Business First Family Business, Accounting, Finance, Investing, Marketing And Management
Are you a micromanager? You’re not alone. Many entrepreneurs, perhaps most, struggle to delegate effectively. Micromanagement has all sorts of unintended consequences, such as poor resource utilization. When you micromanage, you’re “constantly putting out fires, rather than focusing on the larger tasks that only you can perform,” says the Forbes Coaches Council.
Unlearning hands-on management habits is especially tough when the time comes to delegate to outside contractors and third-party service providers. How can you trust someone with whom you have no prior working relationship to perform up to your exacting standards?
That’s a question only you can answer. But even the most committed micromanagers understand that they can’t possibly exercise control over everything that needs to happen to reach their goals — and, in many cases, that they’re not even qualified to do so. These five business services likely fall into the latter category. All are surprisingly affordable with outsourcing companies — and may burnish your bottom line beyond all expectations.
Tax Preparation And Basic Accounting
Taxes are complicated, even for small, straightforward businesses. Don’t waste your time or your team’s (unless you have in-house accounting staff with time to spare) weeding through tax software reviews and enduring the self-prep marathon.
Instead, spring for an outside small-business tax specialist who can recite the entire universe of permissible deductions in her sleep. While you’re at it, task that outside accountant with keeping your books in order between tax days, too. The hours you recover will more than offset the out-of-pocket cost.
Scanning And Imaging
3D scanning technology has a wide range of applications, from reverse-engineering parts for scale modeling or gaining detailed information about the internal structures of naturally occurring objects. Absent a consistent need for on-demand 3D scanning capabilities, you’re better off outsourcing to a trusted, low-cost partner. If you’re not sure how to proceed, begin with a quick 3D scanner comparison.
Office Catering
No one’s telling you to ditch your warehouse club membership, but you must admit that you have better things to do with your time than navigate the Costco parking lot. Choose a third-party office catering firm that keeps your water, coffee, snacks, and paper goods topped up with minimal input on your end.
Web Design And Development
The world teems with capable web designers and developers chomping at the bit to drag your web online presence into the late 2010s. They’re all too happy to undercut one another in the process. In a truly global marketplace for dev talent, you’ll pay far less for top-shelf service than you imagine.
Human Resources And Payroll
Gone are the days of the overweening HR department. Today, most basic HR functions are partly or fully automated, and the more complex or hands-on tasks are safely outsourced to capable third-party partners. The top HR outsourcing providers are more than happy to accommodate special needs, like seasonal and youth labor, too.
Is Your Business Firing On All Cylinders?
No matter what your company does, it’s unlikely that these are the only five third-party services from which it stands to benefit. You know better than anyone what needs to happen for your business to fire on all cylinders. Now’s the time to put those long-deferred plans into action and help your team reach its true potential.
