LD Staff Writer
After going through Part 1 of this “Beginner’s Guide to Outsourcing, you should have a value-driven, prioritized list of projects, tasks, and responsibilities ready to be outsourced.
Jump into outsourcing unprepared will leave you frustrated, and likely waste time and money.
But don’t start looking around for a provider just yet… To research and pick an outsourcing partner without carefully defining your needs is a fast track to frustration and disappointment, no matter how good the service is.
There are two important considerations at this point:
Documentation and training:
Our feelings on client generated documentation are mixed…
On one hand, documentation is only important to the extent that it will actually happen. Too many times, we speak with a new client who is excited to get started working with us – and the conversation ends with, “Alright, well let me work on my documentation and then I’ll get back in touch with you.”
…Two weeks later, someone reaches out to see what happened. They say that they are still working on their documentation and they’ll be ready soon. After that, we generally never hear from them again…
As with so many other things in life, getting something done is more important than doing it perfectly. In this case, it’s better to jump in with weak documentation – instead of never never jumping in because all the i’s and t’s aren’t dotted and crossed.
“Perfect is the enemy of good.” – Voltaire
On the other hand, thorough documentation is super helpful to our staff, and helps new projects go much more smoothly.
Taking both into account: create as much documentation as you can in one sitting, and consider that good enough. Then, knowing that everything might not be perfectly complete, be available early on to answer clarifying questions.
While video documentation is easy to make, it’s not great for the person responsible for the work. Written documentation is the way to go… It’s easier to refer back to, update/adjust as needed, and focuses on the key points of the task.
We often create, maintain, and update documentation on behalf of our clients, but starting with strong, written guidelines for a project helps our team hit the ground running. Even if it’s partial or imperfect, it gives us a baseline for expectations and a place to start for asking questions.
Pick the appropriate service provider:
Clearly, we’re in the business of outsourcing, virtual assistance, remote business services… Whatever you want to call it. Not every company in our industry offers the same types of services though, and we’d rather you find the best fit (and be happy with your choice long-term) than just sign up with us because you’re on our blog.
Referring back to your list…
Next to each task you are considering outsourcing, write down all necessary skills, resources, and training.
If you have a recurring task of posting your blog to social media, your qualifications may be:
- Ability to write well
- Knowledge of social media
- 4 hours of available time per week
For this task, you wouldn’t want to outsource to a non-English speaker, and you’ll need someone with a bit of tech-savvy. Another task could be creating banner ads of various sizes promoting your new book. Your qualifications for this task may be:
- Knowledge of graphic design tools
- An eye for design that mirrors your own
- A quick turnaround time
For this task, you may want to be wary of a busy freelancer because they may be bogged down with other projects.
Next, list requirements that are more general and not task specific, such as:
- Stability (will be in business next year)
- Availability (I can reach them when I need to)
- Dependable (don’t call out sick or “show up” late)
- Security (legal protection, bonded, security protocol)
- Budget criteria (how much do I have to spend on this project per month?)
Consider what type of outsourcing partner is most appropriate:
- Freelancers
- U.S. virtual assistants (work from home, alone)
- Virtual assistant service (work as a team, work at an office)
- Foreign virtual assistant company (work as a team, work at an office)
To summarize the pros and cons, foreign companies tend to be cheap but not well-suited for complex assignments. A U.S. virtual assistant may be most expensive. A U.S. virtual assistant service will have middle of the road pricing and offer a wide breadth of services. A freelancer will be very good at one thing, but might not be able to assist with anything else.
It’s critical to assess your needs before you start hunting for a service.
In Part 3, the rubber hits the road. We will discuss best practices for beginning the outsourcing process – and how to keep the relationship successful over the long-term.
Want to learn more?
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