OUTSOURCING: A MODERN BUSINESS STRATEGY

by ​Nile Dame Daño, Guest Contributor

It is no doubt that outsourcing has been a smart business strategy globally practiced regardless of how small or big the business is. It is a process wherein a company’s operation is being processed by an external service provider within its own country’s geographical location or overseas. The trend of outsourcing has been continuously attracting the western countries. Aside from their cost-effective gains in terms of cheaper labor rate and lesser expenses on office infrastructure, equipment, and rentals, it provides them an access to large pool of talents with a proven track record of consistently providing superior quality service.
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Use outsourcing in your business strategy!

LIST OF COMMON OUTSOURCED JOBS:

• WEB DEVELOPERS & GRAPHIC ARTISTS

Designing and developing a website is one of the most skilled outsourced services. Their scope of work covers lay-outing, functionality and designing websites based on clients’ preferred stipulations. With clients’ lack of technical skills, hiring web developers and graphic artists offshore is a prime choice. This is an effective tactic for output-based projects rather than establishing a whole art department which requires infrastructure, equipment, and maintenance facilities. This is also ideal for all business sizes especially for micro and small enterprises because it only needs a fast internet connectivity to run a good and functional business.

• CONTENT WRITERS

Writers are known as one of the most demanding outsourced jobs. With the growing number of publishing companies, there has been an increasing demand for writers in all types: expository, persuasive, descriptive and narrative.  Most outsourced writers are those who can do product reviews, content writing, copy editing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Their tasks involve topic conceptualization, production of original work-content, editing and proofreading texts, creating basic graphics for content-support, and creating meta-titles, descriptions, and sub-headings. Outsourced writers are either company employed or freelance. The latter continues to be a growing market for individuals who want to be engaged to one or more clients and enjoy fulfilling their assigned tasks anytime and anywhere they want.
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• CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES

The establishment of outsourcing companies has been a mounting business strategy known globally especially for western countries whether it’s offshore or onshore. A broad spectrum of customer service can be done through back office support and phone calls. The common roles include Customer Service Associates, Technical Support Representatives, Sales Associates and Market Researchers. Most of these roles cover variety of tasks which include answering phone calls to address clients’ issues and concerns, basic troubleshooting of clients’ products or services, selling of products and services based on clients’ needs, and conducting of interviews over the phone or through email to gather clients’ thoughts & opinions over products/services or diversified topics.
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• VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS

Administrative work has reached its progress in the emerging outsourcing market through hiring Virtual Assistants or known as “VAs”. VAs work remotely from their own location using online tools such as Google Suites, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and different email domains. Tasks of VAs cover variety of expertise such as: (a) Clerical and Administrative- email and calendar management, appointment and travel arrangements, and organizing and creating documents; (b) Market Support- creating materials for product promotion through social media marketing; (c) IT/Technical Support- maintains and monitors all website activities; and (d) Bookkeeping- keep in track daily inflow and outflow financial transactions.  A good internet connection and a constant communication line with the clients are the basic needs to perform the tasks of virtual assistants. In addition, clients can get VAs’ sample portfolios and conduct interviews with them before recruitment for assessment purposes to check if they qualify the skills set the clients are looking for before going on board.

Abovementioned jobs are just a few of the several jobs that can be outsourced from the variety of fields. Regardless of the business size, outsourcing can be made possible with the main target of increasing the investment returns by spending less on the expenses. However, it is also equally important to consider unlikeable turnovers such as loss of control of the business processes and lower target results that might put the company’s future at risk. That’s why it is vital to carefully assess who you are doing business with, whether it’s a company or an independent person, and investigate their Business Goals, Financial Stability, Legality, Record and Experience, and Competencies.
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About the Author
Nile Dame Daño has a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and is currently working as Content and Social Media Specialist and Remote Assistant of Blueprint Business Solutions, an innovative staffing solutions provider situated in the business district of Mactan Island, Philippines.
Company: Blueprint Business Solutions Corp