As a business owner, you want to be hands-on in its operations. However, managing a business involves a lot of functions that are better off handled by professionals. You cannot be a jack-of-all-trades or the whole business may suffer. This is where an outsourced third party comes in. They allow you to focus on what you are good at. Outsourcing lets you offload non-core functions without breaking the bank.
Many businesses have now recognized the benefits of outsourcing. According to a study by Clutch, 37% of businesses outsourced part of their business processes while 52% plan to do so in the near future. If you are considering outsourcing to an expert, here are 10 functions you can delegate.
10 Functions You Can Outsource To A Provider
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- Finance
- Social Media Marketing
- Data Entry
- Search Engine Optimization
- Customer Service
- Digital Marketing
- Web Design/Development
- Software Development
- IT/Technical Support
- Administration
10 Functions You Can Outsource To A Provider
Incorporating outsourcing into your business strategy allows you to focus on growing your business. Some tasks can be time-consuming and take you away from what you should be doing in the first place. By outsourcing these tasks, you can become more efficient in running your business. Here are 10 functions that you can delegate to an outsourcing company.
1. Finance
Number crunching is not always fun. The sad fact is that numbers are important for your business. They tell you whether your business is growing or it is time to fold up. However, this can prove a challenge for most business owners. By outsourcing finance functions like accounting, payroll, tax preparation, and others, you can keep tabs on your financial position and maintain compliance.
Finance tasks require specialized skills and experience. According to Capterra’s 2023 Accounting Shortage Survey, 71% of businesses outsource some degree of their accounting needs and 65% require third-party help for tax compliance and other complex tasks. Outsourced providers are experts in creating financial statements, trial balances, or preparing income statements. In addition, they are updated with compliance laws so you would not be violating any law.
Creating financial reports can be time-consuming and may lead to errors that could prove detrimental to your business. When you outsource finance functions, you get the help of experts who know their way around the finance industry. They are very familiar with compliance rules and regulations. This way, you will be sure you will not get into trouble with regulators.
2. Social Media Marketing
In this day and age, who isn’t on social media? For businesses, being on social media can help strengthen their online presence. According to Search Engine Journal, there are 4.8 million social media users worldwide, which comprise 59.9% of the world population and 92.7% of all internet users. In addition, there were 150 million new social media users between April 2022 and April 2023.
Social media marketing goes beyond posting on Facebook, Twitter, or other social media channels. You need to ensure that you are using the right keywords or linking to the right target. Through outsourcing, you get the services of knowledgeable individuals who can help take your social media marketing to the next level. They are knowledgeable of social media marketing best practices.
The outsourced social media marketer can help you choose the right channel to market your products based on your target market. With outsourcing, the expert can help refine your social media strategies so you can optimize content and boost engagement. Eventually, this could lead to increased brand awareness and enhanced online presence.
3. Data Entry
Entering and managing data can be a tedious task. Ensuring the accuracy of data is important in business operations. Statistics reveal that humans have an average error rate of 1% in data entry. This means that for 1000 orders, it is expected that 10 of them are incorrect. Errors and inefficiencies in data entry can result in delayed orders, slower payments, and smaller profit margins.
If your team is already loaded with tasks, it can be difficult to achieve efficiency in entering data. Whether it’s uploading data from a survey or to the customer database, it makes sense to outsource the task to a professional. They have the experience and the tools to help ensure the accuracy of the data entered. In addition, you can save the time of your team in sifting and entering tons of data.
Aside from the experience, the outsourced professional can help ensure that your internal database remains secure and intact. Outsourced data entry professionals have great attention to detail. They can also help improve the quality of your datasets. Furthermore, the data won’t just be accurate but will also be enriched with valuable insights. This can give your business the flexibility and precision to thrive in a data-driven environment.
4. Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization is vital in ensuring that your business achieves high rankings in search engines. Optimizing your website for search engines is a highly technical task that requires expertise and industry knowledge. It involves knowledge of keyword research and positioning, landing page optimization, and tracking performance metrics.
SEO functions are important to the success of your business. It helps keep you in touch with your customers and competition. Unfortunately, your team may not have the skillset to help your business break out from the noise. That is why it is better to outsource them than handle it yourself. These tasks involve more than just adding keywords to your content.
It is worth noting that 40-60 billion searches happen on Google in the US each month so your business must be located by users on search engines. The outsourced SEO professional can help improve your search engine ranking and attract potential customers.
5. Customer Service
Customers are the lifeblood of any organization. For this reason, it is important to always keep them happy. But sometimes delighting customers can become overwhelming. Having too much on their plate may lead to poor customer service. Outsourcing parts of customer service to a third party can help lighten the load off your customer service team.
A staggering 78% of customers disengage with a brand due to a negative experience. Outsourcing customer service can help ensure that you consistently delight customers. By outsourcing, you can provide 24/7 support for optimal results. You can rest assured that the quality of customer service will not diminish as a result of overwhelmed agents.
Another benefit of outsourcing customer service is that you get access to the latest tools and technology. In addition, you also get to work with professionals who are aware of customer service best practices and strategies to deliver the best service possible. Outsourced customer service can boost customer retention rates.
6. Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is another function that is better off outsourced than remaining in-house. It is a dynamic and constantly evolving sector so your in-house team may not be able to keep up with it. Meanwhile, an outsourced digital marketer keeps themselves updated with the latest trends and technologies in digital marketing. As of February 2023, about 34% of small businesses outsource their digital marketing functions, making it the second most outsourced task among small businesses.
Like search engine optimization, digital marketing is a highly technical function that is best left at the hands of experts. In today’s digital age, it is important to establish an online presence for customers to see your business. Digital marketing is not just about building a website, creating content, and putting a call to action. There are many other factors that need to be considered from the backend. This is where outsourcing digital marketing makes sense.
Digital marketing functions like search engine optimization, PPC, and analytics are functions that your employees may not be able to handle. Outsourced digital marketers can help you create a comprehensive digital strategy. They can ensure increased efficiency and improved returns from your digital marketing campaign.
7. Web Design/Development
Having a website can help bring your company out into the world. It helps you establish an online presence. In addition, it can help widen your reach at the same time and boost your company’s credibility. With the shift to online shopping, we cannot emphasize the importance of having a website. 28% of business is conducted online so if you do not have a website, you are likely losing business to your competitors.
Having a website is one thing but making it functional is another. Aside from functionality, there are other things to consider when creating a website. You also have to factor in website performance like loading speed and mobile-friendliness. Website design and development require time, something that your in-house team may not have the luxury of. This is where an outsourced web developer can help you out.
An outsourced web developer has the skill and experience to ensure that your website performs well. They can troubleshoot bugs that can slow down your website. Furthermore, they can make improvements to your website based on best practices using the latest technologies. They are well aware of Google algorithms and help ensure that your website complies with them.
8. Software Development
In today’s digital age of artificial intelligence, one still wonders if software development is still applicable. The truth of the matter is that it is. Many businesses still need custom software for streamlining software and facilitating offers to customers. Also, there are businesses that still cannot afford to invest in AI. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for software development is still growing. It is expected that employment of software developers will jump 22% from 2019 to 2029.
While AI can perform software development tasks, it will still require creativity and critical thinking from a human software developer. Chances are your in-house team may not have the coding and programming knowledge of a human. This is why you need to consider outsourcing software development. By doing so, you are leveraging the expertise of the outsourced developer. They have the skills needed to develop and finish your custom software.
Of course, it is still your option to have one of your team members undergo software development training. However, the development process may be slower and the quality may not be the same compared to outsourcing the job to an experienced developer. Thus, it would make sense to let a professional developer do the job for you.
9. IT/Technical Support
Computers and the internet are synonymous these days. As the reliance on technology continues to grow, the need for IT/technical support has never been more important now than before. Not all businesses have technically savvy employees. Even if they have an internal IT team, investing in new technologies can be expensive. Aside from that, 81% of small businesses are worried about IT issues concerning security and efficiency. You can free yourself from these worries by outsourcing IT/technical support.
IT support does not only mean being able to fix hardware or help customers on how to use software. It demands a certain degree of expertise. Your in-house IT support may not have the capability to properly fix the laptop or desktop or troubleshoot software. On the other hand, an outsourced IT support can do that. They can ensure no disruption in your business operations due to system downtime.
IT/Technical support can help lessen the risk of something going wrong in your system. The outsourced technician can assure security and regulation compliance without breaking the bank. They can help customers who may need help setting up their printer or with properly executing a command.
10. Administration
Administration is one of the most commonly outsourced tasks. They are time-consuming and can keep you from doing what needs to be done. Administrative tasks like answering calls, scheduling meetings, and filing documents are not crucial to business success and growth but are necessary. Outsourcing administrative functions can help you focus on core tasks that can impact your business.
From human resources, to receptionist work, and virtual assistance, outsourcing administrative functions can greatly help your business. 72% of small businesses feel overwhelmed with the number of tasks on their plate. By outsourcing, they can work with professionals who can help relieve some load off their shoulders. They can handle your administrative needs efficiently and effectively.
Outsourced third-party providers specialize in administrative support. They can provide your business with executive assistants, virtual assistants, and others depending on your business needs. They can enhance the productivity and efficiency of your team. They are armed with the knowledge of the latest tools and technologies. This could lead to lower turnaround times and faster project completion.
You do not need to carry the burden of running your business alone. When business operations become overwhelming, partnering with an outsourcing company is your best option. Your focus should be on being “on your business” instead of “in” it.
Outsource Your Business Needs with airisX
Outsourcing allows you, as a business, to focus on your main competencies and operations and forget the hassle of sharp learning curves when the task falls outside your company’s core area of business.
By outsourcing to a leader like airisX, you will be able to scale up quickly by getting the right resources, processes and technological infrastructure. No matter what your scaling requirements are, airisX will give you the best optimised solution and you will be able to focus on delighting your customers. Your back office operations will be simplified, giving your users a high-quality experience. For your outsourcing needs and requirements, get in touch with us at contact@airisx.com.