The advantages of outsourcing are numerous and they include cost reduction and increase in productivity and profit, the very things that attract many entrepreneurs to give it a try, especially the new comers to the business world. However, plunging headlong into the process carelessly may find you frustrated and disappointed. Remember that outsourcing can be your key to success if you take time to consider the following precautions:
- Define the task you want outsourced.
Make sure you are clear on what the task entail in terms of activities, time frame for its accomplishment, and cost you are willing to spend. Knowing these details in advance will make hiring the right people easier. Otherwise, you may end up getting people who, instead of you reaping the benefits of outsourcing, end you up spending more for people who cannot deliver the result you expect. Worse still, they may even make a mess of the whole job if they are not really qualified for the task.
- Make sure you hire the right people.
When thinking of hiring (outsourcing) people to do a task, you must assume the role of Sherlock Holmes, an astute and thorough sleuth. As earlier mentioned, awarding a project to unqualified individuals can be costly if they result in unnecessary delays or setbacks as a result of their lack of qualifications. Do not take applicants on their face value. Looks can be very deceiving. Nor must you accept all that is in their curriculum vitae hook, line, and sinker. Make sure they are what their application papers say they are. Verify the veracity of their work experiences by doing background check-ups. Call up previous employers and ask for recommendations (make sure they are not relatives). Lately, it is suggested that employers should look into the Facebook and other social media activities of applicants because these can be very revealing as to the real people you are hiring.
- Hire the services of an outsourcing company.
To make sure you hire the right people to the right task at the right cost, hiring the services of a legitimate outsourcing company like Mr Outsource is your best option. This way, you skip the tedious and expensive job of playing sleuth in your search for qualified hands you can outsource. These companies take all the precautionary steps to screen thoroughly and hire only the right people for the right job, at lesser cost and in quicker time. As additional assurance, many of them offer immediate replacements for those they send you in case you are not satisfied with their performance. Hiring your own personnel will not give you this option without getting into labour issues and incurring further expenses.
Outsourcing companies like Mr. Outsource are expected to offer these benefits to their clients:
- They apply to your company their broad experience in business practices so they do tasks better with their knowledge. This means increase in your productivity thus contributing to the profitability of your company.
- They enable you to focus on your core business. You can then engage in expanding your business without being bogged down with perfunctory and routine operational tasks.
- They make you save by minimizing considerably the expensive need to invest in recruiting and training for your human resources. Providers like Mr Outsource take care of your resourcing needs with their pool of highly skilled resources. These outsourcing companies are experienced in handling the business needs of companies that want to outsource.
- Outsourcing companies meet the problems of clients as regards the time zone differential. They can have tasks done while you are asleep so fully accomplished results are delivered as you wake up the next day. This time difference advantage offered by outsourcing companies enables you to virtually operate round-the-clock.
- They offer better and high quality results at decreased lead times thus enabling your products to reach your market faster with more efficiency.
Unfortunately, not all outsourcing companies are created equal. A level of “caveat” must be observed in getting the services of an outsourcing company. Before signing a contract with one, examine the legitimacy of the company (make sure it is not a fly-by-night or a seedy recruitment agency). You can easily verify this by checking their registration with the Security Exchange Commission or the local Labour Office. Look into its track record in hiring by asking for their past and present clients to vouch for them. Hesitancy to provide this information can raise a red flag as to their qualification.
In drawing up a contract, it is wise that it states the exact project details and the corresponding compensations so you do not have to pay fees until the contract specifications are met. Taking these precautions into consideration can help in the resolutions of disputes that may arise later.
Regular progress status meetings should also be scheduled in the course of the outsourced task. These will ensure that the task is done as specified in the contract. This is important because it gives you control over the task although it is being done by the contracted hand. Timely actions, like getting a more suitable replacement, can be done before things get out of hand or the job is not being done satisfactorily.
Out sourcing can, indeed, your effective key to succeed in business if you consider these precautions.