What is outsourcing?
Outsourcing is the process of selecting a subcontractor to complete tasks on your behalf. This could include, manufacture of products, administrative tasks, logo creation, website design or bookkeeping.
Why outsource?
When starting a new business, many business owners tend to take on a variety of important and vital roles within the business to save time or money or both. Receptionist, Bookkeeper, Sales Manager, Product Demonstrator, Product Manufacturer, Customer Relations, Marketing Manager and Chief Financial Officer just to name a few. But a question any business owner needs to ask themselves is how much is my time worth? Do I have the necessary skills to perform these roles consistently and to the high level required of my business? What could and should I be doing instead of these tasks?Once you have sat down and calculated your true worth in potential sales or services rendered, you may be surprised to learn just how much it is. This is money going untapped and waiting for you to do something about it now!
This article was originally published in the Business Mum’s Network Magazine February 2007
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Kylie,
Outsourcing is a great topic for discussion. So many of us encourage our clients to do it, yet we are reluctant to do it ourselves. It’s important to develop strong relationships with other VAs who can compliment the services you offer – that way you’re building a competent team. Great post.
Laurie
Hi Kylie,
Outsourcing! What a concept! We all know that as a Virtual Assistant our business comes from clients that do just that-outsourcing!
As our business grows, we will find the need to outsource portions of our own business! How weird is that? But it is true.
As VAs we need bookkeeping handled, customer service issues, marketing and so on! What better than to outsource our own work to our colleagues!
For all new VAs, networking is important so that you develop relationships with other VAs. You never know when you might need their service!
Anita Bruton
Virtual Assistant
The term outsourcing is being used interchangably with virtual assistance and subcontracting. I think it’s important to recognise when we need help and to be prepared to ask for it when we do need it otherwise our business and our home lives will suffer.
Kylie