Don’t Make These Mistakes In Outsourcing. Part 2 of 5

Outsourcing Mistake #3

Lack Of Processes To Capture Your Knowledge

 

When you have your own business, you have so many things to accomplish and creating ‘how to’ manuals for every task that you perform is just something that many entrepreneurs don’t take the time to create.

 

As soon as you begin to outsource, you should create project manuals as you go, or even better, have your team members create their own project manuals as they learn, which you can look at and refine as needed.

 

You can also consider creating some of the following as they apply to your business:

 

Overall Mission Statement

If you don’t already have one, make sure you document it and ensure that everyone understands your overall goals and purposes. When you want to have a system in place that automates your business it’s valuable to be sure everyone knows and is pointed in the same direction.

 

Glossary

Does your business have a unique language it uses? Document the terms you commonly use and educate your team so they know what you’re talking about and ensure everyone uses the same language when interacting with clients.

 

List of Websites And Login Details

Searching for lost access details and trying to remember which username and password you used where can be a major time waster. Also resist the urge to use the same username and password everywhere as it creates a security risk

 

Project Objectives

Support team members should have a firm understanding of the ‘whys’ and ‘where’s’ for particular projects. The clearly outlined objectives should help them to think critically and make better decisions without having to excessively consult with you.

 

Project Task List and Check Lists

What specific things need to be done and who is responsible for them? Create as many checklists as possible and instruct your team to create checklists as they go, especially when doing something new.

 

Step by Step Instructions

Every task can and should be broken down into a set of specific instructions.

 

When you only have one documented copy of something you’re at serious risk of loss. Ensure that project instructions and all other documentation are backed up.

 

Outsourcing Mistake #4

Too Quick To Hire

 

The best resource to use in your effort to locate high quality, reliable service providers is to ask your circle of colleagues and business associates for recommendations and advice; especially from those you know who are already successfully outsourcing.

 

Some suggested questions to ask would be:

 

l Have they worked with a service provider that they would work with again?l Did they encounter any negative experiences if any?

l Is there anything they learned about pricing that you should know about?

 

Using their recommendations you can explore your options. If this fails to generate possibilities that will work for you, your next step could be to visit freelancing or outsourcing websites.

 

There are a wide variety of outsourcing sites on the web where service providers monitor and bid on both short term and long term projects. Whether you’re acting on a personal recommendation or responding to offers through an outsourcing website, you never blindly accept the first bid or first outsourcing company you find. It always pays to take time to compare what different service providers have to offer.

 

You should always ask for additional client references and request that they describe the project that the provider completed for their pervious clients. A great reference means nothing unless they are commenting about work similar to what you need done.

 

Also check that the provider is comfortable to communicate in your preferred operating style, for example if you like to manage your projects by phone and the provider prefers to receive instructions via email you may get frustrated.

 

When working with someone for the first time, it is advisable not to sign long term contracts or make commitments past a single project. If your experience with an individual or outsourcing company leaves you feeling apprehensive about the future you can simply move on to try someone else without much hassle.

Don’t Make These Mistakes In Outsourcing. Part 1 of 5

Outsourcing Mistake #1

This Job Cannot Be Outsourced

 

So you’ve ventured out on your own and built your internet business from the ground up and every detail is currently stored inside your head. On any given day you deal with 100 different tasks and jobs, from responding to email, managing projects and making plans for future growth. Initially it can seem impossible or complicated to imagine taking all the information inside your head and communicating it to someone else.

 

Because of this, most entrepreneurs never move past just thinking about outsourcing. But the truth is, if you can outline the process and if similar skill sets exist in someone else, anything can be outsourced.  Therefore it’s important to identify the skills being employed for any project you want to delegate.

 

Sometimes what holds us back from passing on certain sets of tasks is that we enjoy doing the work. It will take some getting used to, but the sooner you can detach yourself from the day to day running of your business, the sooner you’ll enjoy the freedom to focus on what you enjoy most in business, pursue personal interests or spend more time with your family.

 

Outsourcing Mistake # 2

Relying On Availability of Knowledge

 

If you tie up all your knowledge in a person, or if you’re doing all the work yourself you won’t be able to have your freedom. Similarly if the work is being done by only one other person and they decide to quit, you can quickly end up back at square one.

 

Here is an example: Say you’re an internet marketer with a busy web based business and on top of the everyday tasks required to keep the business running smoothly there is a large amount of customer service involved.

 

As the business grows you realize you need additional help, you decide to employ a virtual assistant possessing the required skill sets, and spend the next month teaching them everything they need to know to take over customer service and manage some ongoing projects.

 

Everything is going great and you are able to turn your attention to the good ideas you are normally too busy to pursue. And so as your business grows your income grows with it.

 

Then one morning you receive an email from your virtual assistant giving two weeks notice, only half as long as it had taken you to train them and now that your business is much bigger you know you are in big trouble.

 

So this time you decide to break the work down into two different positions and train each assistant to be able to do the others work. By taking the time to cross-train your team, you ensure that no one area of your business is vulnerable to staff availability and will feel more secure about the future.

 

When expanding your business, decide how to break work down within your team, to build robustness into your system so that in the long run your business will be safer.

Outsourcing for Entrepreneurs

Outsourcing is a big deal in the global economy. Articles, books and blogs are written about it all the time, you can also attend countless seminars on the subject. In Google alone there are over 58 million links so there is no end to the amount of information and opinions on how to do it right or avoid making major blunders.

By far the most advocated approach is to focus on your company’s core competency and then outsource everything else. This approach is sensible in theory, and to a certain degree in practice, but like everything else you can blow it out of proportion and take it too far. The key here is to fully understand your business needs and its goals and then decide how you can integrate outsourcing to help you achieve them.

When deciding what to tasks and processes to outsource, there are some things like printing, legal services and health insurance that are rather obvious, and a good number of businesses outsource them. However; some functions are less obvious and are either outsourced or not depending on a person’s expertise. For example, if you have an accounting background, you would most likely maintain your own accounts and file your own taxes. There are also tasks that many people could do themselves but probably shouldn’t. For example, most people could create a basic Web page or company logo, but the end result would differ significantly between doing it yourself and hiring a professional. Then there are those vital business functions that need your close attention and should not be outsourced like cash flow management and in many cases customer interactions.

There is also the situation where it makes sense to initially outsource some tasks and then bring back in-house later. For example, if you aren’t experienced at hiring an administrative assistant, you can use a temp agency. Temp agencies charge a premium, but you get significant value for money, they will make sure they understand your requirements, advertise for people, sift through them and send the best candidate to you. If for whatever reason they don’t work out, you call the temp agency and tell them to send someone else. When you find the right person and decide you want and have the need to hire them long term, you can pay the temp agency a fee and employee them as part of your team.

One of the big advantages to outsourcing is flexibility and therefore does not have to be something you do until you have enough work for a full-time employee. You can reduce the hours of an outsourcing supplier but it is much harder to tell an employee that you have to reduce their hours. Another advantage is that it’s not necessary to become an expert in a particular area, the outsourcing supplier is your expertise partner and works with you to satisfy this gap just like designing a Web site or logo.

Of course the most positive benefit of outsourcing is the ability to save money. The amount will depend on the size of your company, the specific tasks you outsource and how long you outsource. For example, companies that outsource their IT services like the help desk, computer support and maintenance and pay significantly less compared to what you would pay for a full-time IT person to give the same level of support. Also outsourcing bookkeeping and office administration will attain similar savings. As any company continue to grow it will be necessary to re-evaluate these decisions and adapt to the changing business requirements.

A disadvantage to outsourcing is that you are placing a piece of your company in the control of another company. So it is necessary to build a trusting partnership and negotiate the particulars of your business relationship from the start. Also you will need to evaluate their ability to remain in business and if they will be able to adapt to your growing and changing needs.

The best policy is to plan carefully and think about each function and process within your business and decides which tasks make sense to outsource and then give it a go, starting with the smallest task first and then build upon each experience.

Top 8 Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Outsource

Many entrepreneurs start out in the business world to map out a plan and go for it. They have an intense enthusiasm for success and a longing to shape their own future with the freedom and creativity not available in the average 9-5 working world.

Yet the reality is that a little fewer than 60 percent of new businesses may not survive up to or more than four years and the entrepreneurs that do survive end up working 60+ hours and are unable to take much time off.

Successful entrepreneurs use outsourcing to grow their business and thrive. Here are 8 top reasons to outsource:

1. Perform ONLY those tasks you are experienced and proficient at and like doing.

2. Focus on making money. Don’t waste your valuable time and energy on tasks that you’d prefer not doing or that you’re not able to do. Instead employ the services of a virtual support team to give you the freedom to focus on income generating activities.

3. Save time and money. Instead of thinking of contractors as an expense, leverage them as a profit center. Firstly, you lose money when you do tasks you are inexperienced at, where as a skilled person will cost comparatively less. Secondly you gain back that time and can invest it in activities that bring in more income.

4. Reduce expenses and increase profits. Why tie up funds in payroll, benefits, recruiting and training costs, equipment and office space when you could be using that money to grow your business? Outsourced virtual professionals, work from their own home offices and charge you only for active productive time (i.e. Virtual Personal Assistants).

5. Freedom to generate and seek opportunities. When you are caught up in the particulars of running your business, your creativity gets suffocated and does not flow as easily. Outsourcing gives you the freedom and time to be innovative and work on growing your business.

6. Achieve a superior balance between work and personal life. With proper planning you will finally have the time to spend with your family or to pursue personal interests.

7. Access to new skills and trained professionals. A virtual support team will give you access to a wide variety of skills and many virtual professionals can also provide you with referrals to other service providers.

8. Peace of mind. With regular communication and feedback, you will gain priceless peace of mind knowing that the day-to-day details, customer and business lead follow-up, maintenance and marketing of your business are skillfully handled by your virtual support team.

Outsourcing will help remind you why you created your own business it in the first place. Your success and freedom as an entrepreneur may depend upon your ability to focus on what you love and do best and eliminate or outsource everything else.

Outsourcing Your Life to a Personal Assistant

Prompted by an article by A.J Jacobs called My Outsourced Life I had previously blogged about this very topic in May, but, Ok, so it’s still a strange concept to think about, but it’s actually happening more and more these days . I just found another wordpress blog that actually documents his experiences with outsourcing his life since August 2007.

MyOutsourcedLife is an easy to read an very relatable blog that will give you great ideas and help you with some of the concerns you may have. It will also answer some of the questions you yourself may have about outsourcing even some of the most ordinary of tasks. Take a read, it’s well worth it.

5 Simple Online Organization and Time Management Tools

Ok, so you have simple to-do lists right through to a huge outsourcing project and want to keep track of it all. In my search to find some great tools I discovered these 5 gems.

Backpack

Organize your business and share information with your team

Backpack is an information management and to-do list organizer.

 

Cell Tell

Send Voice Notes from any phone or Skype to your Backpack page

 

Ta Da Lists

It’s easy to-do!

Ta-Da list is the web’s simplest and fastest to-do list maker and is compatible with the iPhone.

Make lists for yourself or share them with others

 

Jott

Capture thoughts, create to-dos and set reminders with a simple phone call.

Compatible with twitter, Blogger and Google Calendar.

 

Campfire

It’s like instant messaging, but designed exclusively for groups and is great for remote teams.

 

Happy organizing!

 

 

 

 

10 Reasons not to Outsource

Jon Symons from Art of Money, Online Business Inside Out is a funny guy and in this flip side, tongue in cheek top 10 list of reasons why he would not outsource, he lets his inner 2 year old go, my favorite is #3 What if the Employee Drives Me Nuts Asking Questions? On a more serious note, there is a great follow up comment from Craig who has obviously discovered the merits of planning ahead and reaping the rewards of outsourcing well. Jon also blogs about other interesting outsourcing topics and all talks about the four hour work week. Oh wouldn’t that be great!

The New Dilbert Web 2.0???

The parody of reality through humor is often the best way to catch people’s attention and spotlight issues or dilemma’s that can, and actually do pop up, here’s a funny comic strip kind of like the original Dilbert, but with a new age Indian twist, follow Raj and his quest to become an outsourcing professional and get good advice too! Too funny…

Outsourcing Facts

No matter what way you look at it, outsourcing for some means taking jobs from one country and giveing them to another, you can see examples of this through the industrial ages and there are always two sides to the arguement. Some believe that outsoursing is terrible for the economy while others say that it has been exaggerated, you be the judge and read the article “Where Are The Facts About Outsourcing?? by Jonathan Hardcastle

100 Tasks You Can Outsource

Initially I thought that you could only outsource a handful of tasks and projects, turns out after a bit a brainstorming we came up with 100 great tasks but the list can be endless. Here we’ve focused on, Website Design & Programming, Software Programming, Sales & Marketing Design, Sales & Marketing, Sales & Advertising, Business & Financial Planning, Human Resources, Administrative Support, Legal, and Customer Interactions.

 

 Website Design & Programming

1. Website Design

2. Programming

3. E-commerce Website

4. Simple Website

5. HTML Emails

6. Search Engine Optimization & Search Engine Marketing

7. Blogs

8. Online Forms & Applications

9. Widgets

10. Usability Design

11. Flash

 

Software Programming

12. Social Networking Applications

13. Software Design

14. Enterprise Information Systems

15. Database Development

16. Technical Support

17. Auto Email Responders

18. Podcasts

19. Network Administration

20. Help Desk

21. Project Management

 

Sales & Marketing Design

22. 3D Graphics

23. Photography/Image Editing

24. Product Catalogs

25. Package Design

26. Document/Book Design

27. Product Design

28. Audio

29. Video

30. Cartoons/Illustrations

31. Animation

32. Engineering

33. Drafting/Drawings

34. Architecture

35. Lead Generation

 

Sales & Marketing

36. Email

37. Telemarketing

38. Ad Campaigns

39. Promotions

40. Signs, Displays & Marketing Media

41. Blogs

42. Web Content

43. Bulk Mailings

44. Sales Brochure Design

45. Corporate Identity, Logo

46. Web Banner Ads

47. Print Ads

48. Voice Talent

 

Sales & Advertising

49. Articles

50. Press Releases

51. Copywriting

52. Editing

53. Grant Writing

54. Newsletters

55. Sales Materials

56. Books & E-books

57. Resumes

58. Speeches

59. Translation

60. Manuals & Guides

61. Public Relations

 

Business & Financial Planning

62. Business Plans

63. Competitive Analysis

64. Market Research

65. Bookkeeping

66. Debt Collection

67. Financial Reporting

68. Tax Returns

69. Budgets & Forecasts

70. Financial Analysis

71. Tax Consulting

 

Human Resources

72. Human Resources

73. Recruiting

74. Benefits Administration

75. Reference & Background Checks 

 

Administrative Support

76. Research

77. Transcription

78. Office Management

79. Data Management

80. Virtual Assistant

81. Document Formatting

82. Data Entry

83. Word Processing

84. Surveys & Research

85. Reports & Presentations

86. Travel Planning

87. Event Planning

88. Appointment Scheduling

 

Legal

89. Copyrights & Trademarks

90. Contracts

91. Incorporation

92. Agreements

93. General Business Advice & Legal Guidance

94. Copyright Infringement

95. Wills, Trusts, Estates

96. Policies

97. Non-Disclosure Agreements 

 

Customer Interactions

98. Customer Responses

99. Call Center

100. Answering Service