By Rehan Ijaz
Running a successful business requires organization, attention to detail and constant innovation. When your company is short on time, grappling with an influx of new orders, or simply lacking certain skill sets to get the job done well and without errors, outsourcing certain tasks can be a smart business decision.
Some back-office processes are more suited for outsourcing than others and deciding which to delegate will depend largely on your organization’s size, goals, budget and challenges. There are numerous tasks like bookkeeping, appointment scheduling and data verification that are necessary to the day-to-day operations of a growing business. Unfortunately, these are also highly repetitive, labor-intensive duties that place a heavy burden on in-house employees.
Whether your company is ill-equipped to take on a new project, or doesn’t have the capital to hire additional personnel, outsourcing non-strategic tasks can be a financially prudent solution. By outsourcing these six administrative tasks, you can focus energies on core competencies, innovation and growth.
Data Entry
Data entry is one of the most monotonous clerical tasks that is part and parcel of the modern business. By delegating the tedium of data capture, indexing and related services to an outsourcing provider, you are freeing up the talents and resources of in-house employees.
IT Operations
The average start-up has limited skills or funds to manage IT operations and needs in-house. The potential benefits of outsourcing technical support and IT tasks are many. Hiring out for software training, network maintenance or repair can save money as your needs evolve with time.
Accounting & Billing Inquiries
Hiring a professional outsourcing provider to handle payroll, invoicing and after-hours billing inquiries can save considerable headaches, manpower and financial resources. It also ensures a level of accuracy, as all processes are handled by experts who are carefully trained in bookkeeping practices and after-hours customer support.
Appointment Setting
Quality leads equal more opportunities to let your sales agents do what they do best – close the deal. By outsourcing appointment setting, your sales team has qualified appointments with clients who are already interested in your service or products. This streamlines productivity, improves performance measures and ultimately boosts sales.
Customer Support
There is no better way to build your brand and engender loyalty than by providing a seamless, positive customer experience. From order processing and answering telephones to after-hours support, these tasks are not only time-sensitive but require specialized training in resolution conflict and customer-client relations. It is often much more cost-efficient and practical to outsource customer support compared to hiring and training in-house personnel. Happy customers are more likely to recommend your products or services to friends and repeat business can provide the means to take your company to the next level.
Data Verification
Bogged down with reviewing datasets for accuracy? Outsource this laborious task and free up resources and money to concentrate on creating smarter business strategies. Leave this back-office task to skilled agents so you don’t have to worry about redundancies or invalid data that can undermine the growth of your business.
Rehan Ijaz is an entrepreneur and content strategist passionate about writing stuff for startups. His areas of interest include digital business strategy and strategic decision making. You can follow his latest posts @ShRehanijaz.
Business outsourcing stock photo by Artur Szczybylo/Shutterstock