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5 Areas Small Business Should Outsource More

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small business outsource - marketing, hr, accounting

Small businesses always have too much on their plate. Automating essential work functions with professional software like Salesforce and Sharepoint can help to some extent. However, it is not enough in the long run.

Since the business setup isn’t big enough to hire people for seemingly mundane tasks, outsourcing is the next plausible solution. The idea is to designate jobs to the right people to save time and focus on core business functions.

Following are a few areas where a small to medium-sized organization can outsource with peace of mind;

1. Social Media Marketing

Once upon a time, social media marketing was about posting once or twice a week on a couple of platforms. However, social media is a leading source of lead generation and customer retention in this day and age.

If you think hiring an entry-level candidate and asking him to manage your brand all across social media is the way to go, then you are wrong.

Social media marketing requires various skill sets like copywriting, graphic designing, critical analysis, A&B testing, customer interaction, and more.

It would be best if you outsourced it to a professional who understands different types of social platforms, knows about the audience of each medium, and can draft an effective and impactful strategy for your brand to attract the target market.

You must treat social media as a serious marketing platform and consider outsourcing it to professionals who can run target-oriented campaigns and bring results.

2. Bookkeeping and Accounting

Small Business Outsource - Bookkeeping and Accounting

Bookkeeping is a tedious task and nightmare for many solopreneurs and entrepreneurs. By definition, it’s not difficult; you have to keep a record of all your business transactions in a particular manner.

However, bookkeeping becomes a headache if you miss any of the receipts or mess up the organizational order or pattern.

Similarly, only a professional accountant can handle the compliance rules and regulations that your company is required to follow. It’s not a layman’s job.

The expensive solution is to hire an accountant for a hefty salary. And the affordable way is to outsource the work to a professional for a small amount.

3. Manufacturing

Small Business Outsource - Manufacturing

It’s common knowledge that many companies don’t manufacture their products. Come to think of it; it’s very expensive to set up a manufacturing plant from scratch.

There are too many things to consider; you need land, machinery, labor, follow tons of compliance rules, pay taxes, and whatnot. Basically, it will cost you a lot more to make a product than have it made from an established manufacturer.

By outsourcing manufacturing, you can have reasonable pricing for an outstanding product. And we all know pricing is a deal-breaker for the majority of customers. For example, if you’re a small business tablet manufacturer, outsourcing the manufacturing process will save you time and resources, allowing you to focus on other areas of your business such as marketing and customer service.

You can find local and international manufacturers in your industry and opt for whichever seems more feasible for your business.

4. Research

Small Business Outsource - Research

Research is a no-brainer here. Companies have been outsourcing research work for a long time. If you want to research anything regarding your business, you can outsource it to a research company.

Whether you want to test a product with a specific target group or you need a survey about customers’ spending patterns for a certain type of product like washing powder, research companies can help you 100 percent.

They have a pool of people from different age groups, professional status, gender, ethnicity, location, and other categories.

It’s not just about conducting research; these companies are pro at analyzing and presenting results too. They will show you hidden patterns and stats that will blow your mind and assist in altering the product or service in the right direction.

5. Customer Services

Small Business Outsource - Customer Services

Customers are more than aware of their rights and take every promise by the company seriously. So if you have advertised round-the-clock customer service and fail to provide that, your business can lose its credibility.

Thanks to online media, people are very vocal about their opinions about a brand or company. There are many forums, groups, and websites dedicated to user reviews for all kinds of products, brands, and companies. You need to have a positive presence on these platforms.

Generally, companies have to offer customer service via various mediums like chat, email, and phone. It can become overwhelming to deal with all customers quickly and satisfy their queries.

The ideal way is to outsource customer services to professionals who can respond promptly and genuinely resolve the query. Also, these specialized customer service companies like call centers in the Philippines know how to take the heat and handle an out-of-control situation.

You must provide these companies with strict guidelines about your products or services. In some cases, you need to train people as well.

However, outsourcing customer services leaves you with ample time and resources to focus on the product/service.

Final Words

Outsourcing gives you the liberty to grow your business and achieve goals within the desired time. It gives you a chance to collaborate with people who are the best in their field.

The main goal is to save money, time, and resources while continuously focusing on the core business functions.

In all honesty, outsourcing is a deal-breaker for many small businesses. If you are too stubborn to take help, then you will never reach your full potential.

The world of businesses is moving fast, and for small businesses, outsourcing is a way to keep up.

Carole Anne is the bubbly head honcho of Key Admin. She started the company in May 2012 and has successfully grown it into a thriving bookkeeping business. She is one busy, determined woman. Carol is a BAS Agent Member of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers, a Certified Xero Advisor, Advanced QuickBooks Online Advisor and has an Advanced Diploma in Business and Finance.

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