How to Outsource in 6 Easy Steps

Posted on August 2, 2013

Outsourcing is one of the most effective business strategies that companies today employ to stay competitive. Outsourcing not only helps to keep the cost down but also promises better efficiency, on-time deliveries, access to world-class technology, and a marked increase in revenue.

Does your company want to leverage the benefits of outsourcing, but you have no clue on how to outsource? Put a full stop to your dilemma, with our quick guide on how to outsource in six easy steps.

Step 1: Determine which tasks to outsource

Sit down with your team and analyze which tasks, if outsourced can save your company money. For example, you may find that outsourcing payroll services can significantly reduce your accounting expenses. Similarly, you can also outsource services like customer support which can help you address the concerns of your customers, without the burden of running a full-time support team in-house. Selecting which activities to outsource and evaluating the benefits that you can leverage, can help you find the right outsourcing partner.

Step 2: Decide on the qualifications of the outsourcing partner

Deciding on what type of service provider you want, can help you quickly choose the right partner. Select a partner who can efficiently perform your tasks in a way that will enhance your business and not curtail your company’s productivity. For example, if you outsource payroll, the outsourcing partner should be able to individually manage and deliver the payroll to your employees without any setbacks or delays. Or if you are outsourcing customer support, then the partner should be able to follow your guidelines while interacting with your consumers.

Step 3: Identify and select prospective outsourcing partners

Search the internet or gather the names of prospective partners from your connections or business associations. Go through the list of outsourcing partners and limit the list to those who seem to offer the benefits that you want. You must also do your homework by checking a partner’s reputation for offering high-quality services and round-the-clock support.

Step 4: Interview the selected outsourcing partners

Now that you have a list in hand, you can get ready to make the calls. Individually talk to the outsourcing partners on your list and discuss your requirements. Choose those prospects that respond to you, understand your needs, and exhibit the confidence that they can meet them. Eliminate prospects whose responses seem to be evasive or vague.

Step 5: Mail out an RFP (Request for Proposal) to the qualified prospects

Send a detailed RFP to all the outsourcing partners you have selected. By doing so, you can review the information about each partner side-by-side. This will help you narrow down your selection to one outsourcing service provider who is highly likely to address your requirements.

Step 6: Sign the contract and start outsourcing

After you review the terms of the outsourcing contract, you must ensure that the pricing and other such key components which are stated in the agreement are in sync with the information stated in the proposal. Once you are done with this, you can sign on the dotted line and start to leverage the advantages that come with outsourcing.

Is there any other step that you would like to add to the how-to outsource list? Do you have a different strategy when it comes to outsourcing? Let us know by leaving a comment in the box below. We, at Flatworld Solutions, love to hear from you!

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