Getting Started on the Right Foot – Outsourcing for Startup Companies

In today’s working world outsourcing has become a business practice in which a company hires another company or an individual to perform certain necessary tasks, handle operations or provide services.

And due to the increase in the outsourcing industry and the influx of available and experienced professionals, outsourcing has seen a major beneficial spike in use and success for both the outsourcing firm themselves and any clients they work with. On this basis, there is no better beneficial gain than for those in startup companies. We all like to hit the ground running, but in truth starting up a company can be a stressful and costly affair.

Because of this, It’s often said that more than half of new businesses fail during the first year. According to the Small Business Association (SBA), the main reasons for these failures can be brought down to lack of capital, lack of response and most importantly an overwhelming pressure in trying to handle all of the tasks involved and getting everything done on time.

Which Companies Would Benefit the Most from Outsourcing

Like all things in business, one cannot just leap into new ideas or directions when striving for success a business owner needs to make sure all things are done as and when they should be. In this regard, it is always vitally important for one to make sure you are actually a candidate for outsourcing in the first place.

• Will outsourcing improve performance?

This is first and foremost, and the most important question to ask yourself, you need to evaluate your company’s current performance rate, and if you find it lacking, outsourcing could very well be exactly what you need to get that boost.

• Does the outsourcing opportunity match with your business needs?

Not everyone is going in the same direction at the same time. Also, some might be more experienced in certain industries while not as much in others. It is important to make sure the outsourcing firm you turn to can meet you on your own terms and can effectively meet your needs.

• Do you have solid goals and business ideas?

If you find yourself dealing with a lack of firm business ideas, or unsure of where to take your startup business from here, outsourcing can be perfect for reaching out and dealing with experienced professionals that are fantastic at generating the creative steam needed moving forward.

• Do you have adequate protections and resources in place for if and when your business conditions change?

Change always brings a period of chaos, even when outsourcing. As a business owner, you need to evaluate your company’s current standing and determine if your team, profits, client base, and budget can handle a drastic change if it were to come to that. 

Organizations That Are Not Ready for Outsourcing 

Just like there are certain questions a business owner can ask themselves to determine how beneficial outsourcing could be, there are also certain business details that already can and do determine that a startup is not quite ready to look in this direction yet.

Some of these examples include:

• The risks of hiring low-qualified developers due to a budget that is too tight – and can negatively affect the quality of the company’s product or service.
• Lack of communication and understanding – due to different cultures, poor language knowledge and overall attitude to the job, this could end in harm instead of improvement.
• Lack of team chemistry between the in-house and outsourced team, it is impossible to get along with everyone you meet. Working with an outsourcing partner is no different. Sometimes it’s better to wait until you find the right outsourcing group to work with.
• Lack of control over remote employees that may work from another country and mostly from their homes, in many cases most startup companies struggle to get their remote access started up properly, and if this is the case, it’s better to first get your foundation right before looking outward.

Getting the Best Out of Outsourcing and Where to Start 

When it comes to outsourcing, the main question is, how prepared are you to manage your startup’s day-to-day operations while also trying to look forward to possible improvements and ventures.

To assist with this, there are certain things a company can look at outsourcing, including Marketing, Financial strategy and Human Resources.

Most outsourcing companies do come with varied expertise under their belts, and because of this are usually able to assist in many different ways. However, this being said there is a standing distinction between what new companies should keep internal and what they can outsource to their own benefit.

Some of these beneficial outsourcing points include:

Marketing

Making a statement is essential in gaining the kind of positive customer feedback a company needs to become a profitable business, when dealing with a startup it can be difficult to know when and how to approach a certain market or even which markets to concentrate on. By outsourcing these projects, you gain access to experienced professionals that know exactly how to best market a brand or product.

Human Resources Outsourcing

You might be a startup company at this stage, but if done correctly your company and number of employees will grow. Human resources can be a difficult industry to traverse and understand, mainly due to the enormous number of rules and regulations involved. In many cases, if a company does not handle this step correctly, they can see themselves shut down. Many outsourcing companies make a point of ensuring that their staff is regularly trained in matters like HR and have an up to day understanding.

Financial Strategy
As one usually has to spend money to make more, a company’s budget and financial strategy are usually the most fundamental in all business planning. If not done correctly you can see yourself facing a financial shortfall. If you were to outsource your financial strategies to the right professionals, they could not only help you keep track of your spending needs and patterns, better manage those spending needs but also create new and more efficient ways of handling your monies.

How to Find the Right Outsourcing Partner

To date, there are over 100 known outsourcing companies worldwide, and with so many choices it can become very difficult in knowing which one to choose or what to look out for. To assist with this conundrum; here are a few things to consider:

Identify your company’s needs and suitable matches

Once you have pinpointed which type of outsourcing needs your company has, it becomes easier to identify which type of outsourcer you need. Be it technical, administrative, legal and financial, etc. You can do this by:

• Conducting an in-depth search into different outsourcing companies, their founders, the social presence of the company, and the number of years they are in business.
• Check their diverse portfolio/tech stack capabilities and any feedback from their previous clients.
• Check a prospective outsourcing choice’s location and time differences. Also, make sure to check how flexible their team is to give you their availability during your office hours.
• Be sure to Interview a few of their team members from different tech stacks to better judge the level of experience of their teams.

Testing the waters

If you have found an outsourcing choice you think might be the right one, an additional step one can take is to request a prototype or service demonstration. This is a great way of seeing exactly what the potential quality of their outputs will be and will go a long way in helping you make an informed decision.

 Negotiation Strategies

An important thing to achieve is to ensure your outsourcing choice, and your company can actually meet on the same page, be it in costs, time or project requirements. The only way to possibly achieve this is by partaking in meetings and hashing things out. You need to make sure they are willing to negotiate and compromise if need be and vice versa.

Outsourcing Done Right

Outsourcing can be an incredibly beneficial aid, especially for startup companies. Their main aim is to cut costs and relieve unnecessary stress.

At Back Office Pro, this is something that we not only understand but deeply appreciate. Our services help businesses grow and move on to a bigger and better venture, and every detail is backed by years of experience and professional touch. We can manage non-essential parts of your business and help you focus on core functions and are adept at handling any outsourcing ideal for startups, including small business ideas and your best business ideas.

Moving forward, should you find yourself in need of outsourcing assistance and expertise do not hesitate to contact our team and let us show you how beneficial outsourcing can really be.

– BackOfficePro