You can’t do it all alone. Your team can’t even do it all alone. As a startup, there’s something you need to understand right away. Sometimes, it’s a lot smarter to pay someone to do it. Outsourcing is a crucial part of running a business. Those who don’t do it risk either doing an amateur job or spending way too much hiring someone. So here’s when you should consider outsourcing as your solution.
When it makes things go more smoothly
Running a business can often be a far-from-smooth experience. This is especially true when your business is taking on something that it doesn’t normally go into. For example, consider hosting or even attending business events. You already have the content you’re delivering, travel and overseeing the office remotely to worry about. You might not want to worry about setting up your displays and your booth as soon as you touch down. Which is why many use turnkey services to have everything set up for them. It lets them worry about tasks only they can handle. There are lots of different areas in a business where that logic can be applied.
When the safety and the function of the business depend on it
The easiest examples to think of when it comes to services your business absolutely needs are electrical companies. An office needs HVAC, lighting, installation, and maintenance. Not to mention certification and compliance checks. Are you going to train someone to do all that yourself? Or is it much easier to just have a few experts in your contacts book? If your business needs it for legal, operational, or safety reasons, make sure you have an expert handling it.
When it’s something that needs to be done once in awhile
For this example, we’re going to look at when you should consider hiring an accountant. There are some businesses who hire an accountant directly onto their team to oversee their books. This is usually for the bigger operations. For a smaller one, your books might not be quite so complicated. It can be a great idea to have someone come in and tidy them all up and to give you a few pointers on how to improve your situation. But you don’t need to keep them around forever. The same can be said for a lot of your digital marketing efforts. There are few businesses who need to keep a team of web designers on full-time.
When it’s something your business doesn’t make money from
There are a lot of tasks behind the scenes that facilitate the smooth running of the business. One of the most crucial elements in managing these elements to stop them from impeding on the work that actually makes you money. Your company isn’t going to get any more money by having a smooth running IT system, for example. So outsource it and have your team use their experience in the ways that are relevant to getting you revenue.
If it can be done cheaper with outsourcing, do it. If it requires experienced hands you can trust to be qualified, pay for them. It if makes your life easier, it’s worth investing in. These are the key things to remember about outsourcing.
