Commerce is changing in the world. Before the age of technology, business was conducted brick and mortar buildings locally. Then came mail order, telephone orders, and catalog orders. When technology caught up with business, e-commerce showed the world a new way to make purchases, ship products and grow business.
As business structures evolved more and more businesses fused their brick and mortar stores with online stores. Small business owners saw success like they had not experienced before. In order for the business owners to keep up, they needed the one thing they could not get. They needed more time.
Outsourcing was the solution to many small business owners. IT departments are very important to businesses of all sizes, but it is very costly to have an entire department of highly trained IT people. More than 53% of small businesses outsource their IT services. This saves them a lot of money and gives them cutting edge technology without the continual training and educational responsibilities.
Sixty percent of small businesses outsource accounting and finance. Of those who keep payroll in house, there are a significant number that use timesheets online to track time, to know where employees are, and to code and track jobs.
Two-thirds of small business owners use freelancers for expert services such as content writing, contracting and record keeping. This gives the business quality material, while keeping payroll, human resources, taxes, and benefit expenses at a minimum. It is estimated that quality freelance workers, save employers 30 to 50 percent over what it would cost to hire the same employees in a brick and mortar location. Virtual assistance positions are in high demand today not just for offices, but also for sales teams, engineers, and other key departments.
Marketing, Public Relations, Customer Service, Logistics, and Inventory control are just some of the types of employees that can be outsourced. This leaves critical employees available for strategically planning the growth of the company. While no company can outsource all of it’s major departments, by outsourcing the ones that are experiencing inflated expenses, business owners can focus on areas that need their leadership. This frees up precious hours so he can in fact, own a brick and mortar location and operate an online presence without working around the clock. If it takes a full week to keep up with today, where will he find time to work on the business of tomorrow?
By taking advantages of the tools that are available right now, many businesses have catapulted into the future and without additional employees, additional space, and significant financial impact.
If this is overwhelming, start slowly. Outsource departments that will reap immediate savings, like accounting and as time and money becomes available, continue to push in that direction. Seek the advice of companies who have already outsourced in major areas. Remember, you can make changes as you go. It is still your company and you are still in control.
Author Bio
Wendy Dessler
Title: Super-Connector at OutreachMama
Wendy is a super-connector with OutreachMama who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing and focuses her efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the industry and competition.
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Website URL: http://www.outreachmama.com/
