Outsourcing services have become more popular as businesses have seen how effective they can be in achieving business goals. With a plethora of benefits that can really make internet marketers happy, it is also a very convenient process. Outsourcing a business process is now very straightforward since there are more companies offering services for online marketers.
What is business process outsourcing (BPO)?
Business process outsourcing (BPO) is a type of contracting out to a third-party service provider to perform one or more business processes in a company. The BPO is tasked to handle operations related to the business function. Some decades ago, subcontracting was mainly for manufacturing but nowadays it can be applied to other functions like accounting and web development.
Types of BPO
BPO companies may be categorized as:
- Onshore outsourcing: This is when the function/s is outsourced within the same country or location. It is also called domestic outsourcing.
- Nearshore outsourcing: When the service provider hired is in a neighboring country.
- Offshore outsourcing: When the business organization hires a service provider in a different country. It is also called offshoring.
Benefits of outsourcing a business process.
- Cost efficient.
Outsourcing can cut down costs in terms of salaries, employee benefits and office space. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has affected work practices, many businesses are now going online for the purpose of maintaining social distancing and for health considerations. Outsourcing addresses this.
Companies offering business process outsourcing normally is on a fixed monthly retainer fee or on hourly basis. There is no Social Security, insurance or medical benefits that needs to be paid. There is no need to rent an office, buy more computers and other fixed assets. Maintenance costs and power bills are also eliminated.
Many third-world countries have this industry. The Philippines and India have the most BPO companies. The disparity between the salary of the first-world employees and third-world workers is significant. Business owners would be able to save on costs.
- Continuity of workflow.
In an office-based environment, employee absences and resignations are not uncommon. With a BPO company, the business activity is continued regardless of the absence of people. The company is responsible for the smooth and continued flow of the work and process. The business owner need not worry of personnel matters.
- Effective delivery of results.
People who word for business process outsourcing are typically well-educated and professional. This would be beneficial to the business owner. This takes off the burden of training. BPO workers deliver results on time and effectively.
- Qualified workers.
BPO workers go through rigid recruitment process. The business owner can be assured that only the best and the most qualified are hired by BPO companies.
- Business expansion options.
When a business organization intends to go into an overseas market, there might be a need for local market knowledge, fluency of the language and expertise on local laws. All these can be assigned to the BPO which can be more efficient and faster.
Deciding on a BPO service
A change in company processes can impact business operations and employees. For businessmen planning to hire a BPO company, here is a guide on the flow of the decision-making process:
- Company management must decide on the business process to outsource. It can be the whole or part of the process.
- The management should weigh the pros and cons. The decision should be one that makes a strategic sense to the company.
- Research and identify for the best service provider and shift the process from in-house to the external provider.
A quality BPO partner will be able to provide at lower costs business processing services. This means that business owners can focus more on the core activities of the company like sales and marketing.
