by chloe | Feb 7, 2022 | Industry Knowledge
Outsourcing is the process through which companies hand over their day-to-day operations to professional agencies or independent contractors that specialize in the services they need. It allows businesses to cut costs while improving processes and plays a critical strategic function when it comes to a company’s long-term objectives. Due to its cost-effectiveness, outsourcing has dominated numerous industries and continues to grow significantly.
Here are the top three reasons how outsourcing services can benefit your business in 2022.
1. Regulatory Compliance
Outsourcing is one way that companies deal with the expanding compliance requirements, and it’s frequently the simplest method to keep up with the ever-changing regulations, especially in the digital landscape. Larger companies swamped with compliance and security requirements may benefit from outsourcing. To ensure that you’re working with the right outsourcing vendor, ask them for their certifications and compliance with cyber security policies and data protection regulations. The most common credentials to look out for are PCI-DSS compliance and ISO 27001 Certification.
2. Skilled and Experienced Talent Pool
You won’t have to go through the trouble of looking for the best people to grow your business. Outsourcing companies handpick only the best talents that fit any startup’s needs—from meeting required service levels to exceeding customer satisfaction. BPOs make sure to increase the efficiency of a company’s existing operations to optimize return on investment while providing quality service.
3. Growth of Remote Jobs
Since the pandemic began, working from home has become a necessity. Nowadays, companies have made it an option for workers to work from home permanently. With onsite work no longer a major requirement to run a business, outsourcing has now become a more viable option for scaling operations as an employee’s physical location is somewhat irrelevant in several industries in tech.
As remote work is becoming the new normal in more industries, outsourcing to service providers in a different continent is no longer an issue. Not only will outsourcing drive the costs of employing manpower down, but it will also help scale your business faster with a plethora of BPO professionals ready to step in key service roles.
When it comes to business, the progress of technology and new approaches are endless, so it is always essential to be up to date. Outsourcing started out as a trend and has now become a staple in most technology startups. It is an excellent strategy to keep your business flourishing while keeping your core team focused on higher-level activities that support business growth.
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by chloe | Jun 19, 2018 | Industry Knowledge
Small- to medium-sized businesses are always on the lookout for different ways to achieve their business goals for less. Outsourcing is one of the best ways to not only cut some costs in your business—but also help in giving you the extra time you need to focus more on what you’re good at. However, outsourcing for the first time can be a little difficult if you have not done it before.
So what should you take note of when outsourcing for the first time?
Here are five things you need to know for a smooth sailing outsourcing journey.
Set Clear Objectives
Always keep your lines of communication open, most especially when it comes to setting goals and expectations. Remember that for any business to be successful, communication must be present. Make sure that you make it very specific with your service provider the tasks and goals that you want them to do. Set the direction you want them to take and monitor them from time to time. This way, you and your service provider will be on the same page, making it easier for both parties to work together towards the same goal.
Begin with Small Assignments
When outsourcing with a service provider for the first time, start by assigning them with smaller tasks. This way, you get the feel of your service provider’s capabilities before you entrust them with the bigger, more challenging tasks.
Interview Carefully
Since you will be monitoring from a distance, the interview process is where you really get to know your potential employees. Ask your outsourcing provider if you can be involved in the recruitment process (at least in the beginning of the project). Take your time in getting to know the people you want in your team. Ask as many questions as you want but also make sure to listen carefully for bad/negative feedback.
Invest in the Training and Development
Your service provider can take care of this part, but you also need to check in with them from time to time to update them on any developments in relation to your business or brand. This also serves as a refresher for your in-house employees especially when you involve them in training your outsourced team. This keeps them on track with their tasks and aligns them to your business goals.
If It Does Not Work Out, End It Graciously
Don’t be afraid to end things when you are not satisfied with the way the work was done. If you notice no change or development was made within a generous amount of time, it is probably best to look for another service provider. However, make sure to address this issue to the service provider prior to terminating services. Don’t just leave them hanging without giving them an explanation. Let them know why you want to end the relationship and how they can improve for their future clients. Nonetheless, make sure to review your service agreement to follow the agreed terms and conditions when it comes to terminating the project.
Got some insights to add about this article? Share your thoughts in the comments section below! Check out some of our previous articles by clicking here!
SOPHI, Inc. is a business process outsourcing center that delivers customer service and back-office solutions to startups in the US and Europe. Don’t miss out on our latest updates by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
by chloe | Mar 20, 2017 | Industry Knowledge
Outsourcing—It’s one of the most intimidating solutions a startup can deal with. Who can you trust? Is your data safe? How do you train people you’ve never met? It would basically mean handing off your company’s operations to a stranger on the other side of the world.
Nonetheless, if you do your research, get to know the outsourcing industry, and talk to the right people, your startup can gain so much from it. With outsourcing, your most crucial tasks in the business are done by offshore teams, so you can focus more on the important aspects of growing your business.
Below are five reasons why outsourcing is a good fit for your startup.
- It is inexpensive. Outsourcing is cheap! Hiring employees internally would mean more usage of your resources, which is costly. But if you find help from cost-effective outsourcing firms, you can significantly lower your company’s operational expenses. Plus, you’ll have more office space!
- It saves time. That’s the whole point of outsourcing. You’re not only saving money, you also have more time to work on what you do best. Think of ways on how you can make your startup flourish and grow instead of working on minor tasks. Have an offshore team do that for you! That way, you can focus more on your core business.
- It allows flexibility. Now that you have finally delegated several tasks and your workload is lighter, you can now tackle more important issues in the company, such as dealing with new clients as well as checking up on the latest market trends. You can finally step up your game and join forces with your partners, so you can take the lead among your competitors.
- It makes you more profitable. Another advantage of outsourcing is that it lowers your expenses and increases your profit. If you can find the right provider to help you meet your operational goals, then you are on the right track! Aside from helping you with operations efficiency, that provider might even help you promote your brand through public relations or social media marketing. The key is to find the right outsourcing partner.
- It provides you with access to global expertise and resources. Offshore teams are slowly conquering the world right now. With that, you can have a worldwide selection of talented individuals who are a perfect fit for your services. If you require 24/7 support, a reliable offshore team can give you that extra edge in customer relations management.
And that’s about it, folks! These are reasons why you should start outsourcing. It’s fast, and it lessens your workload. It is a strategy for your startup to grow in the future.
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by chloe | Feb 15, 2017 | Industry Knowledge
In today’s world, starting up a small business can be a big challenge. A few of these early challenges would be mainly acting alone, struggling with time management, and having a tight budget. You will be needing teams that can help you perform specific tasks—your answer is outsourcing.
To lessen your load, delegate certain tasks to offshore teams instead of hogging the work all to yourself. You just need to find tasks that can easily be outsourced. With the help of outsourcing, you can concentrate more on working towards achieving your goal for your new business. It makes your work faster and easier.
Below are five ways to start outsourcing for your startup.
- Make a list. Create a list of all the tasks that you want outsourced. Make sure that these tasks are detailed and easy to understand so that offshore teams would easily “get it.” In addition, include in your list the reasons why these tasks are best outsourced. It’s important to give specific information to your teams if you want your business to run smoothly.
- Find reliable providers. This is basically a trial-and-error process. Finding the most reliable service providers out there is not always easy. That’s why doing your own research and getting feedback from peers and colleagues is important. This is to determine which service providers are a good fit for your business.
- Set a budget. As a startup, you need to know your top priorities and what you can afford. Running a startup would always mean that your profit-making chances are small. But don’t worry. It could grow in the future if managed well. You have to work with patience, as well as find time in managing your budget.
- Know your target audience. Knowing your target market is one of the most important things you need to remember in starting up a business. Understanding who they are will help you improve your business, and it can help you make smart strategies in the future that perhaps your outsourcing provider could provide at half the cost of doing it in-house.
- Online presence. The internet is free. Your business’s online presence can help you get a wider audience. People rely more on technology in this modern world. So, in case they are looking for your services, they won’t have a hard time finding you online. Having a blog or a Facebook page can get you there. Social media management is easily outsourced. You can have a remote staff post regularly created and curated content on your behalf.
These are just five of the many other things you must do before outsourcing. There are still a lot of things you need to learn that can further lead your startup to success, but these five tips can slowly (BUT SURELY) get you there! Just remember that the most successful people are the ones who have always been patient.
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