7 Business Functions That Can Be Effectively Outsourced

Whether you’ve just started a small business, or you have been around for a bit, there are times when it’s wise to take another look at the way your company is run and how things are managed. Why? In some cases, everything may be working like clockwork while in other instances, things may need some revamping.

In most scenarios where work isn’t done on time, financial problems are happening, there is a lack of customers, or you’re not selling enough. The source of the problem is often found in team members taking on more than they can handle, or you may not even have the right people for the job.

Before you get too concerned about having to hire a whole new slew of people, there are other ways to streamline workflows and turn your business into a well-oiled machine once again. For starters, consider how these following 7 business functions can be efficiently outsourced:

1. Accounting

This is a big one. Many businesses fail because of poor financial practices. If you don’t have a background in the finance world, it can be a challenge to stay on top of your business’s fiscal responsibilities which could lead to some serious issues down the road. Also, as a person who is managing a company, you may simply not even have enough time to manage finances effectively. This is where outsourcing to an accounting professional who has all the knowledge and tools for the job—like savings calculators or accounting software by Truliant—can be a wise decision.

2. Marketing

You may have loyal customers who are helping you get noticed by spreading the word. However, what happens when you want to get noticed on a national level? What if you’re trying to exponentially grow your business? Marketing professionals can take on the “heavy lifting” for this. That way, you don’t have to do all the research on your own about the best type of content to put out, the kind of ads that will work for your brand, or even how best to post on social media. Marketing professionals are trained to make brands look good, so let them do it for you.

3. Sales

In line with marketing, if you don’t already have a designated team for sales, you may want to consider outsourcing this essential role to an outside resource. What if you need to up your sales and while marketing is bringing you leads, you don’t have the team to handle the cold calls and follow-up? Outsource to people who can make it happen for your company without having to add a whole new department, unless that is something you want to do.

4. Virtual Assistants

If your brand is built around your persona, or something that you personally have to offer, yet you have many employees to manage and not enough time to keep up with the demand on your time from your customers, a virtual assistant can be a huge asset. They can help you with those personal Instagram posts you have to upload to stay present in the world of social media, take care of your inbox and otherwise help you manage your obligations. Most virtual assistants can be cheap and while there are some that charge a bit more for their services, they’re the person you can rely on. Trust us, you’ll be thankful you have them to lean on when your business really picks up.

5. Customer Service

You may have a popular product and high demand for what you’re offering. This is great news! Yet with all this demand comes the need for customer service. Maybe you already have your full-time sales representatives in your physical stores, but no one who has time to take care of answering chat messages on your site, responding to emails, or taking calls. Hire a customer service company to do it for you. Pro tip: when outsourcing this kind of thing, you want to be 100% about who you hire. Making arrangements to ensure quality customer service can have a major positive impact on your reputation. If needed, clarify processes you want in customer service for your clients and instructions on how to answer specific questions, etc. This way you can be sure that you are putting your best foot forward and your brand is represented correctly.

6. IT

If you have a fast-growing company, your IT guy may not be able to keep up with everything. If you don’t want to hire a full-time team or be committed to a specific provider, consider working with an option that provides you with on-demand support when you need it. Or, if you want to make sure that everything is streamlined, outsource to a service provider that is reliable and can provide immediate support. Did you know that this is one of the most common business functions that are outsourced in the world? In this age of technological advancements, it makes sense.

7. Human Resources

This can be helpful because knowing the ins and outs of employment laws and even how to manage a team could be something that you aren’t familiar with. Human resources can help ensure your company avoids lawsuits, has a well-managed team, has a streamlined payroll, and so much more. You can simply hire a popular recruiting service to build out your team but outsourcing other tasks like outplacement services, attendance and training can also help you optimally manage your business.

In Conclusion

Outsourcing offers many benefits to you as a small business. It helps you to save on costs involved with having to hire new in-house candidates while ensuring success for your company. It ensures that tasks are done effectively, and customers are heard.

From accounting to customer service, you’d be amazed at how many things can be outsourced and for a much more affordable price than what you’d pay for a full-time, in-house employee or team. The only thing you want to be sure of is the quality is there when you’re selecting an outsource provider. If they’re reliable and good at what they do, they can help your brand reach the objectives you have in mind for 2021.