Business

sales-organisation

How to Pandemic-Proof Your Sales Organisation For 2021

Business, Customer Support Service Outsourcing / By

After the pandemic hit in 2020, many sales organisations began to face never-before-seen challenges with supply chain problems, strained customer reach, and a global recession that all but nearly eliminated in-person sales. Thankfully, things started to improve in 2021 with sales organisations having to change the way they think if they would restore revenue and income growth to pre-pandemic levels and beyond. The situation has provided many opportunities to create new strategies to overcome these difficult issues and keep you always be ready. Here are some ways to do this:

  1. Redefine Sales Strategy

Rethinking the role of the sales team is the first thing to do in restructuring your organisation’s approach due to the pandemic. Ask questions about your organisation and seek answers to move from there. Decide on where your organisation should focus its energy and effort on. Ensure that your reps are coached better on the sales process and advancing opportunities rather than spending time on reporting what is not really important. Doing this will set a clear line of sight between your objectives, your priority markets, your competitive advantages, and the right way your sales organisation should execute. 

  1. Redesign Your Sales Experience

Customer experience is a top priority for many companies, and that is why they invest thousands of dollars into it. If done right, it could be the reason customers stay with a company. The pandemic altered customer buying habits, which means changing your sales experience as well. Sales processes have historically been about sharing information about a company’s capabilities with prospects and clients. But now, sales experience is much more than just price, brand, and service. You need to add value in the form of insight and expertise. Although, this might mean redesigning the sales experience from one customer to the other, however, it is guaranteed to create more value and win more business.

  1. Embrace The Advantages Of Virtual Selling

One of the things the pandemic has done is cause most communication to shift to videoconferencing and now that most organisations have had plenty of experience with virtual sales calls, no doubt the advantages have been fully recognised and it has become easier for sales teams to bring stakeholders from wherever they are to meet shortly with prospects or to bring in experts on different subjects for more value-driven sales cycles. The virtual environment can help your sales team build the support needed for making key decisions, especially in the early stages of the sales process.

  1. Outsource Customer Support 

Round the clock customer support can transform your company’s profit while improving customer experience at the same time. And at no time is this more crucial to sustaining a sales business than in a pandemic. However, setting this up for your organisation will cost a significant amount of money, time, and effort, which makes outsourced customer support the way to go. Handling this crucial part of the business process to experts can help to build brand responsiveness, ease resolutions to customer problems and inquiries, and allow you to implement the tech that makes the customer’s journey smoother. 

Customer support can be outsourced onshore or offshore, but offshore outsourcing offers the advantage of reducing operation and labour costs while extending marketing reach as well. It also makes it easy for your organisation to handle calls and messages from different time zones so that when you and your staff are asleep, professionals from across the globe continue to speak to customers and provide the attention they demand and deserve. But be careful with how you do this as cheap does not translate to efficiency all the time. In fact, this might cost you more in the long run if you hire a call centre that doesn’t meet your business needs or have the right technology to fulfil those needs.

Related article: How To Run Your Business Differently in a Pandemic

Conclusion

The pandemic has caused sales organisations to find new ways to survive and thrive in an unfamiliar world. This requires a change of ways to ensure the organisation can adapt and be stronger now and further into a post-pandemic world. By implementing the right strategy and tactics, your organisation can stand out completely from the competition.

remote-work-challenges

A Quick Guide For AU Entrepreneurs to Dealing With Remote Work Challenges

Business, Remote Work / By

Remote working is fast becoming the next big thing in human resourcing and organisation staffing in Australia and other parts of the world. This dynamic shift may be largely attributed to the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic but it offers multiple advantages. 

Remote working has allowed millions of qualified people living in low-income regions such as India and Asia to earn money commensurate to their qualifications and service without having to relocate abroad. Also, entrepreneurs access to the best of brains for the delivery of top-notch services.

While the rewards of remote working are high, sourcing and managing remote workers can be very tasking and may even turn out risky sometimes. In this article, every Australian entrepreneur can discover what the many different remote working challenges are and the simple ways to manage them using the right tools.

Hiring Remote Workers

Hiring remote workers is one of the challenges many entrepreneurs face, they are usually at a loss as to what procedure to employ for their hiring process. Although the process of hiring remote workers can be time-consuming, however, if done properly, it can guarantee your team’s success.

Offshore staffing solutions can be done either by making use of BPO companies or remote work agencies or by directly hiring freelancers.

Remote work agencies have grown increasingly sought after due to the pandemic. They provide the right personnel for companies who face the problem of staffing. These agencies are renowned for finding the right talents for any industry and the amount of training they give to their employees on how to deal with the unique challenges of working from home so they can perform better as remote workers. The method of using offshore staffing solutions have proven effective in employing remote workers.

Communication

Effective communication with remote teams is another challenge entrepreneurs deal with. An entrepreneur will constantly need to receive feedback and share ideas with remote workers. The use of just email messaging to communicate may be stiff and restrict expression.

Team collaboration software like Zoom, Workplace and Google Hangout are rather excellent tools that support messaging, video sessions and file sharing.

Monitoring Productivity

It may be quite challenging to determine how much remote workers are contributing to the progress of an organisation. 

A simple way to track progress is to make use of metric tools and provide remote workers with daily goals to achieve such as a specified number of contents to edit or a given number of calls to make. For effectiveness, the use of metrics for remote workers should be commensurate to their abilities and the facilities they have access to.

Scheduling Meetings

Offshore staffing solutions bring up the challenges of differences in time zones. An entrepreneur should factor in this when allocating tasks and ensure tasks are set to be accomplished at least a day before they are needed. This will always allow remote workers with lagging time zones to be able to contribute their required quota to every task.

While scheduling virtual meetings and calls with remote workers, entrepreneurs should make use of tools like calendar apps to determine the exact time in each worker’s time zone. This way, a time frame fair enough to everyone can be selected.

Building the Trust Of Remote Workers

A major challenge with offshore staffing solutions is building trust on both ends. The employer is concerned with how much remote workers will perform while the remote worker is bothered about getting commensurate pay after performing tasks. Employers should build the trust of remote workers by being transparent on things such as pay rate, payment timelines, project expectations, working hours, and status updates on projects.

One-On-One Meetings And Morale

A great way to boost morale is through one-on-one meetings. While it might be too much to schedule this kind of meetings with every member of your remote team, doing it can increase how well workers see their value and allow getting feedback on work performance. It’s easy for remote workers to feel out of touch if one-on-one meetings are not scheduled regularly or every once in a while.

Related article: How To Maintain a Great Workplace Culture In a Remote Model

Conclusion

Offshore staffing solutions are excellent support to working systems in Australia. The processes in hiring and managing remote workers may pose great challenges to inexperienced entrepreneurs. Hence, this article has been provided as the Australian entrepreneur’s guide to dealing with remote work challenges.

back office outsourcing

Three Key Points to Remember for Back-Office Outsourcing

Business, Offshore Back Office / By

Back-office is a very important part of any company. It handles high-end administrative,  maintenance, and support functions without necessarily engaging directly with customers or clients.

Outsourcing back-office functions can help companies save money on personnel welfare and conveniently delegate non-client-facing tasks to external sources proficient at handling them. Data management, accounting, maintenance, and security services are examples of back-office functions that can be readily outsourced.

Since this part of an organisation performs essential tasks that aid the smooth running of the direct company to client services, it requires the use of highly experienced and committed personnel. Therefore, it’s important that outsourcing should be carefully done following industry-standard procedures and criteria.

The following key points should be remembered when outsourcing back-office functions.

  1. What Are The Tasks That Need To Be Outsourced?

Grumbles here and there from staff members and a constant pile-up of workload can easily tell when and where outsourcing is required. But these signs are not enough to determine the task(s) that require back-office outsourcing. A good way to identify tasks that can be outsourced is to involve the human resource team and all the other employees in the planning process.

Employees by themselves can point out what specific parts of the company require outsourcing. Knowing the tasks to outsource will help determine the type of outsourcing organisation to contact, which will save the company time and prevent unnecessary stress.

  1. Will Outsourcing Make the Company Better or Worse?

Even after determining what parts of the company are experiencing workload pile up, it is still important to check if contracting out tasks will be the best solution. Also, the long-term effects of doing this should be considered.

You need to ask and answer questions like: will outsourcing improve the quality of services offered by the company? Will it bring greater yield or increase the company’s income? These questions will help determine if back-office outsourcing will have positive or negative effects on the company.

  1. Can the Company Bear Outsourcing Costs?

Of course, outsourcing will incur some costs for the company. It should be determined if the company is ready to bear all necessary costs gracefully. This can be judged by comparing the effects outsourcing will have on the company against the current state of the company. 

Another thing will be to compare the costs of outsourcing with the costs of employing more employees. Back-office outsourcing should only be considered when the company is capable of bearing all the necessary costs.

Related article: Things to Remember When Choosing a Back-Office Outsourcing Provider

Conclusion

The back-office is as essential as every other operating part of any company. Outsourcing back-office functions helps organisations perform all their administration and management tasks faster and better while making them run smoother. Before back-office outsourcing, there are important points to be properly considered so you can get the desired results you seek. This article has provided some vital tips on how to approach them so you can do this the right way.

run your business differently

How To Run Your Business Differently in a Pandemic

Business / By

For the better part of 2020 and even into 2021, the covid-19 pandemic has made businesses keep navigating a rocky road that has slowed operations. It disrupted supply chains and forced them to make financial cuts.

While most businesses have pivoted with success stories that include new transformations, one thing is certain, many businesses are still struggling to survive, even with government bailouts and loan deferments.

With the first and the second wave of the virus spread, businesses are beginning to realise things may not return to normal very soon and are starting to change focus daily. They have realised that to stay afloat, they have to adapt on the fly and find creative ways to change their operating models. 

Here are some key actions that companies can do to emerge from the pandemic intact and be much stronger than ever.

Pivot To Maximise Your Strengths

When the pandemic began, it might have been so sudden to completely change the way your business works. All of that’s understandable, but if you are now at the point where surviving is in the balance, now is the time to take action. Shift your focus from your traditional business model to what your business excels most at. 

Is there any other different way your skills or assets can be applied? 

When governments called for the manufacture of PPE equipment and nose masks, car manufacturers, aerospace companies, clothing providers, and other large scale manufacturing businesses heeded the call. So what is at the core of your business and what market still exists for either those services, products, or skillsets?

Reassess Every Aspect Of Your Operation

The pandemic has provided a great opportunity for businesses to really access their day-to-day operations. An aspect that is critical to their survival in these times. This is a great time to sit down with your accountant or financial controller and go deep into the numbers. What costs are you incurring and where can you make some savings? Do you want to downsize your staff to save cost?

One great way to do this is to outsource business operations. Because of the pandemic, many companies have been effectively forced to switch to remote work setups and offshore staffing in the Philippines is on the rise as more companies realise they can access a pool of talent, helping them scale their workforce rapidly without having to hire more full-time employees while avoiding overheads and investments in office space and equipment in the process. This lets them create a pool of additional funds since expenses from activities like recruitment have been eliminated. 

Host Virtual Events That Interest And Educate Your Audience

Another way you can continue to do business in a pandemic is by planning and hosting virtual events that are relevant to the needs of your target customers. This offers a great way to reach them in the comfort of their homes. Of course, this is becoming commonplace today, so you need to ensure your webinar is exceptional and captivating.

Create an interactive, immersive experience and if you can stretch your budget further, provide incentives like giveaways and invite expert speakers to get people to join. At the end of your event, give your audience a clear call to action so they can continue building a relationship with your brand.

Communicate Better With Customers And Employees

Everyone’s scared and uncertain in a pandemic, but one thing customers will not forget in a hurry is a company that reached out and supported in such critical times. Take a different approach in communicating with your customers by informing them of the changes made and what to expect from your business.

Related article: The Link Between Happy Employees and Happy Customers

Keep checking in on your employees, as well. This is the time when they need leadership and they’ll want to know how the pandemic is affecting the company. This is also a great time for building a stronger sense of community among your team members. This will give your employees a better sense of value and make them feel more motivated and productive, which eventually leads to business growth.

business-efficiecy

The Top Business Efficiency Lesson During the Pandemic

Business, Offshore Back Office / By

Since the hit of COVID-19 across the globe, it has completely changed the landscape of business practices. In the past, employees working for companies were required to physically be at the office working from 9 to 5. But then they realised the benefits of having remote workers.

Smaller businesses started considering back-office outsourcing to remote workers out of the country to significantly reduce cost.

What is back-office outsourcing?

Storefronts help businesses generate sales and profits, but it needs support to do so. Vital back-office functions such as accounting, bookkeeping, data entry, human resources etc. need to be in place. However, it all costs – rent, equipment, supplies, labour cost.

Large companies typically have in-house teams to support their functions. But for small business owners, they will choose to outsource these functions to a third-party – contracting them to do all the work for the business.

 Benefits of Back-office Outsourcing

For new entrepreneurs, it might be tempting to do all the administrative tasks yourself. But in the long run, it will take out much of your valuable time on income-generating activities. Here are two main advantages of why you should consider back-office outsourcing.

  • Receiving professional services 

Hiring and maintaining a full-time employee is costly to businesses in developed countries. Business owners pay salary, benefits, employment insurance, pension plans and more. With outsourcing the functions, businesses can have their administrative work done with a much lower cost and efficiency.

  • Making your company more competitive

Small business owners should spend more time searching for new business opportunities rather than spending hours in front of the computer preparing taxes and invoices. With back-office outsourcing, you have the option of choosing what functions to be outsourced. For example, one might want to outsource only the tax reporting but not the bookkeeping function to a professional accountant.

Business owners should consider the long-term plan of their businesses when choosing an outsourcing company. Will the company expand internationally? Will the business grow in the future? Are there going to be more shareholders in the company?

Related article: Back-Office Outsourcing: How to Remain on Top of a Competitive Marketplace

  • Free up time and money

This is the biggest benefit for business owners. You can hire a quality full-time employee at a fraction of the cost. It can also eliminate the office location and you have access to professional, top-notch services whenever and however you want.

More and more new businesses are leveraging the power of back-office outsourcing to find more time in their day and save costs.

Conclusion: All About Saving Time and Money

COVID-19 pandemic is a wake-up call to all businesses around the world to adapt to new practices. Business owners have learned that remote work has endless possibilities in the current era. Renting an office is not necessary now and employees are encouraged to work remotely.

With the expansion of the internet, back-office outsourcing to another country has become increasingly popular nowadays to reduce cost. It helps business owners be more competitive in the marketplace and save time.

Why not try it out today and contact Dynamic Business Outsourcing Solutions for a free no-obligation consultation directly from its CEO and Founder Jacqui Miller.

self-care-tips

Self-Care Tips For You And Your Team During COVID-19

Business, Employee-Well-Being, Outsourcing in the Philippines / By

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has lasted for over a year by now, has changed the world of how we work ever since. Businesses around the world have suddenly adapted to the remote work culture to help slow the spread of the disease. Furthermore, thanks to the internet, working from home has come from a dream to reality.

Despite all the benefits, a limited amount of social interactions can pose mental health concerns in the long-term. Here are three practical tips on self-caring for businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tip 1: Take advantage of new applications to work more efficiently

Many large tech companies have reported gain during the pandemic due to the popularity of remote work. For example, Zoom, the American video conferencing giant, reported three quarters of earnings and revenue more than quadrupled in 2020. They have become the most favoured software in 2020 for video conferencing around the world.

Remote workers should search for applications like Zoom which will make the tedious computer work more efficient. For example, if you are required to keep track of all incomes and expenses, Intuit Quickbooks should be worth considering. Here is a list of software that every remote worker should know:

With the rise of many new applications, companies have started to outsource the administrative work to developing countries to save on labour costs, such as the Philippines.

Without paying the high-wages and benefits, the long-term savings can be substantial. Hiring a worker can cost more than $20 per hour, but outsourcing to the Philippines could cost anywhere from $3-5 due to the lower cost of living.

Therefore, if you are looking for time savings on admin, HR tasks recruitment and employee wellness and engagement, consider finding a reputable outsourcing partner in the Philippines that could customise their service base on your business needs.

 Tip 2: Stay connected with your teammates

Despite working from home, you should dedicate more than one hour a day to go social. Whether it is a co-worker or family member, text, call or video chat would be a mental boost for yourself. It also makes the person on the other side of the phone heart-warmed. One common thing to share about could be stay-at-home experiences.

For businesses, they can host fun online activities, like a weekly bingo and typing speed race to keep the team engaged, as well as creating a group chat on Skype or a Slack channel where the team can talk about any topics that have nothing to do with work. Make sure the chat owner is keeping conversations going every day. And for the clients, businesses can create Facebook or LinkedIn groups to gather customers/suppliers into one online community.

Tip 3: Develop a hobby within your interest outside your work

Find a hobby that is outside your businesses or usual interests. It will help rest your mind in the non-working hours and reduce stress. If the activity can be shared online it would be more beneficial. For example, practice yoga at home in the morning and start live streaming. Share on social media and invite friends and family to join.

Other hobbies can be creating an online movie, TV or book club and sharing with your co-workers. Or you may start a home garden and keep a note of the progress.

It is more essential for remote workers to have a clear boundary between work and rest. 

Conclusion: Take good care of yourself and your teammates

COVID has imposed challenges due to the limited amount of social interaction and staying at home. With remote work become the new norm, businesses should think of ways to keep their team healthy and happy. Finding ways to work more efficiently, stay connected with co-workers and develop new hobbies are crucial tips to consider.