Improve Outsourcing Services With A Simple Strategic Plan

 

Simple Strategic Plan

 

Using outsourcing partners has become an integral part of the overall business strategy of many companies. However, success is not guaranteed and many small businesses shy away due to a lack of experience.

Outsourcing can be hugely successful, but even a strong outsourcing relationship can fail. Therefore, you need to implement a strong outsourcing strategy and partner with the right service provider.

Let’s look at seven pointers that can help your business process outsourcing efforts improve.

A Straightforward Approach To Improving Your Outsourcing Relationships

1. Partner With The Right Service Provider

Working with the right service provider is vital to any long-term success.

Business processes only truly work when your company works with the right people. There is little to be gained from focusing solely on technical benefits if the people you hire are not the right fit for your business.

If a person displays drive and ambition, they can be trained to your standards, regardless of their current experience level.

A person can have all the experience needed but have the wrong work ethic and general attitude. A bad attitude will be of no benefit and prove harmful to your business operations.

A BPO service provider should match you with the right person, and they must align with the values your company and clients uphold.

To determine if a person is a right fit for your company, it is vital to conduct the proper tests during the interview process. However, you can only honestly know a person’s suitability by them doing the job.

As this is your own company, you should conduct monthly job evaluation assessments.

2. Have Achievable Goals From The Start

Every business sets goals and targets for its employees to meet. The important part is to set achievable goals, and remember that each worker will progress at their own pace.

Setting goals for your workers in good business practice helps them remain focused. However, setting unrealistic targets will prove detrimental to your business processes.

Don’t expect your in-house team or your outsource workers to carry out complex tasks in the same timescale that they do lesser tasks. If, for example, your average sales are 400 per month, do not expect your workers to achieve this level in their first month.

Set them a lower realistic target in the first month to help build confidence. Increase the target each month until they comfortably hit the mark you require.

Targets are there to be hit. If employees can see a target as insight, their effort will increase. In addition, hitting targets boosts the morale of the team and the profitability of your company.

3. Actively Engage With Your BPO Provider

Using an external company for your business outsourcing does not mean you can’t be involved in the process.

An external contractor will help you save costs, however, it is your company, and you should always engage with your BPO provider.

Being involved doesn’t show a level of mistrust in your outsourcing partner; it shows that you are keeping up to date on all developments.

As part of an outsourcing contract, you must be sent regular development reports as part of your business processes.

Engaging with your provider should be seen as a must; as the company owner, you should be present at job evaluation meetings and business reviews.

It is your company, so it is up to you to conduct random checks to see if your service provider performs specific tasks efficiently.

Small businesses that hire service providers should meet with them at least quarterly to evaluate performance. It will help ensure the service provided is up to scratch.

4. Take Advantage Of Technology

External companies must use the right technologies suited to your business. In addition, their technical capabilities must match that of your internal resources.

Ensure you don’t just focus on cost reduction and labor costs when hiring.

For example, if you are outsourcing marketing to your service provider, you will need to ensure they have the right tools to do the job.

Make sure that you set the right expectations about the IT systems and tools that you use and what you need your VA and outsourced service provider to link into. You want to avoid having to adjust your business systems to match an outsourced company.

The more seamless you can integrate your business with the outsourcing provider and VA, the more successful the transition will be. That means laying out exactly what systems you use as a requirement for your new VAs.

5. Plan Out An Outsourcing Strategy

Knowledge process outsourcing needs a development strategy plan to be successful.

With any business process, companies need to be able to evaluate progress to reach the long-term goal of gaining a competitive advantage.

It also allows you to monitor the performance of your outsourcing partner, so that you can assess their weaknesses and strengths.

A development plan should look something like this:

  • Quarter One – Assess all the Operational Systems.
  • Quarter Two – Make the improvements you identified in Quarter One.
  • Quarter Three – Make sure the improvements to the system are doing the job functions
  • Quarter Four –  Assess to see if you can expand operations in Year Two.

Your development plan will show you how much budget you must spend on training and other company management practices.

Benefits Of Hiring A Virtual Assistant

 

6. Budget For Plenty Of Training

An essential factor to consider when you outsource services is the costs involved. Using a service provider must be cost-effective and leave you money for training.

Companies must look at a strategy that will continue to improve performance in both technology and staff members.

Many companies neglect to cover the costs of training. Not providing the training resources your staff need will lead to them not being fully skilled in all areas.

Providing quality training programmes will help your in-house and outsourced staff keep up with the skill levels required in your industry and remain competitive.

And with the proper development training in leadership skills, they may become skilled for management roles.

Developing leadership skills benefits the individual and the overall culture of your company.

7. Build Closer Relationships With Your VAs

Companies often mistakenly plan to be hands-off when they hire an outsourcing partner. But unfortunately, when they take this approach, it inevitably leads to problems.

If a business builds a strong relationship with their VA partners, they will get to know them as individuals and be able to judge their strengths and weaknesses more fairly.

Remaining distant only leads to mistrust on both sides.

When both parties communicate openly and honestly, it helps build trust and better understand your company’s main objectives.

Staying motivated is vital in all businesses. Your service provider will endeavour to provide a quality service if they are motivated by feeling part of the team.

Like with all relationships, it takes effort and trust on both sides.

Remember, a contract outsourcing arrangement is between two parties; the benefits will help your business thrive if both work well together.

Let Us Take Care Of Your Outsourcing Needs

Business industry experts are seeing that the benefits of signing a contract with an outsourced service provider far outweigh any risks involved.

Hiring a VA to carry out certain functions and tasks will help your company’s overall efficiency in the long term.

Many processes need to be thought about when hiring an outsource worker. This can take time and effort; that effort can be used in other areas of your business.

That’s why you should consider letting us take care of the hiring, training, and management of your outsourced VAs. We have a talented pool of workers to choose from to ensure you hire the right person for your company.

Outsourcing those time-intense tasks is the way forward, so give us a call today and let us look after all your outsourcing needs.

Take your business to the next level today! ENQUIRE NOW

Click to access the login or register cheese