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Do you agree that running a startup means endless tasks with the lack of time and resources?
CEOs and CTOs are often stuck with daily operations and strategic outcomes. Having a small team, it can be tough for you to manage everything. Because the routine tasks take away valuable time that you can spend on driving innovation and business growth.
This is where outsourcing freelance work can be a big help!
Knowing how to delegate tasks effectively to external providers, your startup frees up internal resources, focuses on what really matters, and scales faster.
Outsourcing with the right partner will help you streamline operations, reduce costs, and give your team the opportunity to focus on their core strengths. For many startups, knowing when and how to outsource routine tasks can be the key to staying competitive.
Why startups should outsource routine tasks
Startups often have small teams doing a lot of work. This can make it hard to manage everything. Some tasks, like paperwork and IT support, are important but don't directly contribute to the company's growth.
Outsourcing these routine tasks can help your team focus on more core activities that drive growth. For example, instead of managing IT infrastructure, your team can work on developing new products or improving customer service.
Hiring an outsourcing partner can also save you time and money. For example, outsourcing customer support can free up your team to focus on developing innovative software solutions.
In short, outsourcing can help your startup grow faster and succeed. By focusing on your core competencies and letting others handle the routine tasks, you can achieve your long-term goals.
Types of routine work suitable for outsourcing
Outsourcing can be a strategic move for startups, freeing up valuable time and resources for more critical activities. By delegating routine tasks to a trusted partner, you can focus on core competencies and accelerate growth.
Here are some common types of routine work suitable for outsourcing:
1. Custom feature development
When clients request specific features tailored to their needs, outsourcing can be a cost-effective and efficient solution. By creating a Request for Proposal (RFP), you can solicit bids from various vendors and select the best fit for your project.
2. Product integrations
Integrating your product with other systems or platforms can be complex and time-consuming. Outsourcing this task to a specialised team can ensure seamless integration and enhance the overall user experience.
For example: Linnworks, a client of Patternica, required extensive integrations with various order management systems and shipping solutions. By building a dedicated outsourced team, Patternica successfully delivered over 150 script automation solutions and 50+ custom integrations.
3. Team scaling
As your startup grows and workload increases, you may find it challenging to keep up with demand. Outsourcing can provide a flexible solution to scale your team without incurring significant overhead costs.
As a perfect example Patternica has helped numerous fintech startups scale their teams by hiring part-time employees to handle specific tasks. This approach allows startups to maintain control over their projects while accessing additional expertise as needed.
4. Routine tasks
In addition to the examples above, many other routine tasks can be outsourced to streamline operations and improve efficiency. These may include:
Data entry
Customer support
Accounting
Configuration and setup
Customization
By strategically outsourcing these tasks, startups can focus on core competencies, accelerate growth, and achieve long-term success.
When is it high time to consider outsourcing?
Outsourcing isn't always the first thing on a startup's mind. But as your company grows, there are times when delegate tasks are a really good idea. Knowing when to outsource can help you keep things running smoothly and prevent you & your team from getting burned out.
One common reason to outsource is when a company is growing very fast. The team might get too busy to handle everything. Tasks like IT support, customer service, or data management can slow down the company if they're not done well. Outsourcing these tasks can help the company keep moving forward without overloading the main team.
Another reason is when a company doesn't have enough people. Hiring new team members can cost you time and money. Outsourcing can help fill in the gaps and let the main team focus on the most important things.
When a company has a lot more customers, it's another sign to consider outsourcing. More customers means more work, like supporting them, fixing problems, and doing paperwork. Outsourcing customer service can help make sure customers are happy without taking away from the main team's work.
There are also clear signs that it's high time to give some work to someone else. If there are problems with how things are done, if the team is working too hard, or if the team doesn't have the right skills, these are all red flags. If routine tasks are piling up and slowing down important projects, it's a good time to think about outsourcing. This can help the team focus on new ideas, solving problems, and growing the company.
How to find an outsourcing partner
We already have a detailed guide on how to choose the right outsourcing partner for outsourcing, but let’s briefly check out the most important points.
Choosing the right outsourcing partner can make or break the success of your efforts to delegation of tasks. It’s not just about finding someone to take over tasks — it’s about finding a partner who understands your business, works efficiently, and communicates well. But what is an outsourcing partner?
Here are two key factors, from our point of view, to consider when making that decision:
👉 Evaluate the potential partner’s expertise & experience
It’s essential that the partner has relevant industry knowledge and experience in handling the specific tasks you want to outsource. Don’t be shy to submit a request to receive case studies or references.
❗For example, if you’re outsourcing IT support, look for a partner who has proven experience in setting up and maintaining systems similar to yours.
👉 Check out the potential partner’s communication & collaboration skills
You need to make sure there will be clear, consistent communication between your team and the outsourcing partner to avoid misunderstandings and delays.
Are they responsive and easy to understand? Do they use the same communication tools as your team, like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom?
Collaboration skills are also important. A good outsourcing partner should be proactive, offering suggestions for improvement and making the collaboration as smooth as possible.
Challenges and risks of outsourcing routine work
Outsourcing can be a great way to save money and free up time for your team. But it's not all sunshine and rainbows. There are some benefits and risks of outsourcing you need to keep hooked before you decide to delegate a task.
Risk #1 is a loss of control
When you outsource, you give up control over certain tasks. This can be scary, especially for CEOs and CTOs who like to be in charge.
💡 To avoid problems, set clear expectations and check in with your outsourcing partner regularly.
Risk #2 is a mismatched expectations
Sometimes, what you want and what your outsourcing partner delivers don't match.
💡 To prevent this, be very clear about what you need, and make sure your partner understands.
Risk #3 is a culture clash
If you work with a team in a different country, there might be differences in how you communicate and work. This can cause problems.
💡 Choose a partner who is flexible and can adapt to your company's culture.
Risk #4 is a security concerns
When you share sensitive data with an outsourcing partner, there's a risk of a security breach.
💡 Make sure your partner takes security seriously and follows strict rules to protect your data.
Risk #5 is a quality control
It can be hard to make sure the work your outsourcing partner does is good enough.
💡 Set clear standards and check the work regularly.
Risk #6 is a missing deadlines
Outsourcing partners might not meet deadlines, especially if they are in a different time zone.
💡 To avoid this, create a clear schedule and track progress.
If you’re not sure how to manage these risks, contact Patternica to have an initial consultation before outsourcing. We can help you and your company deal with all the myths.
Practical steps to make the most of outsourcing
Outsourcing can be a good way to save time and money. But to make it work well, you need to do things right.
Here are some practical steps on how to delegate tasks and to help you have a great outsourcing experience.
Step 1 - set clear expectations & deadlines with your outsourcing partner
When you hire someone else to do work for your company, it's important to be very clear about what you want from them. Tell them exactly what you need, when you need it, and how you want it done.
Make sure to give them enough time to do the work. Remember, they are probably working on other projects too. So, set deadlines that are fair and realistic.
Step 2 - ensure continuous communication with your outsourcing partner
Talking is really important when you work with another company to do your work. This helps everyone know what’s happening and fixes problems quickly. Meeting every week or two is a good way to make sure things are going smoothly. You can talk about problems, give ideas, and change things if you need to.
Talking a lot also helps you trust the other company. It keeps your relationship strong and makes sure there are no surprises about what they will do or when they will do it.
Step 3 - use PM tools & reporting with your outsourcing partner
To stay organised and aligned, using project management tools is a must. Platforms like Trello, Asana, or other allow you to track progress in real-time, assign tasks, and set deadlines.
In addition to project management tools, regular reporting is another best practice. Whether daily, weekly, or at key project milestones - they help you see exactly what's been accomplished and identify any potential roadblocks early on.
These easy steps help maintain control over the work while benefiting from the expertise and support that outsourcing provides.
How Patternica can help in outsourcing
If after reading this article, you still have some questions to ask - Patternica is here to help. We specialise on how to effectively delegate tasks, so you can focus on what's important: innovation and growth.
Our team of experts can help with everything from technical setup to customisation. We'll take care of the details, so you can focus on your core business.
Need to reduce costs and improve efficiency? Patternica can help. We worked with a tech startup that was struggling to manage customer interactions and technical integrations. We took over the entire process, saving them time and money.
With Patternica as your partner, you'll get more than just task management. We'll help your business run smoothly, so you can focus on scaling. Let us handle the routine work, and watch your startup grow.