subject: Preventing Outsourcing Disasters [print this page] Outsourcing is the new buzzword in the internet community. It is not a new concept but the Internet has given rise to a new dimension of this popular practice. A lot of internet marketers are running their business by themselves or with a limited pool of additional assistance and there are just too many work to complete alone. For some internet marketers, outsourcing for the first time may evoke feelings of doubt or they may feel hesitant or feel overwhelmed thinking that they are going to give a task or project to someone outside the company or even to someone from another part of the world. When you make your decision to start outsourcing some of your daily tasks, start with the highest priority on the list which you believe can be outsourced.
Today's outsourcing concept is based upon the same time honored principles used in business all through the ages and knowing this will completely boost your chances of success.
The first step in outsourcing is taking the screening process seriously and finding the most qualified candidate for the job that is outsourced. This will make the outsourcing effort more likely to be successful if the hired applicant is qualified to do the job.
To find the right person for the job, place advertisements outlining the project requirements and preferences and carefully review each application which is submitted. Right away disregard candidates who are not qualified for the position. After that, narrow the list of candidates to a few who are most qualified and interview these candidates further. After the interview, determine which of the applicants is most qualified and offer the opportunity to complete the project to this candidate. If none of the final candidates appear right for the job, you can continue looking by placing your job ads again.
As mentioned, it is important to clearly define the project requirements up front when outsourcing a project or tasks. Be definite about the deliverables you expect to be provided. For the contractor to fulfill all the requirements and complete the tasks well, it is vital that the contractor fully understands the tasks which are being outsourced.
Failure to set a definite project requirements and goals can lead to problems when outsourcing a task. The contractor may feel as though he has completed the project as it was outlined but the employer may disagree. When this happens there can be harmful delays until the issues can be resolved amicably.
Another crucial part of outsourcing is setting a deadline for the task. This is important to avoid confusion and to prevent late submissions of the tasks. Ideally the deadline should be established before choosing a candidate because this allows the employer to verify if the candidate is available for the duration of the project.
Another important item to do to make sure that work proceed as planned is to set milestones. This will give the employer the ability to evaluate the progress during the different stages of the project.
Outsourcing is the right alternative for you business if you are looking for ways to increase productivity and earn a nice profit.
