Nacho De Marco June 19, 2020 No organization has been left unharmed by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. From finance to manufacturing to publishing to education, every field and company is scrambling to preserve their operations in the face of a worldwide crisis. No matter what your industry or position, the effects of the virus will inevitably be long-lasting.
However, despite the damage, there are some ways to mitigate disaster and minimize the long-term impact of the pandemic on your business and operations. Turning to outsourcing companies and providers is one way to keep your business going during and after the global pandemic. How can using these services support your organization? Here are 7 ways they can help you and your entire enterprise.
1. You’ll Save on Costs
COVID-19 has taken an enormous financial toll on many organizations to various degrees depending on the field, product, and services. Higher education can no longer provide in-person courses, for example, and the food and drink industry must rely entirely on takeout and delivery orders to keep them afloat. Retail has largely been forced to conduct business online, shuttering their storefront locations at least temporarily.
While saving money is always appealing, during the COVID-19 pandemic, for many, cutting costs will prove essential to surviving. One way to reduce spending is by outsourcing services.
Outsourcing work is far less expensive than hiring in-house employees, whom you’ll also have to pay benefits. In fact, many companies are replacing full-time employees with freelancers and outsourced services to carry them through the pandemic given the lower costs required to retain them. Even contracting providers in your country will save you money, and if you outsource the work to a region with a developing economy, such as Latin America, you’ll save even more.
2. You Can Complete Tasks Remotely
Much of the workforce around the world has been forced to stay inside given the dangers of exposure to the virus in an office or other workplace setting. However, not all jobs or individuals can adapt to working remotely. Many businesses and their employees have struggled to adapt to this new structure, with some having enormous difficulty keeping operations going.
Outsourcing providers, on the other hand, are accustomed to remote work, given that they often serve clients in different areas and even parts of the world. They know how to communicate and complete projects outside the office, which translates to efficiency and productivity. For example, a software development company is well-versed in creating technologies for businesses that aren’t physically proximate to them and has a honed system for collaboration and delivery.
3. You Can Focus on Core Business Functions
Businesses can’t halt in the face of the pandemic. You need to keep moving and pushing your organization forward. That usually means focusing on the most urgent and pressing tasks, even when encountering enormous pressure and obstacles. But other operations — including non-core functions — can’t be ignored.
Contract an outside provider to work on these non-central projects and take them off your plate, at least during this chaotic period. This will give you back time and energy to focus on your business’ strengths. For example, you might hire a customer service provider to field questions while you focus on honing your products. Or, you could outsource your social media to an outside service while you develop a new marketing strategy.
4. You’ll Be Able to Eliminate the Onboarding Process
It’s enormously difficult to onboard new employees during the pandemic without being able to conduct any of the hiring or training processes in person. Even the most minor of tasks, such as checking a new employee’s ID, is an obstacle since you’ll be unable to inspect it in person.
But if you outsource the work to an established provider, you’ll eliminate many of these tasks entirely. The company has already trained its employees, and you won’t need to conduct an involved interview process — which will also translate to less money spent, too.
Moreover, your partner will already have an infrastructure in place and won’t need to be guided through learning procedures and how to use the equipment. The provider’s employees will already have the knowledge and expertise to complete the job.
5. You’ll Leverage the Best Resources and Tools
In a similar vein, giving that your outsourcing provider is probably set up to work in a remote environment anyway, they’ll have the necessary tools to work virtually. This will give you access to cutting-edge technology, too, since they’ll be using their tools to create your projects. This will translate to a more polished and higher quality product.
This is especially true if you’re outsourcing technology services, like IT. A provider can help you get set up with the latest tools you need to do your job well.
6. You’ll Protect In-House Employees
Nonessential workers need to stay home to avoid the risk of spreading or contracting coronavirus right now. It’s extremely important that businesses protect their workers by enabling them to work from home to the best of their abilities. But it’s often extremely difficult for them to complete their projects remotely. When you hire outside providers, they can assist in a number of ways.
For instance, they can help with project completion by pooling their staff and resources with yours to work on it more efficiently. They can also make it easier for full-time employees to work virtually, such as in the above example of an IT provider helping employees set up their home office to perform their responsibilities remotely. They can also fill in any gaps that exist.
7. You Can Satisfy Customers
Many businesses have lost many customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some reasons are beyond their control — for instance, many customers have suffered financially and can’t afford to spend money on nonessential purchases right now, no matter how great the product is. But other causes are preventable. Maintaining your reputation as a deliverer of high-quality products and goods will help you keep as many customers as possible during a difficult period.
Using an outsourcing company is one way to maintain continuity and quality. When you find experts to help you complete projects — whether you don’t have the particular specialization or skills in-house or need to fill in gaps — you’ll be able to continue to complete and deliver great work.
Your customers will notice the businesses who work hard to serve them, going above and beyond to continue to produce consistent products and services, and those who flounder. Make sure you fall into the former category — your very survival as an organization depends on it.
There’s no doubt that the pandemic has been difficult and even disastrous for many organizations. You may have lost money, had to lay off employees, or even been forced to reduce the number of services or goods your produce.
But being proactive and developing strategies now, rather than later, will help you weather the storm. No matter what type of industry you’re in or what you do, outsourcing services of all types can work with you to find solutions that are right for your business and keep you afloat. They allow you to find solutions for saving money, leverage cutting-edge resources, protect full-time employees, and ultimately keep customers satisfied.
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