Excellence Sought: Practical Guidelines For Better Outsourcing

It wasn't so long ago that the term ‘outsourcing’ was ever heard in the vast majority of business situations. These days, however, it’s a different story. Today, pretty much every business out there will outsource critical tasks and operations to a third party partner, and there are plenty of reasons why this is the case.
As we have discussed before on this blog, there are a vast array of reasons why you should be thinking about outsourcing for your business. But what, exactly, is the best way of ensuring you get the best possible results from your partnerships? In this guide, we’re going to explore some of the things you need to consider to make sure that you get the most of your outsourcing. Read on to find out more!
Understanding ‘When’
As we have mentioned already, there are a million and one reasons why businesses just like yours need to outsource. There are, however, only a few categories that everything else falls within. First of all, if you need a fast turnaround on a particular project, it makes sense o hand over the reins to someone or some company that has the expertise you need to get things done quickly. Secondly, the reality of running a small business is that everyone on the team is incredibly busy – you may need extra hands to help. Third, if you don’t have the skill, time, or resources to dedicate training sessions for your employees to bring them up to speed, you should consider getting external help. And finally, there is always the problem of your time. For example, if you are taken away from the most valuable money-making activities in your business to do something like admin or SEO, it makes sense to pass on those roles to a third party.
Understanding ‘What’
OK, so the next step in ensuring a positive outsourcing experience is to work out exactly what you need. It’s a relatively easy decision to outsource all the non-client facing tasks such as non-tech work, basic admin duties, or some kind of help with technology – you might speak to custom software development companies to help you create an app, for example. But what about the customer-facing roles? By and large, it’s important for any business to ensure that any role resulting in client contact is part of your core team. There are exceptions, of course – a marketing company might talk to clients for surveys, for example – but it’s important that you have control over your team’s relationships with your customers. Think carefully before hiring a call center or something similar – it could create an impersonal environment which your previously loyal customers no longer care for.
Understanding ‘Who’
Now, we can get into the real nitty-gritty of outsourcing – the steps you need to take to ensure you find the right partners. There needs to be a high level of vetting in the first instance, of course. You need experience and expertise, and you don’t have time to spend training up partners – they should be ready to go from the off. Sure, there will be an element of a learning curve involved, but this should only be time for your partner to find out about your business and customers – not learning about the tasks you want them to do. It’s also important to be patient and find the right company to work with, so don’t just settle for the first contact you get. Ask your peers for recommendations, and always ask to see evidence of any successes – particularly from other companies who have industry similarities with yours.
Understanding ‘How’
Finally, you also need to establish your complete instructions. Make sure the partners know exactly what is involved from day one, and get it written into a contract. There are technology issues, too. You’ll have to set up CRM processes, secure comms platforms, and make sure that all your data, clients, and proprietary business knowledge are secured under a robust contract. And finally, make sure that you establish a regular pattern of reporting to make sure that both sides understand how things are progressing.
Knowing you need to outsource is one thing – finding the right partner is another altogether. However, while many small business owners are overwhelmed when it comes to outsourcing, by following some of the suggestions in this guide, you should be able to get started with finding a company or partner that you trust – and can do a job for you. And once you have them in place, all that’s left is to monitor their work and – with a little luck – reap the rewards.