When starting a business, it’s crucial to identify essential in-house tasks and those that can be outsourced for increased productivity and focus on core competencies.
Below we talk about the top things to outsource when you’re first starting your business.
Let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways
- Outsourcing can optimise productivity and keep focus on core business aspects.
- Leveraging global expertise through outsourcing can enhance technological capabilities.
- Strategic outsourcing decisions can contribute to business growth and customer satisfaction.
1. Financial Management and Accounting
Managing your company’s finances is critical; however, it’s an area where outsourcing can add value.
By outsourcing financial management and accounting, you gain access to specialised skills in accounting, bookkeeping, tax preparation, and payroll services.
This helps ensure your accounts are managed effectively, invoices are processed correctly, and payroll is distributed on time.
This can be more cost-effective than managing in-house, especially if your transaction volume doesn’t necessitate a full-time staff.
- Outsource to: Reduce errors and save on costs for hiring specialised staff.
- Services include: Bookkeeping, tax preparation, payroll management, and budget forecasting.
- Benefits: Businesses can free up internal resources and mitigate risks associated with financial compliance and reporting.
2. Legal Services and Compliance
Outsourcing legal services is essential for navigating the complexities of legal compliance, insurance, contracts, and trademark issues.
External legal experts can conduct due diligence and ensure you’re covered on all legal fronts without the overhead of an in-house legal team.
- Outsource to: Achieve thorough and up-to-date legal compliance.
- Services include: Contract reviews, compliance audits, and intellectual property management.
- Benefits: Expert legal advice can protect your company from costly litigation and compliance mishaps.
3. Human Resources and Recruitment
As your business grows, so does the need to manage a larger workforce. Outsourcing human resources and recruitment can optimise hiring processes and handle tasks such as onboarding, training, and compensation management.
An external HR team can adapt quickly to varying demands for staff and streamline the recruitment process to find the best candidates for your company.
- Outsource to: Access specialised recruitment tools and networks, and receive support in managing human resources.
- Services include: Recruitment, employee onboarding, training, and benefits administration.
- Benefits: Outsourcing HR functions can lead to higher-quality hires and improved human resource management while allowing you to focus on core company tasks.
4. Marketing and Sales Operations
For marketing and sales operations, outsourcing can inject a level of expertise and creativity that might be difficult to cultivate in-house.
From social media management to content creation and public relations, external agencies can boost your media presence and ensure high-quality copywriting and graphic design. This is particularly valuable when you need flexible, scalable marketing solutions.
- Outsource to: Gain professional-quality marketing and sales initiatives.
- Services include: Social media campaigns, SEO, content creation, and market analysis.
- Benefits: Improve brand visibility, engage effectively with clients, and develop targeted sales strategies through expertly outsourced marketing and sales services.
5. IT and Technical Support Services
Investing in IT and technical support services is indispensable for maintaining and optimising your technology infrastructure. An outsourcing partner can offer specialised knowledge, ensuring your systems are robust and scalable. They handle:
- Routine maintenance: Keeps systems updated and functioning.
- Emergency support: Rapid response for IT crises.
- Cloud services management: Aligns your business with modern cloud technologies.
6. Web Design and Online Presence
A compelling web design and online presence are vital to business success. Outsource this to skilled professionals who can deliver a cutting-edge website and integrate social media management, optimising your visibility and engagement. They focus on:
- Web Development: Creating user-friendly, aesthetic websites that captivate visitors.
- SEO: Enhancing your site to rank higher on search engines.
- Social Media: Building and maintaining your brand presence across platforms.
7. Administrative and Remote Assistance
Effective administrative and remote assistance support is essential for managing daily operations without diverting your focus from core business activities. With the assistance of a virtual assistant, you can streamline:
- Administrative tasks: Scheduling, email management, and more.
- Data entry: Efficient input and management of data.
- Remote work coordination: Facilitating seamless communication and operations for your remote staff.
8. Customer Support and Services
Your customer support is the frontline of your business; hence, outsource customer service to ensure issues are resolved with speed and professionalism.
By delegating tasks such as handling business correspondence and managing travel arrangements, you not only meet but exceed client expectations.
Look into services that help set you up with a streamlined communication system, such as getting an inbound 1300 number from Telcoworks in Australia.
9. Shipping and Manufacturing Solutions
For a business owner, overseeing shipping and manufacturing can be taxing. Outsourcing these components offers flexibility and ensures that packaging and transportation meet the highest standards.
You maintain quality without hands-on involvement, giving you the freedom to focus on other business tasks.
10. Handling Business Correspondence
Effective communication with customers and clients is crucial for any business. By outsourcing your mailing and customer correspondence, you create room for excellence in other areas.
Efficient outsourcing partners manage your mailing lists and customer inquiries, ensuring that each customer feels valued and informed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Outsourcing is a strategic tool commonly used by startups to optimise resources and streamline operations. Here’s what you need to know.
What are the most common services outsourced by new businesses?
New businesses often outsource specialised tasks including accounting, IT services, customer support, and data entry. These services are essential but can be time-consuming and require specific expertise that may not exist in-house.
How can outsourcing benefit a startup during its initial phase?
Outsourcing enables startups to focus on their core competencies by delegating secondary tasks to external experts. It also helps in reducing initial costs related to staffing and infrastructure, while providing flexibility and scalability.
What should startups consider when choosing services to outsource?
Startups should consider the complexity of the task, the need for specialist knowledge, potential cost savings, and the impact on their operational efficiency. Evaluating prospective outsourcing providers is crucial to ensure quality service.
Which business functions are typically outsourced by small companies?
Small companies typically outsource functions such as human resources, marketing, and logistics. These areas require specific skills and resources that are more effective when managed by specialised external teams.
How does outsourcing support growth in new businesses?
Outsourcing supports growth in new businesses by allowing them to allocate more resources towards innovation and business development. By outsourcing non-core activities, startups can rapidly scale operations without the constraints of recruiting and training new employees.
What is the difference between outsourcing and offshoring for a new business?
Outsourcing involves contracting third-party vendors to perform various business-related tasks, whereas offshoring refers to relocating these tasks to a different country, typically to capitalise on lower labour costs and other economic advantages.
