The mere thought of hiring people can cause business owners to sweat. It costs money, time, and businesses screw it up all the time; costing even more money. Why is this? Well, because hiring people is hard and we make mistakes in picking people. So, why not outsource instead of hiring bad employees?
Fear. Owners hate uncertainty, and we think outsourcing is full of it. We immediately think we can’t afford it. Or, that the person or company won’t be accountable. Or, we simply want an employee down the hallway to go talk to. But the truth is that most owners simply don’t know much about outsourcing. And because of the economy, it is more important than ever for owners to understand all their hiring options.
For example: On average, the cost of hiring, training, and employing people is 30% of their salary. At $50,000, this adds up to $15,000. So, your total employee cost is $65,000. Think about that the next time you think outsourcing is too costly. Chances are you will receive better service for about the same costs.
Here are some more potential benefits from outsourcing:
- Excellence:
Experience at an affordable price point means better work product in less time
- Reduced overhead:
Administrative expenses, payroll taxes, benefits, and other overhead
- Efficiency:
During busy times, act on new opportunities without overwhelming one employee
During slower times, control costs by reducing contract work
- Improved management :
Supervision of employees diverts management resources
Use the extra time to build your business
Outsourcing reduces your company’s carbon footprint because workers often have virtual offices
The point is that even if outsourcing is not ideal, you owe it to your business to at least look into it. Chances are you’ll be able to find some easy and cheap opportunities to reduce your costs while increasing your overall productivity. Keep in mind however, that you still need to be careful in outsourcing. You don’t want to outsource to someone that will harm your brand reputation, or not adhere to company values.
We work with many companies as their outsourced graphic designer, and have made the design/printing process more efficient. They have an experienced designer on call and know that all of their designs will be ready on time.