Outsourcing is not a one-size-fits-all solution, that’s why we prepared 7 steps to successful outsourcing that can ensure your business stays ahead of the game in this competitive gig economy. This is a pretty big deal especially when you discover that outsourcing has been a hot trend since 1989. And over the past three decades, it has expanded enough to become an integral part of business management on a global scale. Fortunly reports that almost 54% of all companies use third-party support teams to connect with customers and 78% of businesses all over the world feel positive about their outsourcing partners. These numbers are only set to rise as outsourcing continues to play a huge role in shaping the success of businesses of all shapes and sizes.
Starting with these steps can help you gain more confidence in yourself and your business.
Every business starts small, but not every business grows big. This is why it’s important to have a plan at hand to help you navigate the competitive gig economy, especially if you’re a small business owner who wants to get out of the startup phase. 37% of small businesses have atleast one business process outsourced, freeing up essential time and money that could be better spent on core tasks that actually help push the company forward and upward. Running a business is hard work, and it can get pretty overwhelming fast when you realize you have to be the salesman, the accountant, the marketing staff, and the recruiter all at the same time. But how else could you reduce the workload while staying productive and in control of your resources? We’ll guide you through it with these 7 steps to successful outsourcing.
7 steps to successful outsourcing you needed to hear today:
1. Define Your Goals
The first step to successful outsourcing is to clearly define your goals. You can’t expect successful business operations when you still don’t know what you truly want. Defining and setting goals gives you a clear focus, motivates your employees and sets targets for your business to work towards. It will also help you set better terms and plans with your outsourcing partner.
Goal setting can also easily let you see if your business is succeeding.
Some questions to help you define your business goals can be: what are you hoping to achieve by outsourcing? Are you looking to save money, free up time, or improve the quality of your product? Once you have a clear understanding of your goals, a priority in the 7 steps to successful outsourcig, you can begin to look for a trusted and reliable outsourcing company that can help you to achieve them.
2. Do Your Research
The second step is to do your research. There are a lot of outsourcing companies out there, so it’s important to find one that is a good fit for your business. Take the time to read reviews and compare pricing. You should also ask for referrals from other businesses that have outsourced in the past. As a general rule, you’ll have less control over a project once you outsource it. But outsourcing gives you more expertise and access to more talent, that’s why researching more about it is a part of the 7 steps to successful outsourcing.
Ultimately, the outsourcing company you hire will become an extension of your brand.
With this, you’ll be needing someone stable and reliable that will not only provide you excellent services, but also someone who can share the same values as you. Trust is an essential factor in every relationship, and if it goes both ways, there’ll be no other way to go but forward. And this is especially true for those who are looking for the right outsourcing provider.
3. Draft a Contract
Once you’ve found a company that you’d like to work with, the next step is to draft a contract – a must in the 7 steps to successful outsourcing. This contract should outline the scope of work, as well as the terms of payment. Be sure to include any deadlines or milestones that need to be met in order for the project to be considered a success. Paras Mittal says that a well-written contract is the heart of any successful business and serves as the foundation of any transaction done by businesses. The proper implementation of the outsourcing contract is also necessary for ultimate success.
Outsourcing contracts are essential for protecting both parties involved in an outsourcing relationship.
If crafted properly, they can help avoid potential conflicts and ensure that everyone is on the same page about expectations and responsibilities related to your project or product launch. Clauses for termination or breach should also be included in the contract just in case something goes wrong.
4. Monitor Progress
It’s important to monitor the progress of your outsourcing project on a regular basis. This will help you to identify any problems early on and make sure that the project is on track. Be sure to set up some kind of reporting system so that you can track the progress of your employees and see how they are performing against your expectations, since this is important to secure 7 steps to successful outsourcing.
Monitoring progress also means making sure the outsourced project remains aligned with your company’s objectives.
If the current process or status of the project is not aligned with the company’s objectives, then the loopholes should be identified and rectified immediately. Some business owners may even want to consider changing the process altogether.
5. Be Prepared for Challenges
There will inevitably be challenges when outsourcing, so one of the 7 steps to successful outsourcing is being prepared for them ahead of time. One common challenge is cultural differences, so be sure to choose an outsourcing partner that has experience working with businesses from your country. Another challenge is communication difficulties, so be sure to set up clear channels of communication and establish expectations for response times upfront.
Risks and challenges will always be a part of every business endeavor.
With this, as a small business owner with limited resources, preparation is key to making sure your business gets through tough times. Identifying the weak points of your project as early as possible can help you come up with plans designed to accommodate the risk and prevent it from pulling your project back.
6. Have Realistic Expectations
Finally, it’s important to have realistic expectations when outsourcing. Remember that outsourced employees are not going to be familiar with your company culture or values and may not always do things exactly the way you would do them yourself. But if you’ve chosen a reputable company and provided clear instructions, they should be able to meet your needs and help you achieve your goals.
Expectations affect our attitude and mindset, which are two crucial aspects in business.
Setting modest and feasible targets are included in the 7 steps to successful outsourcing since it can help small business owners focus on the here and now while staying ambitious enough to push their business to greater heights. It’s important to avoid biting off more than you can chew, and this is especially true in the world of outsourcing.
7. Strike The Right Deal With The Right Partner
The challenge in choosing the right outsourcing partner lies in the risk present when you’re not matched up with somebody who has the same culture that your company has. Working with an outsourcing company can feel like trusting strangers with the keys to your own success, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you want to work effectively with a remote team, trust should be the first thing you establish – a key in achieving all 7 steps to successful outsourcing.
You have to make sure you hold your outsourcer more accountable than you hold your internal people today.
The fear of the unknown makes it difficult for first-timers to try the potential benefits that outsourcing can bring to a company. Risks are a constant in business, so companies tend to go for opportunities that offer the least risks and the most stability. Finding the right outsourcing partner significantly reduces both fear and risk.
From young startups to major Fortune 500 companies, all sorts of businesses across a wide variety of industries outsource different processes. As a small business owner, it’s your job to identify activities that contribute the most value to your business and spend the majority of your time on those activities. That’s why outsourcing through The Outsourcer is more about tapping into a culture of young, innovative and vibrant workers who are skilled in all the right areas and will help your business run on auto-pilot so that you can focus on the higher-leverage things. If you’re ready to turn your life and business around with these 7 steps to successful outsourcing and more, give us a call.