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The 5 Signs That Tell You It’s Time to Start Outsourcing

Business TalkJanuary 2, 2020713 Comments03.3k

The fact is, there will come a point as your business grows, that you may well want to outsource part of your business’ work, even if you have good existing staff. And it’s never been easier to outsource because through wide array of services now available online, you can hire virtual assistants to help you with a whole range of tasks you perhaps don’t have time to do, you don’t like, you don’t want to do, or don’t do well.

Here are the five biggest signs that it’s time to start thinking about and planning outsourcing for your business:

You’re Burning Out

A sure sign that it’s time for you to seek help is when you’re feeling burnt out. As your business grows, your tasks and those of any of your staff, will grow too. With more to do, you may find yourself running around trying to do everything, which can lead to stress and burnout. Finding some outside help can relieve your stress and free you up to focus on other important activities which play to your strengths.

Things Aren’t Getting Done

In the rush of everything that has to be achieved in your business, you might discover that important tasks aren’t getting done. This just isn’t because staff aren’t pulling their weight but because new tasks that occur as your business grows may be out of their scope of skills or is a sign that you need more ‘hands-on deck’. Look at the tasks that aren’t getting done and see if they’re things you can outsource to someone outside your company. If they’re not, find some other simple tasks someone outside your business could do and outsource those and this will free you up to complete the tasks that weren’t getting done before.

No Time to Focus on Growth

Let’s get something straight on this point… your business needs your attention in order to grow successfully. Which means you need to stand back and reflect in order to look at it from a “big picture” overview. But here’s the thing …if you’re constantly bogged down with mundane detail and everyday tasks, the important strategic growth planning work just won’t happen. And when you notice that you’re finding yourself without the time and energy to focus on growing your business, then it’s time to outsource tasks that will free up your time to do this.

New People Skills Required

One of the ways many business owners discover they desperately need help is when they find themselves in over their heads in terms of the people skills to take responsibility for new tasks. As you grow, you’ll find that there will be many new skills your business urgently requires, and you can reach out to external service providers to get these specialised tasks done. The way to think about this is that outsourcing for just the tasks you currently need doing can save you from having to immediately hire additional employees.

Your Important Customer Service Is Struggling

When things get busy, customer service can often fall through the cracks. You’ll have more orders coming in as you grow, and with that, there will be many more customer issues in general. If you’re finding that you’re no longer able to give each precious customer the careful personal attention you gave them when your business was smaller, this means you need to outsource some tasks.

Where to Start?

Since outsourcing is an essential part of any business’s growth, it’s a good idea to get started with it early. There are many ways to find help such as:

Referrals from colleagues, business associates, or friends
Outsourcing service providers’ websites
Job sites where providers post jobs

Plan and decide exactly which tasks you now need to outsource and what skills or experience you require. Make a shortlist of outsourcing people and businesses and start contacting them by providing the right ‘Outsourcing Brief’ until you find the exact kind of people and help you need.

The bottom line is… Building a business and scaling up for growth may not be as hard to do if you approach it and the people you need help from in a planned, systematic and organised way.