One of an entrepreneur’s greatest assets is a great outsourced team. This saves countless hours that you could use to build your business. Some never even try outsourcing because they are afraid of something going wrong. By avoiding these common outsourcing mistakes, you will have a much better experience and even get better results than ever before.
Common Outsourcing Mistakes
Cheaper Rates Are Best
Outsourcing does help you save money versus hiring a full-time employee. This doesn’t mean you should go for the lowest rates. The old saying you get what you pay for is often true. Set a realistic budget for you outsourcing needs. You can find talented, reliable people at a rate that works for you and avoid this outsourcing mistake.
You Don’t Have To Manage Anyone
Would you leave a room full of five-year-olds alone to their own devices? No. The same is true with outsourcing. The people you hire need guidance. You still need to check in to see how projects are progressing, provide feedback, discuss how you want things done and ensure tasks are completed successfully.
Location Doesn’t Matter
It may be cheaper to hire someone in a different country, but is it right for your business? I recently switched vendors because they were five hours ahead of me. It seemed like when I had a problem, they were closed and I had to wait until the next day for a response. F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-N-G to say the least.
You have to consider time and culture differences before outsourcing projects. For instance, what if you need to Skype with your outsourced team? It’s not convenient for either party to be up at 3 a.m. because of time differences. The location may not matter for all entrepreneurs, but it does for some.
Outsourcing Everything Is More Cost Effective
This is one of the most common outsourcing mistakes entrepreneurs make when they first start reaping the benefits. Some tasks are best left to you and in-house employees. For instance, customer service, client meetings or tasks you excel at shouldn’t be outsourced. Small or regular tasks are best for outsourcing.
No Training Is Necessary
Many entrepreneurs expect outsourced staff to instantly know what to do and how to do it. Every business is different. Someone may have experience with data entry, but they still need to know how you like it done. No matter who you work with, some training is necessary. It can be a one-page guide on how to enter data in your system. It doesn’t have to be complex, but early training leads to fewer mistakes and more cost effective results.
You Don’t Need To Understand What You Outsource
It’s a common practice to outsource what you don’t understand or aren’t good at. You still need to understand it enough to know whether someone is skilled or not. Always research any tasks you are not comfortable with such as web design before outsourcing. This prevents many of the horror stories of hiring someone who doesn’t have a clue what they’re doing.
Outsourcing is beneficial. Just do your research and don’t expect to outsource everything. When done right, outsourcing mistakes can be avoided and your business will grow and thrive.