We all know that small business owners have to do several tasks at one time. However, even though many of them get quite proficient in handling different tasks at a time, there comes a time when it is better to outsource some responsibilities to save time, energy, and money and focus on growing the business.
There are many tasks that business owners can outsource. So, it is important to start with the ones that take a lot of time to do, which are outside your skillset or require professional knowledge.
Here are some areas of your business that have tasks that you can outsource.
1. Human Resources/Payroll
Human resources have a bigger position in a small business, from hiring to managing the team. You may think you do not have enough employees that demand outsourcing HR, but since HR includes many job responsibilities, it is definitely worth it. Primary, consider the specific HR duties you need. These may include:
- Payroll processing
- Employee health insurance
- Managing employee benefits
- Hiring/recruiting
- Employee training
- Employment law compliance such as safety rules
Many small businesses begin with outsourcing payroll. As there are so many continuously changing rules and regulations, it becomes hard for an in-house person to keep on top of it.
2. Getting IT Help
Small businesses usually do not have enough money for an in-house IT employee, but they are so dependent on technology that they need help.
Similar to HR, IT covers a wide range of services, from web design and hosting to fixing hardware or struggling with cyber threats. These jobs require a lot of specific expertise; therefore, it is better to choose this as one of the tasks to outsource and start outsourcing IT responsibilities.
3. Search Engine Optimization
In today’s digitalized world, whether you are a B2B or a B2C company, customers determine you by looking on a search engine. Also, search engine optimization (SEO) is considered a marketing function, which requires a lot of industry knowledge.
Generally, search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing often change their algorithms. Therefore, it becomes very difficult for businesses to keep up, and it costs a lot of money to hire an employee who has the knowledge to do such type of job. Furthermore, search engine optimization requires social media knowledge, so the company or person you hire should have a solid foundation in social platforms as well. Therefore, it is not a task for a beginner, so make sure that you find someone with experience while outsourcing SEO.
4. Accounting
Accounting is known as one of the popular tasks to outsource, as it covers a lot of job responsibilities, which requires a degree of expertise. If you want to do your tax preparation, then you would require an expert tax accountant. Contingent on the type of business you own, you might also need a bookkeeper. Some of the overall accounting online solutions, such as QuickBooks, offer bookkeeping services as well. You can hire them for your accounting work.
5. Payment Processing
Another task to outsource is managing the account receivables and payables. There are several time-sensitive and labour-intensive tasks that require a company such as Bill.com, which automates all these processes. Outsourcing your receivables will help you in getting paid faster. Using such tools would help you in reducing human errors. It will keep your system secure and would help you in managing your cash flows.
6. Customer Service
Good customer support is the most important task for any company to stay in the market or closing its door permanently. Providing superior customer support, which is the main thing customer expect, is not only time-intensive but takes a lot of patience to deliver. It is evident that the more you grow, the greater demand for customer service will be. Therefore, it is important to outsource this.
7. Administrative Tasks
Many small and medium businesses are hiring virtual assistance for handling the administrative task. These can range from the work of admin to more sophisticated duties such as travel booking and social media posting.
Precisely, outsourcing gives you access to expertise, which would likely cost you a lot more, but will give you perfect work. Today, as many businesses are operating remotely, outsourcing is one of the best options and can be a business-saver.
Source: Small Biz Trends