Modern startups believe that the only way to succeed in today’s market is to outsource unnecessary tasks. By doing this, you can focus on time and money, two essential resources, more specifically, to ensure the company grows at the right pace. To put this into perspective, there is a theory that startups can lose up to 40% of their productivity if they fail to outsource the correct tasks.
To look at the numbers, you would think that outsourcing is a must-have strategy. For example, 42% of companies who fail believe it’s because their products and services don’t fit the needs of the market. Hiring third-parties with extensive experience and considerable resources is one way to ensure your products are on point.
Therefore, the idea of not outsourcing sounds as if it doesn’t have any merit. Not to outsource could increase the chances of failure and lead to bankruptcy. However, it does have its downsides, from a lack of confidentiality to flexibility and quality control. Entrepreneurs who find these three factors non-negotiable must find ways to succeed without conforming to the norm like everyone else.
Here are five ways you can hit your goals without sacrificing your morals and what you believe is the correct way to run your business.
Invest In A Solid IT Structure
One of the main drawbacks of outsourcing is the inability to keep sensitive data a secret. Your partner might say the right things, but there is no way to tell if their employees are adequately trained. And, one data breach is all it takes to ruin your reputation within the industry for the next decade.
Investing in a robust IT structure allows you to protect your data without divulging details to anyone else. Plus, it’s better to have a technician in the office who can react to problems as, when, and before they happen. With an outsourced IT team, you usually need to wait to fix glitches such as downtime, which can hurt your profit margins.
Aside from investing in software, such as antivirus and malware programs, it’s critical to hire a small team of experts. You only need one or two, but they should be around to maintain the system and install relevant upgrades. Also, they can create a security policy that is trainable so that every employee understands their responsibilities.
Use Communication Tech Wisely
Another issue that startups deal with regarding outsourcing is substandard work. If you choose poorly, the third-party might not produce products and services to your liking. When this happens, the only person who will be blamed is you because customers won’t think about the supply chain. Instead, they’ll see an item that was below-par and assume that you are at fault.
Thankfully, control quality is feasible as long as you use technology to your advantage. With the likes of email and instant messaging services, it’s straightforward to spot and log a problem right away. All a worker has to do is send a message to their manager, who passes it up the chain.
Whether it’s Google Hangouts, Hotmail or WhatsApp, you can avoid outsourcing and maintain high levels of quality by communicating efficiently.
Provide A Complaints Form
Customer service is the area where the majority of companies believe that outsourcing pays dividends. After all, it’s cheaper and less hassle to ask a third-party to do it, and it prevents employee boredom. However, call centers, especially ones outside the country, don’t go down well with consumers because they make the process harder.
Of course, you can’t handle the same volume of calls in the office without ruining your schedule, so what’s the solution? The best tactic is to set up a complaint form on your website. Anyone who wants to get in touch can email the business, giving you more time to respond without reducing the quality of the customer experience.
For common questions, you can craft an FAQs section that answers the main queries without the need for people to pick up the phone or write an email. The key is to provide them with as much information as possible to negate the need for them to contact you.
Develop Company Software
Software development is outsourced because it is too specialist. Sadly, you’re not going to be able to create an app at home with five minutes to spare. Customizing an application takes time, as well as a detailed understanding of code. There is good news, though, and it comes in the form of developers.
Nowadays, companies will work with you for custom software development purposes. They will build it and give you full control over it once it’s done. This is different from outsourcing as developers typically host the platform and exercise a level of power even when the job is over. Think of it as an excellent middle ground that enables you to have your cake and eat it, too.
All that’s left to do is to find mobile app development services that fit the bill.
Automate Your Services
Okay, this is a bit of a loophole, but it’s effective. Rather than outsourcing to a company, you can opt for automated tech solutions instead. Once the program is installed and you tweak the settings, it will take care of your tasks without a hitch. A fantastic example is automated accounting software. With relevant documents and numbers, it will calculate how much tax you need to pay for any given year.
The reason this is better than outsourcing is that you stay in control. Often, third-parties make mistakes and leave the liability at your door. Although you don’t perform the calculations, you can set the parameters to ensure they are along the right lines.
Automated tax software is less likely to make mistakes as AI powers it. Also, it’s ten times cheaper than hiring a bookkeeper or an accountant.
Outsourcing
Outsourcing is a tool you have to figure out on your own. If you feel it’s not the right move, for whatever reason, you should use the tips above as guidelines to success.
