As a business owner, running the show can be quite demanding. With so many aspects to oversee, sometimes you can get lost from the most important issue…giving the customer a good experience.

Delegating some work to people outside of your company can be a smart strategical move. This process is known as outsourcing.

Before moving ahead with this article, let me stress that I am not referring to the stereotypical idea of outsourcing, that is, shipping work over to a third world country such as India or Bangladesh. The outsourcing I’m talking about is to companies within Australia.

Most businesses do not want to outsource their work, for the following reasons:

  • they like to be in control – and feel the need to oversee every process
  • they don’t want to pay another company money to do the job, thus reducing expense
  • they are worried about the job not getting done properly
  • While those can be legitimate problems faced by companies who have chosen to outsource their work, effective outsourcing can actually prove very beneficial to your business.

Why is outsourcing a good move?

Finding companies who specialise in the type of work you’re needing performed will actually prove more efficient. Because it is their niche, they can usually do it faster and more effectively. So outsourcing to a suitable third party will actually end up saving your business both time and money. And the results will be positive.

Furthermore, delegating work to an external source will free up your time. This allows a business owner more time to focus on what they do best, providing high quality services.

So what aspects of your business can outsource?

There are many different areas which can be outsourced. Even if you are proficient in a particular area, if it is not your primary focus of expertise, you should consider getting someone else to look after it for you.

Payroll

Outsourcing your payroll can help improve operating efficiencies and make sure costly errors are avoided. Legislation is always changing so a specialist can ensure your services are compliant. It also allows you more time to focus on the core business.
Recommended payroll company: http://www.crawshay.com.au
Crawshay Consulants have over 30 years industry experience and clients including Gazman and Beyond Blue.

Web Design and Maintenance

While most people with some internet knowledge can setup a webpage with the tools available online, getting one effectively developed can be the difference between business success and failure. A self-made website can send a bad message, and using a professional company to showcase your brand is crucial in the competitive online world.
Recommended web design company: http://www.temeritydigital.com.au
Temerity puts customer satisfaction at the forefront of their business and their professional and affordable web solutions have attracted 100s of clients.

Marketing

Unless you have a marketing department, trying to do marketing in-house can be problematic. Specific ideas can be very subjective and may not appeal to a wider audience. A good marketing company will display media and discipline neutrality, and come up with a range of ideas that you may not have even considered.
Recommended marketing company: http://www.engagemarketing.com.au
Engage knows the small business market because they too are a small business. Affordable and effective.

Data Entry

Data entry is a mundane task that most people don’t want to undertake. To be a successful business, you don’t want to waste valuable time entering information. Unless you have a work experience student you can allocate the data entry to, outsourcing to an external company can save on costs, reduce errors and have a fast turnaround time.
Recommended data entry company: http://www.cruxdata.com.au
Crux provides a fast and efficient data entry service at a competitive price.

To be a successful business owner, you can’t try and do it all. If you don’t have specialised staff, you should definitely consider the benefits that outsourcing (within Australia) can bring.

What not to do?

You should never EVER outsource your customer service. If someone needs to contact you regarding problems or enquiries, they should be able to speak to someone within your company who lives and breaths the product or service. And they should be down to earth. And if I detect an accent…look out!