offshoring

startup entrepreneurs

4 Things that Startup Entrepreneurs Should Do

Business / By

Establishing a successful startup business comes with numerous challenges. It starts with financing up to finding the right space to rent for the office. However, these are not everything that startup entrepreneurs encounter.

According to a joint survey carried out by CoFounder magazine and ArcticStartup, 37% of startup founders believe that the biggest obstacle when creating a company is finding the right people to help run the business.

Meanwhile, some startup entrepreneurs refuse to share their responsibilities with other people. They are uncomfortable with the idea of giving other people the authority to run their business and is afraid of losing the overall control. But, it doesn’t work like that. It is almost impossible to handle everything on your own if you’re planning on growing your business. And that’s why some businesses chase the most cost-effective yet, high-quality option – outsourcing or offshore staffing in the Philippines.

Now to help you better manage your business, here are a few important things that startup entrepreneurs should do:

1. Get an outside perspective on your audits.

It is better to get an outsider’s perspective to avoid biased audits on your business expenditures. A certified practising accountant (CPA) that is in no way related to you or your business would be a good choice.

The goal of getting an expert’s opinion on your overheads is to double check if you missed a crucial part on your own audit. During the practice, the expert might see miscalculations and come up with ways to improve your processes.

2. Trust your team.

Employees are hired for their specialties and skills, so let them do what they do best – their jobs. Stop checking on your team and trust them to fulfil their roles. Doing so goes to show that you have the utmost faith in them.

Trust is a very risky word but also a solid foundation for a sturdy relationship. Showing them your confidence in their abilities creates a huge impact on their overall performance.

And while leadership is very much important in running a business, you certainly cannot function without your people. So building a strong relationship with your team is definitely essential.

3. Don’t stray far from your goal.

Always remind yourself of your initial goal. Focus on the company’s big picture and don’t get distracted by the “maybes”. Be clear of your overall business plan and don’t stray away from it. Create a schedule to make sure that your team stays on track towards achieving the main objective of your company.

4. Delegate your non-core tasks.

Doing every task on your own could exhaust you completely without even accomplishing your most important function. Lift off few of the burden on your shoulders and delegate some of your tasks to an expert. Do not tire yourself out with the roles that you can easily assign to someone who does it better.

Outsourcing could be a critical turning point in your business so you should choose carefully. You can consult a reputable offshore staffing company to help you handle all your outsourcing concerns.

Our goal here at DBOS is to help you grow your business. All our services are available for low and cost-effective prices. Know more about us when you contact DBOS for a FREE consultation today!

offshoring fears

Australian Businesses: Offshoring Fears and How to Overcome Them

Offshoring in the Philippines, Outsourcing in the Philippines / By

Since the boom of business outsourcing companies in the Philippines, numerous startups choose to pursue offshore back office services in Manila. One of these countries is Australia. And like any other companies, there are unavoidable offshoring fears.

Outsourcing comes with a lot of dangers that can be avoided through smart understanding, together with rigorous planning and preparation. It would be best to prepare damage control ideas and take this potential outsourcing issues to heart.

Data Security

One of the most common fears that offshoring businesses have is security. Since offsite employees can access important information, there is an increased security risk for the business. This is why hiring a reliable outsourcing partner is vital. Many outsourcing companies today have installed CCTV cameras inside the production floor. Most of them also ban personal electronic and mobile devices during work hours which can only be accessed during breaks. Other companies even disable their USB ports to ensure that all data will be kept safe inside your company’s network. Monthly IT checks on the employees’ computer devices should also be a part of the continuous precaution.

Nowadays, data security is a key concern for all businesses and individuals. Most importantly that hackers are creating a rampage. That’s why it is important to find a trusted outsourcing company with reputation and capability to protect your data all the time.

Quality Output

The fear of low-quality output is one of the Australian’s concerns since services in the Philippines is cheaper than the local employment. However, there have been countless testimonies from other clients that Filipinos are truly smart and productive. Highly trainable and naturally skilled workers are the international perception of Filipino employees. It is because most employees are university graduates.

However, the country’s recruitment process remains to be of no easy feat. From a huge number of applicants through the recruitment process, it’ll be narrowed down to a few candidates. If short-listed, candidates will be called for examinations and a series of interviews. And then whoever passed the final set of examination and interview will be chosen for the position.

Cultural Differences 

Differences in culture between the outsourcing partner and the client might cause a huge misunderstanding, if not addressed properly. That’s why it is important to discuss this properly between the involved parties. Since business is a two-way street, proper communication is definitely essential. To reach out, you can try to include face-to-face meetings and video conferencing as well.

Adapting to any kind of culture is one of the Filipino’s best traits. People from all over the world commend this character as they easily get along with each other. This culture was gained through a long way back from the country’s colourful history. Up until this day, Filipino’s have embedded the traits that made them adaptable to any culture and situation.

Remember that when you’ve picked the perfect outsourcing partner, adaptability is just a small matter that should never be a problem.

The items listed above are only a few of the common offshoring fears that most Australian companies are concerned about. Careful planning and extensive research for the most reliable outsourcing partner is the key to achieving an incredible venture.

Now, always remember that you should never let these offshoring fears hinder the growth of your business. Be ready to test the waters and take huge leaps for the betterment of your company. Only then you can reach incredible development.

For more tips and ideas on what to consider before choosing a reliable and capable outsourcing partner, read this blog.

If you’re looking for a trusted and experienced outsourcing partner, contact DBOS for a FREE consultation today!

outsourcing services

Perks of Outsourcing Services to the Philippines

Manila, Offshoring in the Philippines, Outsourcing in the Philippines / By

On a previous article, we tackled about the reasons why Philippines is the ideal outsourcing destination. Today, we will learn about the benefits of outsourcing services to the Philippines.

Of the numerous outsourcing countries in the world, the Philippines truly stand out. In fact, the country’s BPO industry remains one of the biggest factors that help its economy.

As a result, a massive number of BPO call centres was built in the country. Meanwhile, the same amount of small and medium business enterprises started outsourcing their services.

Aside from lower labour costs, quality staff, infrastructure, and equipment, there are other advantageous perks that you can enjoy when you choose to offshore your services. Listed below is:

Employee flexibility

Filipinos are known for their neutral accents and they can easily learn others if needed. In addition to that, most of those talents are college graduates, and that makes it easier to be taught. Now, establishing your own offshore team in the Philippines creates a greater possibility of employing diversified talents. From several back-office services to other outsourcing services, they sure can handle them all.

Round-the-clock business hours

For your business that never sleeps, running it 24/7 is the solution. When you choose to outsource your services, you won’t have to worry about who will look out for your processes. Even if you’re sleeping or on holiday, your Filipino offshore team can surely take over. Aside from the round-the-clock work, this benefit also improves productivity as it operates overnight.

Less management headaches

One of the busiest department in a business is probably the HR, as they handle people from recruiting up to its everyday performance. Your offshore HR people will be the one to sweat buckets and assure that your team remains well-managed. They will be in charge of your staff benefits, salary, leave credits, and especially legal matters.

Professional work ethics

Filipinos take pride in having one of the best work ethics in the professional industry. They are widely known as hardworking, friendly, hospitable, and sympathetic people who always impress employers. They are also easy to get along with which makes the whole office environment vibe livelier. This impeccable trait is why Filipinos are suitable for jobs that require a lot of customer interaction and coordination.

Now all that’s left is to choose a trustworthy offshore staffing Manila-based company who specialises on your most prized services.

For quality and cost-efficient offshore services, call DBOS today! 

Telesales Isn’t Dead—and Here’s Why

Call Center Philippines, Customer Support Service Outsourcing / By

From an outsider’s perspective, telemarketing seems like an outdated form of selling your products. Today’s technology has forced the marketing industry to take great strides when it comes into advertising. From large LED screens playing video ads 24/7 situated in busy city streets, to subtle digital marketing techniques to help give target consumers a gentle nudge towards buying more goods, selling stuff through the phone is perceived to pale in comparison: it’s a marketing method almost as old as direct selling itself.

But today, call centres are still in demand because telesales still works. Despite the persistent misconceptions surrounding phone marketing, outsourcing telesales can still make a huge impact on your business.

It’s the least annoying form of advertising

Almost every time you go online, there’s always that pesky pop-up ad begging you to click on them. Even when you’re watching a video on Facebook or Youtube, or when reading an article, the average reader will have to go through a few hoops in order to dodge an incessant barrage of either static or video ads. Ads have gone from a necessary evil to a regular nuisance, and audiences are trying to actively avoid it. According to a poll, telesales is ranked as the least annoying form of advertising as only 4% of the total respondents have voted against it. This means that when conducted properly, telemarketing is less likely to be ignored by a target audience compared to other forms of endorsing sales.

Phone marketing strengthens human connection

Since telesales is conducted through voice calls, prospect consumers experience a more intimate approach. Customers were found to respond more with telemarketing because of the human interaction factor, affecting the perceived sincerity and personal touch of the transaction or session. According to recent studies, when making big decisions for large purchases like a car, insurance, healthcare, or the like, customers prefer calling businesses personally and talking to a real human being. Because of this, telesales is one of the business processes that are not currently in danger of being replaced by AI. This trend in customer behaviour also makes outsourcing telesales very ideal, as international agents from countries like the Philippines are well regarded because of their positive personalities and empathy towards their customers. Having a strong and experienced team of telemarketing can do wonders in helping to further develop your business.

Outsourcing telesales generates leads

Though there are several different ways to perform lead generation, telemarketing is among the most efficient method. Offshore telesales promotes better brand awareness and provides greater market insight. A significant chunk of the call centre industry specialises in performing outbound sales through offshore telesales. According to relevant statistics, outsourcing lead generation is ranked to be 43% more effective than in-house due to expertise and experience. Hiring an offshore staff to generate leads for your company stacks up numerous advantages on your end, as not only will you get better results, outsourcing also allows you to save money while efficiently improving your cash flow.

 

These are only among the many reasons why telesales continues to play an important role in business until today. Though times are changing, it doesn’t necessarily mean that all traditional practices are rendered defunct due to technological advances. Telemarketing isn’t dead, and it isn’t showing any signs of dying out anytime soon.

Looking for highly-skilled telemarketers to boost your company’s sales? Check out our staffing services to see which of our outsourcing services is the best fit for your business’ needs.

customer service call center

4 Major Reasons Why You Need to Outsource Your Customer Service

Call Center Philippines, Customer Support Service Outsourcing / By

The quality of customer support can make or break a business. Bad customer service can often lead to an unsavoury reputation and drive potential clients away. Hiring competent personnel capable of handling any form of customer support is quite difficult: there are so many factors to consider when deliberating prospects like the employee’s personality, patience, and adaptability. Partnering with the right BPO company can help you bypass this challenge, and outsourcing might just be the answer you’re looking for.

Outsourcing makes finding the right agents easier

A fully functioning staff of professionals sounds like a dream but it can be made into a reality by hiring offshore teams. Outsourcing customer support to countries like the Philippines is a convenient solution as Filipinos are well known for their hospitality, patience and empathy towards customers. BPO companies help connect you with the right people to handle every aspect of customer service. Whether it be for live chat support, community management, or telesales, outsourcing allows you to tap into a wide market of talents for a fraction of the cost.

The wages you usually pay for one in-house staff member can already get you two or even three offshore agents, as labour costs are lower in developing countries. Since outsourcing significantly lowers your expenses than hiring in-house staff, it makes assembling an offshore customer support team as affordable and a viable option for businesses of any scale.

An offshore team automatically offers multilingual support

One good way to maximise the advantages of outsourcing is to partner with BPO companies in a country where you can also get clientele. That way, your offshore team can cater to a wider audience they can communicate with: customers within their country who speak their native language, and international customers they can talk to in English.

customer service
Hiring a diverse crew increases the variety of languages your customer support team can accommodate.

Outsourcing customer service improves cash flow

Not only is outsourcing helping you save money due to cheaper labour costs, but it also helps businesses grow by increasing profits. Customer care boosts revenues as it improves general metrics like first-call resolution, average handle time and customer satisfaction. Happy clients are more likely to give great feedback and make recommendations to their family and friends which can then bump up your sales. Maintaining customer satisfaction through live chat support or other means helps stabilise your income generated from sales, subscriptions and other services your business offers.

Multi-channel support is made possible and easy

One of the most impressive features of outsourcing customer service is that you can reach your clients and patrons through more channels. Whether it be through video chat, VOIP calls, live chat, social media and many more. Call centres often train their staff’s flexibility and capability in handling multiple channels for customer care, ensuring you only get qualified employees to be part of your company. Unlike with hiring in-house staff, you no longer need to buy additional equipment or software to accommodate for multi-channel support. Seat fees and set-up fees are already included in payment packages when you outsource, and these are used to equip your offshore staff with the latest tools to help them effectively perform their jobs.

 

Efficient solutions don’t have to be expensive. If you are looking for ways to expand your business but don’t want to overspend, outsourcing your customer service department can be a wise option. It eliminates a lot of hassle yet introduces numerous advantages you can benefit from.

Want to get started on outsourcing? Check out our services to see which options are a perfect fit for your business’ needs.

personal assistant

What Are Personal Virtual Assistants?

Offshore Back Office, Virtual Assistant in the Philippines / By

As the outsourcing industry continues to grow, more and more virtual staffing options are becoming available for startups and small to medium enterprises. One such example would be virtual assistant jobs which are steadily rising in demand right now.

Virtual assistants can help you free up a lot of time from your schedule, and they can vary from self-employed professionals to agencies specialising in offshore staffing. Most VAs charge by the hour, making it very ideal and cheaper than hiring in-house: you only pay them whenever you need them, and you can save money on allocating other resources such as extra office space.

Huffington Post discusses further what a virtual assistant can do for you. To read the full article, click here.