6 Sure-fire Ways for Small Businesses to Make Outsourcing Work

[My Business Assistant]

1. Building Online Connections for Greater Reach

The idea of trusting people you have never met face-to-face is gaining acceptance. Use of Skype conversations and social networks like Facebook and Twitter are common examples of how people who have never met strike up relationships with each other. B2B networking sites like GoBigNetwork, Ryze, Konnects, LinkedIn and such, are all proving extremely beneficial for building profitable connections for small businesses. These media are increasingly becoming the means for small businesses to reach out and establish trust-based relationships with their outsourcing partners.

Ten years, ago you may never have thought of outsourcing to someone outsidef your locality or region. Now it is common to find vendors and independent contractors across the country or even across the world. All this is now made simpler and within reach through online connections.

2. Rightshoring – Selecting the Perfect Mix of Onshore and, Offshore Services

Small business owners are getting more educated about looking at a variety of factors before making the outsourcing decision. Tasks that require physical presence in the same time zone and a deep cultural awareness are being outsourced Onshore. Tasks that are not time sensitive or not heavily influenced by culture are being Offshored.

Knowing what is right, and what makes the most business-sense and financial-sense is the option you can discuss with your vendor who provides Rightshoring services.

3. Outsourcing Complex Business Processes

Many small businesses are opening up to outsourcing more involved processes, in addition to projects. Simpler tasks (or project) outsourcing is typically a one-time activity, while outsourcing larger scale business processes (like day-to-day administrative support) requires a relationship approach. Process outsourcing also places greater responsibility on the vendor to become closely familiar with the client’s business and the client’s customers.

Outsourcing complex but non-core business processes to a reliable partner is helping small businesses increase focus on their core business activities and spending more time IN their business.

4. Establishing Open and Consistent Communication Practices

Operational structures that clearly define responsibilities and establish ways of communicating play an important role in successful outsourcing. Small businesses are realizing the importance of such rigor in defining operational structures.

For instance, you might establish a regular review schedule to effectively manage a project and stay on top of the progress. This is preferred over putting a project out for hire and then going for weeks without any status update. Email, instant messaging, and collaboration technologies make it easier to conduct frequent reviews.

In outsourcing, the mantra is “Communication. Communication. Communication.” whereas in real estate the mantra is “Location. Location. Location."

5. Selecting an Outsourcing Partner that Offers Integrated Solutions

Both clients and service providers are building the skills needed to successfully complete projects around the globe. Small businesses are comfortably working with the most skilled professionals, no matter where they are located.

When a business has multiple core areas needing help (for instance: Administration, Accounting, Marketing, IT and HR), outsourcing them to multiple vendors can be detrimental. It is well known that these individual services interact with each other and should be integrated as if they are from ONE company. So vendors that can integrate different elements of a business’ needs, and provide a complete solution with all moving parts seamlessly working together is always a better choice for small businesses.

6. Utilizing Online Collaboration as the Key for Seamless Execution

Today, it is inexpensive to collaborate across continents with tools like Basecamp, Zoho and Google Docs. You no longer have to worry much about whether the client or the service provider have the same software applications installed, and in what form you are going to delegate and deliver work. Online applications that are universally available make exchanges of information, project updates and deliverables easy and seamless.

PayPal has changed the face of payment. PayPal is available in 190 markets and 24 currencies around the world. Small businesses are using PayPal to invoice, make, and receive payments.

Likewise, Skype, an Internet-based telecommunications and messaging system, has made telephone conversations and quick message exchanges easy and inexpensive too.

Outsourcing is Getting More Popular

According to statistics published by US Small Business Administration, 56% of US small businesses with 100 employees or less, have fewer than 5 employees. If your business is one with no employees or a very small number of employees, you may find yourself over-stretched for time, and in need of outsourcing for both your business and personal life. Driven by the economy and the need to watch expenses, more businesses will opt for contracting relationships and hold off hiring new employees as long as possible.

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MyBusinessAssistant.com is one of the fastest-growing outsourcing providers of virtual office assistant services for small businesses, and home to the Virtual Business Center (VBC).

The Virtual Business Center (VBC) is a more strategic and successful approach to virtual assistant outsourcing. It has become the secret weapon of online businesses and professional service companies who are dominating in their marketplace.

Because your business is an integrated system that requires all the essential support elements to work in sync, the Virtual Business Center (VBC) allows you to pick and choose your customized elements based on your budget and needs. The Virtual Business Center (VBC) supports the core functions of your business to seamlessly grow each necessary component with you, as your business grows.