Outsourcing is a great way to keep your expert staff focused on the tasks that matter by clearing their plates of the day-to-day fluff that can take up so much time. This can lead not only to more efficient employees but also more satisfied ones who remain engaged and interested in the tasks at hand. It will also save your business money while allowing you access to the highest level of service from the most skilled experts in a wide variety of fields. By taking advantage of the operational expertise of these outsources workers, you will also lessen the chances of errors and omissions.
Information technology is the fastest growing outsourcing industry thanks to the high numbers of businesses now requiring these services as well as the relative ease of finding a freelancer in this field. Everything from programming, design, development, administration, maintenance and repair of computer systems to training and support can be outsourced to a company with experience and the necessary skills to keep everything running smoothly. Tasks that are frequently outsourced with great success include:
- Installation of required programs or hardware upgrades;
- Maintenance and repair;
- In-depth training on specific programs or hardware;
- Applications development;
- Consulting and reengineering; and
- Mainframe data centers, just to name a few.
Internet marketing is another fast growing field for outsourcing a variety of tasks and skills. From AdWords and SEO campaigns to social media to content creation, many companies are opting for the services of Internet Marketing agencies rather than hiring somebody in house to fulfill each of these roles. Content creation in particular is a huge market for outsourced labor due to the limited amount of content required for each individual company: by choosing freelance labor you only pay for the work you need and have the option of hiring different writers for different projects based on their particular talents or knowledgebase.
Customer service such as telemarketing and telephone customer support lines have long been outsourced by many large companies due to the availability of overseas workers as well as call centers throughout North America and Asia. Telephone based customer service is not the only type that can be outsourced, however. Your business may wish to consider outsourcing the following tasks as well:
- Field service technicians;
- Field service dispatch;
- Customer service information systems; and
- End-user support.
Distribution and transportationservices are a much cheaper alternative for most companies than purchasing and maintaining their own fleet of delivery and transportation vehicles and many businesses entrust their goods to shipping companies who will often handle all necessary paperwork related to shipping merchandise across borders. These business transaction processing services can essentially include:
- Freight brokering;
- Freight audits;
- Leasing;
- Consulting and training;
- Fleet management and operations including maintenance;
- Shipping documentation services;
- Logistics data support; and
- Warehousing.
Office support is another common field which is commonly outsourced and can include everything from general office work to human resources and finance. Data entry, payroll, relocation and workers’ compensation, recruiting, tax filing, and purchasing can all be done by outside contractors rather than in-house staff.
Featured images:
- License: Royalty Free or iStock source: shutterstock
I am working as a consultant for finance and business in one of the firms in Canada. I am largely dedicated in giving expert analysis and advisory in business, finance, bankruptcy and credits to individuals, entrepreneurs as well as firms and business organizations. I do more research on finance, business and outsourcing techniques so that I get in depth knowledge about latest trends in finance and business. Gordon Wolfe
