As more and more businesses are outsourcing their operations to other companies, it’s become essential to cut costs and man-hours. Even as a small business, outsourcing allows you to get more done on important tasks while keeping costs under control. If you’ve considered outsourcing one or more areas of business, consider these places to start.
Marketing
An outside marketing firm can help you get important data on your customers, especially in foreign markets. It takes a significant amount of time determining your ideal customers’ likes, dislikes, and what they expect from you as a business owner. Not only will outsourcing your marketing team help you determine your customer base faster, but these firms are also usually filled with professionals that can come up with creative ideas and helpful strategies you wouldn’t have thought to implement.
User Experience
Websites are integral to operating a business, and having a well-optimized homepage can make the difference between a customer buying your product and leaving. Outsource a web designer that knows how to drive clicks, otherwise known as search engine optimization (SEO) to your page via an interactive and straight-forward experience.
These web designers will ensure that your home page loads faster, uses less data, and is designed to suit your customer and their needs. You don’t need to go far when hiring a design agency, either. There are plenty of companies in the US, including Clay.Global – a UX/UI design agency specializing in user experience.
Human Resources
Human resources don’t need to be an in-house operation, because most of the business-related tasks like hiring, onboarding, and managing a team are easily outsourced to a recruiting service. A recruiting service does the entire hiring process for you by searching through projective interviewees and determining if they’re right for the position. Before your company even sees these candidates, they will be qualified for the position. Most recruiting services also handle the training, payroll, administration, and attendance issues, as well.
Customer Service
For a business that mostly deals with customer service related issues over the phone or online, you can outsource this department either overseas or in a domestic call center.
This has worked wonders for places like banks, who have call centers all over their country that handles specific sections of their state, but some larger agencies can handle international customers. Keep in mind that is is difficult to outsource in the beginning, because you need to provide clear instructions so all customers are treated similarly, no matter where they’re located.
Shipping
Dropshipping services are more accessible than ever. Amazon, AliExpress, and eBay are some examples of common middle-men services that bridge the gap between having your own warehouse. Not only do you need your own individual space to receive, prepare, and send out orders, but you also need a dedicated staff to handle these products. Instead, eCommerce sellers opt to focus more on their online and marketing aspects by outsourcing their orders.
Administrative Tasks
The virtual assistant market is a common freelancing position that requires one or a group of entrepreneurs and a home office. There are VAs who are trained to handle everything from scheduling and inbox management to social media posting. This is often the least expensive way to outsource because VAs handle their own medical insurance, taxes, and other business expenses. Most skilled VAs are still reasonably priced at around $40 – $60 per hour, but for those with a particular specialty (like social media comments, posts and optimizing webpages for more clicks), you are looking at upwards of $90 per hour.
