"Strictly
for Business Owners"
In the gift industry no one can outsource their business entirely, but it is possible for you to get very close to this goal.
Excuses and Objections
Many people say to me: "Mark - you don't understand, our business is very complicated"
Yea right...... Now show me a business that isn't complicated!
Every business owner thinks that their business is unique and very complicated, we all do.
The first thing to do is "get over yourself" and get rid of the excuses first........
Clear your mind and sit down to analyse your business in great detail.
Processes
If you understand the processes of every area of your business and how all of your systems work then fine - analyse and Process Map them in great detail:-
If you understand the processes of every area of your business and how all of your systems work then fine - analyse and Process Map them in great detail:-
- Sales
- E-mail Traffic and Replies
- Communication Tools
- Artwork
- Purchase Orders
- Sales Orders
- Accounting
- IT
- Websites
If you don't understand a certain area of your business then you cannot outsource that area - simple!
An example conversation with an industry gift company director:
An example conversation with an industry gift company director:
"Mark - we are keen to outsource our pdf
proofs, I don't understand artwork at all so I will put you in touch with my art room
manager!"
Now I wonder if the artroom manager will see the cost savings as an advantage
or would he be more concerned about his own job security? Hhmmm.........
Keep In House
You may want to keep all of your financial transactions within your immediate physical control : invoicing and paying suppliers for example - no issues there.
Phone calls is another area that is viewed by many as a core task that they like to retain "in house". Understandable and certainly at Tomlinson Golf this too is retained within the UK.
Repetitive Tasks Example
But there are many other repetitive tasks that can be easily outsourced so long as you have the correct systems in place.
Keep In House
You may want to keep all of your financial transactions within your immediate physical control : invoicing and paying suppliers for example - no issues there.
Phone calls is another area that is viewed by many as a core task that they like to retain "in house". Understandable and certainly at Tomlinson Golf this too is retained within the UK.
Repetitive Tasks Example
But there are many other repetitive tasks that can be easily outsourced so long as you have the correct systems in place.
These such tasks are listed above and they are usually termed as "none-core" and "repetitive tasks" as opposed to speaking to a large customer on the telephone for example, this would be a key task.
Have you ever listened to your sales admin people answering the same questions time and time again to customers, or e-mailing customers with the same answers to the same questions every day? I am sure that you have.
Have you ever listened to your sales admin people answering the same questions time and time again to customers, or e-mailing customers with the same answers to the same questions every day? I am sure that you have.
Well now is the time to do something about it and free up your UK "customer facing" staff to be more accountable for driving their sales figures, free them up from the time consuming repetitive tasks that get in the way of sales.
To do this, firstly you must know what questions are being asked and also the answers... You must first understand what takes the time and then solve it.
Whilst in work and performing any tasks I have two questions that ask myself on a daily basis:
(1) "Is the question that I am replying to likely to be asked again?"
To do this, firstly you must know what questions are being asked and also the answers... You must first understand what takes the time and then solve it.
Whilst in work and performing any tasks I have two questions that ask myself on a daily basis:
(1) "Is the question that I am replying to likely to be asked again?"
(2) "If the task that I am presently doing is on a PC, could it be outsourced?"
Answers:
(1) Then make notes and process map the Q&A's and train someone else to answer the question.
(2) 99% of the time is a task is done on a PC then it can be outsourced offshore.
"If the task is a "one-off" then it would not be worth outsourcing, but if I will repeat the task time and again, then yes for sure it should be outsourced"
How do I start to outsource a Task?
Before you can think of outsourcing any part of a business you must first completely and unequivocally, 100% understand all parts of the process that go to complete the task.
The processes should then be mapped and documented in detail, giving and illustrating instructions, screen shots and explanations of every step in the process.
When completed the Process Mapping should then be tested on a UK "newbie" who has no prior experience of your particular business. This should establish as to whether your mapping of the process is good enough to consider outsourcing the task.
"If the task is a "one-off" then it would not be worth outsourcing, but if I will repeat the task time and again, then yes for sure it should be outsourced"
How do I start to outsource a Task?
Before you can think of outsourcing any part of a business you must first completely and unequivocally, 100% understand all parts of the process that go to complete the task.
The processes should then be mapped and documented in detail, giving and illustrating instructions, screen shots and explanations of every step in the process.
When completed the Process Mapping should then be tested on a UK "newbie" who has no prior experience of your particular business. This should establish as to whether your mapping of the process is good enough to consider outsourcing the task.
With around 50% cost savings it is worth the pain of completely process mapping your business to see the benefits in the future.
Testimony
As testimony to the service that we are providing, our exclusive partner, Powerweave of Mumbai, India presently supplies 350 workers who work in the USA Gift Industry but are seated in Mumbai.
Usually in the UK we follow the USA trends around 2-3 years after they implement things, so get ahead of the game and contact us to see how we can help, without obligation at:
Thanks
Mark Tomlinson
Allveron Services
