PR agency.
You may choose to use an agency that is on the other side of the world, either because they have a stellar reputation in your field or because they are the most cost effective option you can find.
And thanks to new communication tools springing up all the time, it’s easier than ever to stay in touch and keep track of what your outsourced company is doing for you.
You run an online business so it makes sense to utilize the online world as much as possible.
Free Up Internal Resources
In today’s interconnected world, you don’t have to be restricted by distance when you are choosing a company to outsource to, whether you are looking for IT support or a PR agency.
You may choose to use an agency that is all the way on the other side of the world, either because they have a stellar reputation in your field or because they are the most cost effective option you can find.
And thanks to new communication tools springing up all the time, it is easier than ever to stay in touch and keep track of exactly what your outsourced company is doing for you. You run an online business so it makes sense to utilize the online world as much as possible.
Free Up Internal Resources
You also want other staff members who work for you to have time to focus on their particular job role. Your internal resources are important, and you have hired that particular person for a reason.
If you have someone who is in charge of running your website, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are an expert in IT support as well.
If you ask them to focus on an area that they are not an expert in, it is likely that the task will take them a lot longer than necessary. This means they are not able to focus on their main job role and your business ends up suffering as a result.
Flexibility
When you outsource a particular service, you decide exactly how long you will be working with that particular company. It may be that you only need them for a short period of time, in which case your involvement with that company can end after the project is completed.
Most agencies work on the basis of a rolling contract so you can monitor the results they are getting for you on a regular basis.
If things are going well, you can consider either give the agency more work or outsourcing other areas of the business.
On the other hand, if you find your business has overstretched itself financially, it’s much easier to stop working with an agency rather than lose a full-time member of staff.
Measurable Results
Before you actually take the plunge and decide to outsource an area of your business, you should have clear goals in your mind of what you want to achieve. Set out timescales and make sure these goals are actually realistic within the framework you have set out.
You should obviously talk these goals through with your chosen agency to make sure what you are setting out is achievable.
It’s important to let them get on with the task without you getting involved in every minor decision, though you should keep a broader eye on how things are going. If the goals haven’t been achieved within a certain time, you should expect clear answers as to why not.
If they have, you may feel more comfortable letting the agency continue with more autonomy.
Conclusion
These seven reasons give you a good overview of the advantages of outsourcing areas of your business. It’s better to start small and outsource one area at a time so you can see the type of results you are achieving.
Start by thinking of the area of your business that would most benefit from expert attention.
It may be that you need a branding campaign to make your company stand out. It may be that you need sound financial advice so you can grow your business and move it up to the next level.
This should act as a weight off your mind so you are able to focus more time on the core areas of your business.
I really agree with you Sylviane. I think the outsourcing in particular area is very good because you choose expert agency.so you have batter result form there.thanks for sharing
Hey Sylviane,
Companies that decide to outsource do so for a number of reasons, all of which are based on realizing gains in business profitability and efficiency. Many businesses embrace outsourcing as a way to realize cost savings or better cost control over the outsourced function.
Companies usually outsource to a vendor that specializes in a given function and performs that function more efficiently than the company could, simply by virtue of transaction volume. Still others outsource to achieve greater financial flexibility, since the sale of assets that formerly supported an outsourced function can improve a company’s cash flow. Eventually, thanks for revealing a light on this topic.
With best wishes,
Amar kumar