Last Updated on January 29, 2019 by New-Startups Team
Outsourcing work has earned an undeserved reputation of contracting out work to save money for low quality work. In certain cases this could be deemed true but technology has made outsourcing as well as communicating abroad as easy as ever. Finding the right freelancer or international company to serve the needs of the startup can be a bit complicated. Just as in any other aspect of life there are going to be proficient companies and those that do low quality work at the expense of the reputation of the company that is contracting that work to them. Specific departments can save a startup quite a bit of money monthly which can be used to help spur growth in other areas. The money saved can even help with current employee loyalty in the forms of bonuses or perks like free lunches.
Accounting
Startups can save thousands on outsourcing accounting instead of funding an accounting department in house. There are a myriad of services that specialize in businesses of certain sizes and revenue levels. The startup will still have to provide documentation of expenses, account payable, accounts receivable, and other pertinent information. After one tax season both the startup and accounting firm will understand one another’s processes making this seamless.
Shipping and Transport
Funding a shipping department is simply not possible for most startups and even some large corporations. When outsourcing this area of business it is important to remember that some companies charge an immense amount for international shipping or simply do not do it. This can hurt a business’ sales due to eliminating the international community from being customers directly. BluePostal, a shipping company in the Bahamas mentions “Consumers and business owners can benefit from establishing a U.S. address with BluePostal for package and mail forwarding services.” Specific countries might have different great shipping companies so make sure that the startup is getting the best deal in each and every country to maximize profitability.
Digital Marketing
The world of digital marketing is enormous and can change immensely depending on industry. Industries with more competitive landscapes tend to spend far more on digital marketing and at times have multiple digital marketing companies working with them. There are freelancers that can offer their services at a fraction of what a digital marketing agency would cost. This is due to the freelancer having little to no overhead while a digital marketing company has to achieve a certain margin to be profitable. For startups looking for industry recognition it is wise to work with a digital marketer or marketing company that has success in the startup niche. Relationships that are already established can help a startup kick start marketing campaigns and begin to rank for keyword phrases on search engines quickly. Beware of those marketers that call themselves gurus or wizards as they might not have the best interest of the company in mind. Too many professionals in marketing that are not proficient try to confuse clients and shroud poor results by using flowery or overly technical language.
Legal
The business world is full of companies as well as individuals that will break contracts and agreements of all kinds. Having legal representation on retainer is wise as this can help immensely in cases of broken contracts or other legal disputes. This legal representation can take care of things like writing up contracts in language that protects the company’s best interests. Being able to give the company lawyer a call when something is wrong can offer peace of mind to a startup founder.
Administration
The value of a great administrative assistant cannot be understated but hiring assistants for numerous managers can start to consume cash flow. Not everyone is looking for a part-time gig either so outsourcing this could be convenient as well as inexpensive. Plenty of executive assistants can be found in the freelance community with certain platforms allowing companies to see previous reviews of people the freelance had worked with. A founder of a startup should be concentrated on growth and processes rather than responding to every question they receive through the contact form on the website. Organization of emails can also be quite time consuming as well as booking travel arrangements. The administrators with technical skills can even help manage the website or answer emails. Being able to communicate clearly through email and phone is essential for the perfect administrator.
Outsourcing should not be considered a dirty word in business as it can help a startup take business to the next level. Take a look at different options as the startup might be funding a department that could cost much more than outsourced contractors. Do not for any reason sacrifice the quality of work delivered to clients as they will be able to tell nearly immediately. Take business to new heights by utilizing outsourcing effectively.