| Outsourcing Business Processes Can Be the Most | | | | some off shore functions, there now seems to |
| Immediate Way to Save Money for Your | | | | be a natural set of off shore outsourced functions |
| Company | | | | and on shore functions. |
| Business processes is code for a host of support | | | | Referring to the list above, it would seem that |
| functions that keep your business up and running. | | | | accounting and payroll, web design and, possibly, |
| They are distinguished from core functions such | | | | product distribution can all be comfortably |
| as sales and marketing, product development and | | | | outsourced offshore. Customer support and |
| strategic direction. The entrepreneur's time needs | | | | administrative functions are probably better |
| to be carefully managed to focus as much as | | | | outsourced on shore where cultural differences do |
| possible on core business functions and less so on | | | | not represent a hindrance. Off shore outsourcing |
| business processes. | | | | has the added benefit of work being accomplished |
| Business processes spans a number of activities | | | | while you are sleeping so little time is lost in |
| that include: | | | | productivity. |
| - Accounting and payroll | | | | Principal Business Owner's Important Role - When |
| - Customer Support | | | | considering outsourcing business processes, the |
| - Web design | | | | Principal business owner needs to evaluate his or |
| - Production Distribution | | | | her own ongoing commitment to the business |
| - Administrative Functions | | | | processes. For instance, outsourcing is not an |
| Increasingly, outsourcing business processes has | | | | automatic panacea that forever solves the |
| become the goal of small enterprises looking to | | | | problem of productive drag. The Principal needs to |
| sustain their growth. Off shore and on shore | | | | be constantly monitoring the progress of |
| outsourcing resources have matured to the point | | | | outsourced activities to make sure that quality is |
| where a business can obtain top quality assistance | | | | maintained. Poor performers in an outsourced |
| without the extra cost of maintaining staff | | | | environment can cause just as much trouble as |
| in-house. The principal business owner in essence | | | | poor performance in house. When poor |
| becomes adept at managing a disparate set of | | | | performance is presented the Principal needs to |
| outsourced functionality. This is a lot less stressful | | | | act decisively and replace the support personnel. |
| and time consuming than having to perform these | | | | Similarly, the Principal needs to properly evaluate |
| tasks in house. | | | | upfront whether a business process really is a |
| Off Shore versus On Shore Outsourcing - Over | | | | good candidate for outsourcing in the first place. |
| the last several years, the foreign outsourcing | | | | Mission critical functions or near mission critical, |
| market has grown to become a huge player in | | | | should not be outsourced. It is not practical to |
| the business process support industry. There was | | | | assume an outsourced person will be able to |
| an initial push a few years ago to move as much | | | | determine which new product your business |
| as possible off shore to take advantage of | | | | should be developing without close coordination by |
| incredibly low costs. However, with the recent | | | | you. It also is not fair to expect peak |
| ascent of virtual assistants in North America, | | | | performance on a web design with loose direction |
| coupled with push back by U.S. consumers of | | | | as to what you really want. |