Running a successful business takes hard work, dedication, and often long hours, but it’s all too easy for an entrepreneur to become so fixated on their business that they believe they can do, or at least oversee, all the important tasks themselves. Micromanaging is an easy trap to fall into, but this can be counter-productive for two reasons: you could be spending your time more productively in other areas, and it can put pressure on those who work under you. Smart business owners know when to outsource tasks within their business, and here are seven such areas where turning to outside help could pay dividends.
1. Technical Support
Where would your company be without an IT service? With increasingly powerful business computing solutions available, this is certainly one area that every business owner has to take seriously, but on the other hand, recruiting your own IT team can be costly and time-consuming, especially for startup businesses and small to medium-sized enterprises. Outsourcing technical support can be the perfect solution, and it means that you have easy access to expert technical support around the clock. Outsourcing this role can also increase overall productivity within your company, and it greatly reduces the chance of IT outages, which can lead to financial and reputational losses. You can learn more by looking at the website of BeStructured, renowned specialists in this field.
2. Design
Turning your business into a brand that’s easily recognized by consumers can be one of the stepping stones to sustainable growth and long-term success, and your corporate branding is key to achieving this, which is why you should give careful consideration to the design of your logo, letterheads, and website. These design elements are the first thing that potential clients and customers will see of your business, and we all know that first impressions count. Don’t be tempted to take charge of the design yourself but outsource it to experts in this area instead. By doing that you can have a professional logo and design that stands out from the crowd and shows your business in the best possible light.
3. Recruitment
Whilst outsourcing makes a lot of sense in many areas of your business, you will still need some core members of staff to work around you on a permanent basis, and that means that you’ll have to recruit. Recruiting can be a time consuming (and, of course, that also means money consuming) activity if you haven’t done it before, but thankfully, there are plenty of recruitment agencies who can control the process for you. Outsourcing recruitment to them means that you’ll have instant access to a large number of candidates already on the agency’s books, and being experts in the field of recruitment, they’ll quickly be able to spot the ones who have the skills and attributes you need. Outsourced recruiting can also save you money when compared to advertising for applicants in newspapers or online.
4. Social Media
We are living amidst a social media revolution that has transformed every aspect of our lives, so it’s important that all businesses make full use of its potential. Used correctly, social media can help you reach a vast number of potential customers, but it’s important that your posts are visually arresting, relevant, and entertaining as well. It’s also important that your posts reflect a unified brand across all the major social media platforms, and that they are added regularly and at the optimal times to attract your ideal customers. All of this takes time and careful planning, but by outsourcing this task to social media experts, you can see rapid growth in engagement and in the all-important number of followers that you have.
5. Accounting
All businesses have to keep accurate records and produce tax returns, and possibly VAT returns, but whilst the latest software packages can certainly help, accounting can still be a complex job that doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Outsourcing these tasks to a professional accountant will involve an initial outlay, of course, but it could save you that money many times over. An accountant will be able to ensure that your tax returns are honest and accurate, but also that you claim for all the allowances you’re entitled to, and this means that you’ll have money that can be invested into your business and its workforce.
6. Legal Advice
Every business, particularly as it expands, will need expert legal advice from time to time, so this is one of the most common duties that companies outsource, particularly as corporate law can be a very complicated and, to a layman, confusing entity. A lawyer can help with the formation of your business and ensure that you meet all the necessary employee rights and health and safety legislation. They can also give specialist advice if you find yourself in a dispute with an employee, another business or a supplier. For these reasons, it’s often best if you use the same lawyer for all your business dealings, so that they can develop a good understanding of you and your business.
7. Customer Service
Providing good customer service is more important today than it has ever been. In the not too distant past, a disgruntled customer might tell their friends and colleagues, but now they can use social media to tell thousands of people with the click of a button, and this can be harmful to your reputation. Customer complaints must be dealt with swiftly and fairly, but that’s not always easy if you have a relatively small workforce. Outsourcing this function to a customer service provider removes this difficulty and ensures that there will be people on hand to represent your company at all times of the night and day.
Outsourcing makes sense for businesses of all sizes, as it can cut down on recruitment costs and lost time and money if key personnel in a small department are absent from work. Outsourced technical support will keep your hardware and software running smoothly, while outsourced customer service support will help build your reputation as a brand that listens. Together with effective legal, accounting, recruitment, design, and social media advice whenever you need it, smart outsourcing can become a short cut to business success.
