Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Pros And Cons Of Outsourcing – Are They Worth The Risk?

February 4th, 2011
There are a few pros and cons of outsourcing however the pros outweigh the cons. Thus it is beneficial to outsource certain services to other companies. When you hear the word outsourcing, the first thing that you think of is how you can save costs. This is the first and the widely known merit of outsourcing. There are a few other pros and they include the following;
Save on time. This goes hand in hand with saving costs. Outsourcing services to outsourcing companies will save you vital time. In the long run you will have saved a lot of time. Cost saving is the other main pro of outsourcing services to offshore or home grown companies. The cost of providing the technical services yourself might be too high but outsourcing the services reduces the cost to manageable amounts.
Shifts your focus to the main objective of the business. When you outsource services to another company, you can be able to focus on the main function of the company. For instance if you are running a manufacturing company, you can choose to outsource payroll services or any other services to a different company. As a result you can be able to concentrate on improving the quality of your goods and increasing customer satisfaction.
Outsourcing services implies that you will be getting the best services. Offering quality services leads to customer satisfaction and that in turn leads to more sales which in turn increase the profits. Therefore your business will run efficiently. When the customers are satisfied, they will give you a positive feedback which will increase your rank on the Better Business Bureau. Hence outsourcing any type of services is very important for the success of your business.
There are a few cons of outsourcing. Some of the cons include the following; confidentiality issues. Outsourcing services means that you will have to hand over information to the company so that they can be able to serve you more efficiently. When you hand over confident information to them hence the information is no longer confident as a third party has come in to the picture. The main concern lies in outsourcing accounting services. Another con is that you lose direct control of the services outsourced. These are the main pros and cons of outsourcing. But the pros are more than the cons hence outsourcing is advisable to companies that want to focus on their core business.

For more info on outsourcing companies in the Philippines click here

Calling Center Services- Types Of Call Center Services

February 10th, 2011
There are three types of calling center services. Most of the outsourcing companies offer all these services while others specialize in one or two services. It is important to note that a call center company is not restricted by law to offer all the types of call center services. Therefore if you want to start your own call center business, you can offer all the services. However you should not compromise the quality of the services. It would be advisable to specialize in one type of service and make it the best rather than offer all the services and ruin the quality.
The first type of calling center services is known as inbound call center services. These services are made to satisfy the needs of each and every customer. In mainly consist if the following minor services; order taking. This is done by the call center companies. What usually happens is that when a customer calls the company to make an order, the order is received by someone working at the call center. The order details are then forwarded to the main office for dispatch of the goods. Customer care services are also offered by the call centers. Almost all the calling center services run for 24 hours a day 7 days a week. That implies that there will always be someone ready to answer you call regardless of the time of day or night. Help desk support and answering services complete the list of calling center services offered by the call center companies.
Another type of service offered by the call center companies is the outbound call center services. This mainly involves calling the customers and assisting them. Services that fall under outbound services include telemarketing, follow-ups, marker surveys, market research and voice broadcast.
These are the two main services offered by the call center companies. Outsourcing these services to the call center companies is much cheaper as compared to hiring employees to offer you r clients these services. That is why a lot of the so called big corporations are outsourcing these services to call center outsourcing companies and focusing their efforts to other areas such as expansion. The calling center services have also been on an upward trend and there are very many people who are seeking these services. In the long run, the calling center services will prove to be beneficial to your company.

For more info on outsourcing companies in the Philippines click here

Business Processing Outsourcing Companies – The Facts.

February 16th, 2011
Today all the smart companies are outsourcing some of their services and concentrating on the core objectives of the company. The best thing about outsourcing some of the services is the fact that you can hire a company that is located miles away from where you company is located. For instance India and the Philippines have a lot of call center outsourcing services. Most of them serve companies that are located in the United States and the UK both of which are thousands of miles away. When you seek the services of business processing outsourcing companies, they will be able to advise you and your company accordingly. In most cases they will do a thorough research about your clientele and know exactly what they expect from your company. From there they can be able to devise services tailor made for your clients.
Call center outsourcing is by far the most sought after service. Most of the call centers are located in India and the Philippines. Since English is not the native language in both of these countries, someone might think that they will not be capable of handling calls from native English speakers. This is totally not the case. The business processing outsourcing companies recruit their staff from the best and the most qualified people both in India and the Philippines. After the recruitment process is over, the new recruits undergo a vigorous training session where they are trained on how to handle the different people that will be calling them. They are also taught about the culture in the United States.
If you want to save on costs, then outsourcing some of the petty services can be the way forward. A lot of companies have managed to save millions of dollars by outsourcing some of their services to the business processing outsourcing companies. When you outsource a service, you can be assured that the company you outsource to will provide top quality services to your clients. That means that you don’t have to hire and maintain staff members to provide those services. That will save you millions of dollars in wages and benefits that accrue to the employees.
Some of the services that can be outsourced include data entry, email response, chat response, financial operations and many more. Outsourcing these services leaves you with ample time to think about expanding your business or increasing the efficiency of your business.

For more info on outsourcing companies in the Philippines click here

Business Process Outsourcing Service – How To Choose The Services Of A BPO Firm

February 17th, 2011
The Business process outsourcing service are the most sought after services today. Most of the big companies are outsourcing some of the services which they refer to as no-core and concentrating on the core functions of the companies. The Business process outsourcing services are prevalent in the Philippines and India. The BPO companies provide various companies to companies all over the world. Some of the services offered include, article writing, medical prescriptions, SEO services and many more. This industry has truly revolutionized the way companies do business.
Most of the staffs found in the companies that offer Business process outsourcing service are trained to deal with foreign clients as well. Many economists have posed the question why many Business process outsourcing service providers have continued to do well while the rest of the companies were shutting down their operations as a result of the recession. Well the answer to that is that most of the BPO companies offer their services at low and very affordable rates. The fact that they offer the services at low prices does not mean that they have compromised on the quality of the services. In fact they offer the services at low cost and the quality remains at the top.
One of the merits of hiring the services of a BPO firm is that it completely eliminates the need to hire and maintain employees for the sole purpose of providing the services that can be provided by the Business process outsourcing service providers. The cost of maintaining staff is very high. You as the company will be forced to pay them their allowances, benefits and much more. However when you hire the services of an outsourcing firm, you will never have to worry about the cost of maintaining or hiring the staff members as all that will be taken care of by the BPO firm.
Finally if you want to hire the services of a Business process outsourcing service provider, you should consider hiring one that is located in the Philippines. This is because the Philippines has talented experts in that field. This can be attributed to the strict employment requirements. In the recruitment process, only the best are employed hence you can be assured that you will be getting the best services at a very affordable cost. This gives you the opportunity to deal with the more urgent core matters in your company.

For more info on outsourcing companies in the Philippines click here

Outsourcing Of IT Services- How To Effectively Outsource IT Services.

February 21st, 2011
We are living in a world where cost cutting is the main agenda in most of the companies. Many managers wonder why they need to buy expensive IT equipment while their business has nothing to do with the IT services. That is why some of the biggest companies are outsourcing it services. There are things that things that you should bear in mind if you want to effectively outsource these services. It might seem like outsourcing of it services is a lengthy process but you will be surprised to find out that it is very simple to outsource these services. Simply follow the points listed below and you will be on the right track.
Determining the return on investment should be the first thing to consider. If outsourcing of it services fails to save you costs, then it would be wise to consider other alternatives. However you can be assured that outsourcing these services will save you costs in terms of the IT equipment and the employees. Outsourcing of it services allows the company to focus on other functions of the business.
Contacting an IT outsourcing company should be the next thing on your list. If you are not sure of the company to contact, check the reviews on the internet or seek the advice of a company that has outsourced these services to a particular company. If you want to save even more costs, you can outsource the IT services to offshore companies. Once you decide the best company for your outsourcing of it services needs, you should invite them to your website in order to conduct the IT needs of your company. They will be in a position to suggest improvements of your website or build a new website all together.
These are the main things to consider when outsourcing of it services. If you want offshore IT outsourcing companies, you need to know the best place to outsource to. India has the largest number of IT outsourcing companies. The cost of their services is also not as high as the cost of the same services in a first world country. This is the main reason as to why very many companies are outsourcing their IT services to India. The other option is the Philippines. You can also outsource the services to this country as well. In both cases you can be assured that you will be getting the best services.

For more info on outsourcing companies in the Philippines click here

Benefits Of Outsourcing- It Saves You Money

February 22nd, 2011
Company operators in the business sector are currently faced with one major challenge, increased operation costs. As a result of this challenge, they have to find ways of achieving high productivity within the ‘boundaries’ of their income generating levels. Luckily, they can outsource these specific services for a lesser fee than if they were to employ more workers. Companies that have chosen to outsource these services are now enjoying the benefits of outsourcing such as:
One major benefit that has increased the popularity of outsourcing is its cost reduction aspect. Companies that have opted to outsource as a way of saving money can proudly boast of having enjoyed the benefits of outsourcing. When you choose to outsource, you get rid of the extra expenses incurred through time to time management of employees, either through scholarships or training staff to improve on their skills, as outsourcing provides you with already trained employees. Thus, outsourcing maximizes revenue and minimizes expenses.
The benefits of outsourcing also extend to a zero infrastructure costs to be incurred by a company in trying to upgrade its systems to keep up with modern technology. Outsourcing clears these expenses as its hired services are usually updated and well in place. Outsourcing further promotes customer satisfaction because of the high quality services it offers and its timely delivery of these services. The customers will in turn remain forever loyal which is a plus to the company.
Besides these benefits of outsourcing, the company also gains access to specialised services enabling its employees to get more expertise and skill in their fields. It is not advisable for a company to perform all its activities internally as it will lack the “outsider’s perspective” of carrying out some certain activities and hence it might lack competence in certain areas. Outsourcing brings in the ‘outsider’s perspective’ to a company, allowing it to improve in areas it previously could not improve on due to its “insider’s perspective”. Alternatively, this also gives the company an opportunity to save big on money, time, and manpower and to increase its revenue.
Many companies concentrate on fulfilling their core activities first and then turn to the less important ones later, this affects their efficiency negatively. However, a company can perform its main tasks in-house then outsource the less important ones. Doing this will ensure that all tasks are performed concurrently thus taking efficiency a notch higher. This will be seen in the company’s upward increase in profits, productivity and general business performance. Thus increasing a company’s efficiency is another benefit among the benefits of outsourcing.
Companies that outsource also gain a competitive edge to ably compete with others in the market. Due to the specialised skills offered, customers get top of the class services that keep them far from the competitors and close to the company.

For more info on outsourcing companies in the Philippines click here

Benefits Of Outsourcing – The Real Deal

February 28th, 2011
By now you should know that the benefits of outsourcing cannot be compromised. Outsourcing services will help your company in very many ways. For instance when you outsource services to a third party, you will be able to lower the cost of production. A low cost of production means that the market price of your products will be low. A low price in the market will attract customers to buy your product. More customers’ means more sales and more sales leads to increased profits. That is one reason as to why very many organizations are turning to the outsourcing industry for all their needs.
Despite the fact that there are very many benefits of outsourcing, there are still some people who are against the whole idea of outsourcing services. Most of the critics are economists who argue that outsourcing services to offshore companies leads to loss of jobs in the parent company. they also claim that the loss of jobs leads to a decline in the overall economy of the country. Those who are for the outsourcing idea differ and claim that outsourcing actually leads to economic growth. They say that when you outsource, your overall production cost goes down. Therefore you are able to sell your products at a very low price. The low prices increases sales and the increased sales indirectly lead to the growth of the economy.
However if you want to outsource your services either to an onshore company or an offshore company, you can be assured that the benefits of outsourcing are more than you could have ever imagined. Moreso if you opt for offshore outsourcing. You should however not outsource to any country. It is a good idea to seek assistance from someone who has been outsourcing services before. That way you will be able to outsource your services to the best outsourcing company. one of the most common destination for western countries who are outsourcing their services is India. There are very many benefits of outsourcing to India. One of the benefits is that the quality of work done by the people in India is very high. You will be surprised to learn that you will be getting the best services next to no cost. that is why very many large organizations are outsourcing their noncore services to countries located in India and Asia as a continent.

For more info on outsourcing companies in the Philippines click here

Benefits Outsourcing – Tax Benefits Of Offshore Outsourcing

March 1st, 2011
There are very many benefits that are associated with outsourcing. However very few people know about the tax Benefits outsourcing. In this article we will tackle some of the tax benefits of outsourcing services to offshore outsourcing companies. The United States tax code is friendly to the companies that outsource their services to foreign companies. They allow the companies to deduct the amount of tax they have remitted to foreign nations. This amount is known as foreign tax credit. First of all they pay the taxes due to the governments of the overseas country where they earned the revenue and then report to the IRS where they are eligible for the foreign tax credit.
The United States has one of the highest tax rates in the world. In 2006 the tax rate stood at 39.3 percent. The only other country that has a higher tax rate than the United States is Japan. The lowest tax rate stands at 12.5 percent and it is in Ireland. It is for this reason that many American countries are outsourcing their services to offshore countries. After all they pay much less in terms of taxes as compared to what they would pay back home.
Another tax Benefits outsourcing brings about is payroll taxes. In most of the companies in the US the payroll expense represents half of the annual expenses. Most of the overseas companies do not have the employer contribution, unemployment taxes or the minimum wages. All these are present in the United States and they have contributed to the increases in the expenses of the company. Hence outsourcing these services to overseas companies saves the company a lot of tax money.
The US companies that make profits in overseas companies have the option of reinvesting that money in the same country. If that money is never transferred to their native country, then they will never pay taxes on those profits. Some may view this as opportunity while others view it as a loop hole.
Generally outsourcing services to an offshore company has a very many benefits. As you have seen the tax Benefits outsourcing is also a major factor to consider when outsourcing services to an offshore company. If you want to lower your annual expenses, then offshore outsourcing is the way to go. It will also help your business to survive in the corporate jungle.

For more info on outsourcing companies in the Philippines click here

Benefits Outsourcing – H R Outsourcing

March 2nd, 2011
By now you know that there are very many benefits that are associated with outsourcing any type of service. There are even more benefits if your are outsourcing the services to offshore companies. HR outsourcing is not very common. However it s phenomenon that is very popular nowadays and more and more companies are outsourcing HR services to offshore or on shore companies. However do you know the Benefits outsourcing brings to your company? Listed below are some of the Benefits outsourcing HR services brings to your company.
The very first benefit is the fact that you will save money. This is the biggest benefit of outsourcing any type of service. That explains why companies want to outsource all the services that are not vital to the business. That way they can able to save a lot of money and channel the saved money to other projects aimed at increasing the efficiency of the business.
Efficiency- Outsourcing your HR services to a HR outsourcing company ensures that the HR services are offered in an efficient manner. The HR outsourcing company can be able to recruit and train new employees more efficiently. That is why it is important to consider outsourcing your HR services to such companies.
Human resources are the most important resources in any organization. The employees are directly responsible for the success or failure of the organization. That is why you should always endeavor to recruit the best employees to join your organization. Recruiting new employees is not an easy task. It consumes a lot of resources such as money and a lot of time as well. Outsourcing these services to a HR outsourcing company saves you the trouble to incurring all the costs associated with recruiting new employees. Since the HR outsourcing company will take over the recruitment process, you can be assured that they will recruit the best employees. That way you can boost of a strong work force. A strong workforce means that your entire company will be strong it terms of service delivery.
Those are just a few Benefits outsourcing HR services have. There are more benefits that are associated with HR outsourcing. Just like any other kind of outsourcing, you should first research about an outsourcing company before entering in business with it. That way you can be assured of results no matter what. Failure to do so may result in huge losses and collapse of your company.

For more info on outsourcing companies in the Philippines click here

Business It Outsourcing – Ethical Issues

March 14th, 2011
Ethics is a very important aspect of any business. Without ethics a business is as good as dead. Businesses that do not embrace good ethics do not have a long lifespan. Ethical issues may differ from one profession to another. However ethics is generally the same in all the professions. Business it outsourcing also has a few ethical issues. They include the following;
Very many companies face ethical dilemma when outsourcing IT services to overseas countries such as India and china. They do this because these countries have qualified people who offer quality services at a low price. Most Americans feel that outsourcing is unethical because it leads to loss of jobs. However the companies that outsource the services defend themselves by saying that if they refrain from outsourcing, they would not be competitive and that could lead to business closure which will definitely lead to more job losses. Hence instead of shutting down their operation because they can’t keep up with the competition, they opt to outsource the services, lay off a few employees and remain competitive in the industry.
Another ethical issue in business it outsourcing is work environment. Some outsourcing companies threat their employees when they ask questions. They also subject them to harsh working conditions such as working in a crowded office that may lack proper ventilation. The remuneration is also very low for these employees. The labor force in the countries where these outsourcing companies operate from is so high such that there is excess supply of labor. You should ask questions such as employee compensation before hiring the services of an outsourcing company. That way you will know whether the employees are threatened or not.
There are some business that lay off employees harshly or without prior notice. This usually happens immediately they find out that they can get the same services at a lower cost. Businesses should make the employees comfortable during the layoff process. You should also explain to them why you have decided to outsource the services. That way they will leave the company without much drama. They will also remain loyal to your company. You should also ensure that there is transparent communication between the management and the employees. That way they will not keep guessing about the security of their job. These are the main ethical issues in business it outsourcing. Abiding by them will help improve the image of your company.

For more info on outsourcing companies in the Philippines click here

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

How to Effectively Outsource Customer Service

July 22nd, 2010
The process of outsourcing work abroad has really manifested, especially in areas of customer services. A lot of companies are starting to invest in foreign call centres and other training facilities across the world in order to benefit from untapped labour. You can effectively outsource your customer service department whether at home or abroad as long as you follow the proper steps.
Place temporary and part-time employees in your customer service centre, in order to reduce your payroll. You will of course notice that your call centres will experience a much higher amount of traffic during the holidays, and would experience a dip in call volume during other periods of the year. In order to keep up with seasonal service demands all you have to do is to outsource jobs to placement services. You can write a script for every customer service rep that is very easy to read. You can even hire high school graduates instead of hiring graduates by simply using a repetitive service formula that is quite simple to learn. Experts will advise that you search for a reputable outsourcing company where you can get professional service. An outsourcing firm will provide top quality compelling scripts and operators that will appease even the most difficult clients or customers – an inexperienced high school graduate may not have the skill to do this.
You can cut down on training costs by simply using well experienced customer service representatives to help train new employees. You can use a “shadowing system” and assign new group or team members to follow their well experienced colleagues as they expertly field customer service queries. When you outsource your customer service to a competent and reliable outsourcing firm, you will not have to worry about training new staff, leaving you with more than enough time to concentrate on your core business.
You can avoid new building expenses and the cost of renovation of old building by renting customer service space which was previously owned by a similar business. But the truth is how many buildings are previously owned by a business similar to yours? Agreed, it is a rather smart idea, but a much smarter idea is to employ the services of an outsourcing firm. You do not have to worry about renting an office space or buying expensive communication equipment or even hiring a professional customer service representative.
Make sure that you choose a reliable and competent outsourcing company for your customer outsourcing needs.
Daven Michaels

Outsource and Improve Your Bottom-Line

July 22nd, 2010
You do not have to be an experienced business man or woman in order to consider outsourcing. As a new entrepreneur, do you know that you can double your income and also reduce your stress levels by one-third before the end of the year when you begin to outsource work? That is indeed a great incentive, don’t you think so?
Just think about it, outsourcing makes sense and those who don’t outsource the work may find that their business is not growing as much as they would like because of;
a. Lack of systems and procedures put in place – it is not uncommon for businesses not to have operational procedures put in place for other people to follow.
b. Poor planning – most business owners do not just plan ahead and allow others to do the work.
c. The “I can handle it myself ” syndrome – most times business owners clearly insist on handling everything themselves, even if there is someone else who can do it far better, cheaper and faster.
d. Poor preparation – a lot business owners are not organized enough to assign tasks to someone else.
A lot of business owners make it even harder on themselves by putting roadblocks in their own way in order to stop them from outsourcing! They convince themselves that:
a. They do not have the time to train outsourcing persons
b. They do not have enough cash to think of even hiring an outsourcing partner
But the truth is that these two roadblocks will be resolved as soon as business owners take care of the third roadblock which happens to be:
c. They have not developed a “criteria sheet” of what they would want they want the outsourcing partner to do for them.
The Tactics Used for Resolving the Roadblocks
· Business owners will need to clarify why outsourcing is really required for their business. For instance, they may want to reduce their long hours or maybe they might not be so good with numbers and will need someone to balance their books every quarter, etc
· As a business owner, you will need to confirm what area of your business you would love to outsource first. Experts recommend that you start with easy tasks such as bookkeeping.
· Make sure that you really commit to the time that will be needed to train them to complete outsourced tasks.
As soon as you start outsourcing to a competent and reliable firm, you will really be amazed at the many advantages and the increase in your bottom-line.
Daven Michaels

Outsourcing Call Center Tips – Part 2

July 22nd, 2010
Choosing an Outsourcing Firm
There are a number of factors that will need to be considered before you make up your mind to finally choose an outsourcing company. The following are the necessary tips that you will need in order to successfully choose a call center outsourcing firm:
· You can start by opening a bidding process and also accept as much bids as you possibly can so as to be able to choose the best company from the really good ones.
· Make sure that you carry out some research in order to know the backgrounds of the bidding agents or companies you are thinking of hiring.
· You will of course need to place premium on the firms that have the necessary credibility, experience and good track record.
· Make sure that you search for a firm with the necessary technological facilities such as having the most relevant and modern call center equipment and software.
· Make sure that you select a company with top quality operators.
· Yes, a reputable company may actually charge more but are far better than a firm that charges a minimal rate but have a “reputation” for offering very poor services.
· The contract should of course be satisfactory to both parties and you should both agree on performance conditions.
Offering customer service is an incredible helpful way of making sure that your business grows. But when an organization makes the decision of outsourcing telephony customer services, it is extremely important that they take the necessary steps in order to get the right firm to provide this service. When you are outsourcing your company’s call center services, it really makes sense to first settle on the key reason for wanting to provide this service. A clear goal for the provision of a specific customer service will serve as a guide for hiring the right outsourcing company that will deliver pure quality service.
Important Tip
It is important to understand that there are a lot of call center outsourcing firms out there, and a lot of them will offer to handle your call center needs at a minimal cost. The mistake that a lot of companies make is that they think that the more affordable an outsourcing firm is, the poorer their services – wrong! There are a lot of call center outsourcing firms that charge very little and deliver nothing but top quality services.
Daven Michaels

Outsourcing Call Center Tips – Part 1

July 22nd, 2010
In spite of the acknowledged usefulness of call centers, not every company, organization or agency can afford to have an in-house customer call center. The reason for this may be due to the high cost of employing and training agents and operators or the lack of necessary space for all the pertinent technology based marketing tools.
For a lot of businesses that cannot have their very own technology driven customer service division, outsourcing their call center services will of course be a superb way to generate sales, thanks to the provision of the necessary customer support service.
Are you making the decision to outsource your call center services? Well, if you have made up your mind to outsource a call center service, the decision of choosing a firm should be influenced by a variety of very important factors. The reason for this is that once an outsourcing company is hired or engaged, its activities will of course go a pretty long way to influence the success or failure of the hiring organization. You need to understand that poor call center service by an outsourcing company can really ruin all the benefits of any top marketing strategy.
What should I consider before outsourcing my call center needs? Before you choose a telephony service provider, as a business manager you must first and foremost decide what you want to benefit from employing the services of a telephony service. The basis for doing this may be to attract all the benefits of outbound and inbound calls or for simply gathering reliable data on client or customer needs and perceptions. Making a decision on the real object for needing to provide a technology based customer service will help you decide on the type of firm that has to be selected.
Different Types of Call Centers
Blended Call Centers – these are call centers that merge automatic call distribution for both outbound and inbound calls.
Contact Call Centers – these are call centers that easily assist the interaction with clients or customers through an array of media, including but certainly not limited to electronic mails (e-mails) and telephony.
Outbound Call Centers – these call centers that are basically used for reaching and calling out to potential clients and customers. It is a type of telemarketing.
Inbound Call Centers – These are call centers that are mainly or completely for responding to calls from clients or customers and providing the pertinent information to customers.
To be continued
Daven Michaels

Outsourcing Web Content

July 22nd, 2010
Are you finding it pretty difficult to keep updating your websites and blogs? Then, it may be time for you to outsource web content. It is no secret that outsourcing is very common in the Information Technology (IT) world. Web masters are known to hire freelance writers in order to write content for them – pretty much like ghost writers.
You can outsource web content especially if you have a lot of blogs and websites that you want to update all the time. You need to choose your writers very carefully and here’s how.
You will need to first determine what type of web content you want to outsource. A freelance writer can easily help you with different types of articles. You can easily outsource the following web content:
· Product reviews
· Article rewriting
· Tutorials
· Press releases
· Editing
· News reporting
Write out the qualifications of the writer needed for the work. Maybe you would really like to outsource the job to a copywriter, technical writer, pet lover, entertainment blogger, etc. Ensure that you decide whether you would prefer well experienced outsourced writer(s) or you would not mind if the person can string sentences together as long as it makes sense? Experts advise that you employ the services of a reputable outsourcing company where you are sure of top notch service all the time.
Check your budget, make sure that you know how many articles that you want and how much you can afford to pay for each one. The truth is that low rates usually attract non-professional and inexperienced writers – that said, there are still a lot of well educated and superb writers who charge a minimal fee per article. Not everyone can afford to pay about $10 per article, but if you keep looking you will find quality outsourcing firms that will provide top quality write-ups at a minimal cost.
You will need to decide on how much material you will provide the writer. You can make a list of titles, keywords and references if you will be furnishing the writer with those. Or you can simply leave these up to the writer(s) which will, of course, mean a lot of work for them.
When you outsource web content to a reliable and competent writer or outsourcing company you will not have to worry about plagiarism, typographical errors, grammar structure and any other thing that would make an article seem like something written by a two year old.
Daven Michaels

For more info on outsourcing companies in the Philippines click here 

Telemarketing Services Outsourcing Tips

July 22nd, 2010
Do you want to increase your business’ bottom line? Then, outsourcing your telemarketing tasks can be a really good way. The telemarketing business is full of pretty good call centers that you can choose from, so you have to make sure that you choose the most suitable – well, it is also no secret that India or the Philippines have the majority of offshore call centers. Before you finally decide to choose a telemarketing outsourcing company, it is important that you know a little bit about the country where you plan to outsource your telemarketing service. Ensuring that you consider your target market is one of the most important things.
India is a country that was once colonized by the British Empire for a pretty long time and the Philippines was colonized greatly by the United States. So, if you are targeting customers or clients in the United States, it sure makes a lot of sense to choose the Philippines for your telemarketing services. If your target clients or customers are in the United Kingdom, you can consider India to handle the telemarketing services. But there are a whole lot of Indians who can easily handle the American market if given the opportunity to do so.
After choosing the country you are comfortable with, then the next thing you will need to do is to choose a firm which, of course, will be very familiar with the target market. Then, you will need to speak with your management team or telemarketers, because the management team in the end will really impact the results of your marketing campaign. You need to understand that the more involved you are, the better the results you will get.
Here are just a couple of basic steps you will need to take before outsourcing telemarketing services:
· Make double sure that the company that you choose is really familiar with the goals that you are trying your best to accomplish.
· Search for only those telemarketers who have adequate call center experience. You can give the inexperienced ones a chance if you are impressed with their performance during the interview process.
· In order to make sure that your marketer has a neutral accent and very strong English speaking ability, you have to make sure that you chat with your marketer as much as you possibly can.
· So that you end up receiving good results from a telemarketing firm, make sure that you train your telemarketer like an in-house employee – that is, if you have the time.

Boosting Sales with Outsourced Telemarketers

August 16th, 2010
Okay, the main reason you started your business in the first place is to make good proceeds, and there are some times when you have to shell out good money in order to generate good leads but to no avail. These days, many people are poster, flier and even billboard blind. Because a whole lot of people are very busy making ends meet, they really never have the time to watch TV ads, and when they do find time to watch television, they usually get up and go to the kitchen to fix a snack or get something whenever an ad comes on. Outsourced telemarketers have very effective ways to get prospective customers or clients to know about and buy your goods and or services.
You need to understand that there is no way a television ads, leaflets, billboards and posters are going to respond to questions from potential clients or customers – especially if you sell novelty products just like the ones on NBC’s new television show “Outsourced”– customers will DEFINITELY have loads of questions. As a great option to running an in-house telemarketing department, why not take advantage of outsourcing? If you take advantage of outsourcing your telemarketing when your business is still quite new and still growing, you will be glad you did. Like the characters on the show “outsourced”, there are many young, smart and intelligent outsourced telemarketers in reputable outsourcing centers in the Philippines.

Here are some of the great advantages of outsourcing your telemarketing:
· Outsourced telemarketers are known for their abilities to help boost sales. Many reputable telemarketing outsourcing companies ONLY provide well experienced sale persons who are very aware that their own success basically depends on their utmost dedication and expertise in getting the job “well done” for clients.
· If you are only interested in getting results from your sales department, then the best thing you can do is to outsource your telemarketing. Reputable outsourcing firms only hire and choose a telemarketing team that will be perfect for your project. Do you honestly want to go through the hassles of recruiting and training a telemarketing team yourself? Didn’t think so.
· You also no longer have to put up with silly excuses that some employees take their sweet time to come up with and you also do not have to worry about being slammed with a law suit by some bitter employee who is just looking for a way to get back at you for giving him or her the axe – even though they deserved it.
Daven Michaels

Choosing an Outsourced Partners

August 16th, 2010
How to Successfully Choose an Outsourced Partner
A lot of businesses are looking for effective ways that they can cut down costs – especially if the business is still very new. One of the smart and common ways to cut down the cost of running your business is by identifying the business processes and department that incur too many expenses. After you have done this, many business managers identify firms outside the company who can successfully do all of the required tasks at lower costs. This is known simply as “outsourcing” – outsourced partners do company tasks at lower costs without compromising on the quality of work.
In order to choose an outsourced partner who is great at handling your company’s outsourcing needs, follow these guidelines:
· Ensure that you clearly identify the needs and motivation for a really successful outsourcing partnership. This will of course involve cost cutting and quality control measures.
· Make sure that you take some time to check out the alternatives that are available in the market – a good way of doing this is by investigating what other businesses have done in similar situations. This will give you a good idea of what kind of outsourcing company you can hope to get the best results from.
· You should check out the top industry players and make up your mind as to which outsourced partners will help you in furthering your business strategies and the type of value that the outsourced partner can add to your business.
· You also need to make sure that you run a background check on the would-be outsourced partner(s). It is important that you do this, especially if you want to find out what kind of reputation the outsourcing firm you are thinking of working with.
· You should also figure out some kind of standard for recognizing an outsourced partner that you can trust to effectively handle all your outsourcing needs. Pick the BEST method of getting potential outsourcing partner interested in working with you. The common methods are tendering and of course, bidding.
· Ensure that you get the prospective outsourcing partners to inform you about the kind of services that they are capable of providing that your in-house staff will be incapable of providing.
· You should match the professional background of every prospective outsourcing partner against the standard that you set. You should then choose the most competent and efficient outsourcing partner and work with them.
Daven Michaels


Outsourced Call Center Service – Good or Bad Idea?

August 16th, 2010
Of course it is a great idea to outsource your call center service! Before we go to the reasons why some people think that outsourced call centers are a bad idea, let’s first take a look at the benefits of outsourcing your call center service:
· You do not have to shell out money every couple of months in order to invest in the latest telecommunication systems. In case you do not know this, these equipments do not come cheap and I am sure you have other plans that need financing. The outsourced call center service worries about getting state of the art facilities and providing top quality service – your job is to expect results.
· Worrying about employees shirking their responsibilities will be history and you will also not worry about firing an employee for incompetence yourself (most business owners absolutely HATE doing this). Outsourcing companies only hire people who are ready and willing to work and if they have to fire an employee, you will not be the one to give him or her the axe (Yay!)
· Why should you pay for an extra office space for your call center services when you do not have to worry about this and still get top quality service?
· Do you honestly want worry about paying someone who has the habit of calling in sick just because he/she felt like sleeping in after having one too many drinks?! With outsourcing call center services, you will never have to worry about paying employment insurance, staff compensation, and retirement benefits. Outsourced cal center employees are generally dedicated to doing their jobs.
Some people think that outsourcing call center service is a bad idea because:
Accents! Accents!! Did I mention Accents?!
Oh please! Many of us have had the experience of speaking to a person over the phone in a call center in the Philippines or India and most times, we are not able to tell the difference! I’m sure you must have viewed the trailer of the upcoming NBC TV show “Outsourced” where one of the employees at a top Indian based call center service mimicked an American accent PERFECTLY! He even said the word “corndog” the way an American would say it.
Geez, there are so many talented outsourced call center employees that will do a great job answering question from customers, taking orders and so on. So stop hating! Wake up and smell outsourced call center services.
Daven Michaels

Outsourced Customer Service – What You Need to Know

August 16th, 2010
It is definitely no secret that many businesses are outsourcing their customer services abroad – no wonder there is an NBC television series titled “outsourced”.
Many companies are beginning to invest in offshore call centers so as to take advantage of untapped labor. The great news is that you can successfully outsource your company’s customer service department as long as you know exactly what you are doing – simply follow the tested and trusted steps.
You need to understand that outsourced customer service employees will help reduce the expenses that you would otherwise incur if you ran an in-house call center. If you are a manufacturer of popular products, you will definitely not be surprised at the increase in traffic during the holiday season – so, you will be needing help.
Are you worried about accents? (Of course you should be, especially if you are outsourcing to a country where the native language is not English) But truthfully, you should not worry about this; outsourced customer service operators usually speak well.
Top experts will always advice you to hire a reputable outsourcing company, because you know for a fact you will be getting professional service. If you watched the trailer for the NBC television show “outsourced”, you will notice how well a young Indian “faked” an American accent perfectly!
The Philippines is the number one call center destination for those who want to outsource their customer care services to employees who understand the American culture very well. A reputable outsourcing firm will provide best quality compelling scripts. Many outsourced call center operators are very well trained and will be able to convince or appease even the most difficult customer(s) – an in-house customer care operator who lacks the necessary skill may not be able to stand irritating or angry customers (we all know what this means, don’t we?)
When you outsource your customer care to a reputable and competent offshore outsourcing company, you do not have to deal with the hassles of training new staff – this will leave you with the time to concentrate on your core business.
You also do not have to shell out money to purchase EXPENSIVE communication equipment.
Another great thing about outsourced customer service operators is that you do not have to put up with annoying excuses made up by many employees in order to miss work such as:
· The traffic is murder! – Translation: I woke up late
· I am so sick, I think I am gonna die – Translation: I went out drinking and just need to sleep in.
Daven Michaels

Save Time and Money with Outsourced Virtual Assistants

August 16th, 2010
These days, the word outsourcing is viewed in a whole new light, maybe it’s because of the new NBC TV show “outsourced”. Well, you do not have to own a company that manufactures novelty goods in order to enjoy the benefits of outsourcing.
If you run a small or large business and you need to get certain tasks done, outsourced virtual assistants (also fondly referred to as VA’s) will be of great help to you.
Here are just some of the benefits that outsourced VA’s can offer you:
· They only charge you ONLY for the amount of time that they have spent working for you.
· Virtual assistants will use their own equipments and stuff – you do not have to shell out money to buy a new headset, monitor, software etc.
· You do not have to deal with paying sick workers (who may or may not be actually sick), employee compensation, retirement funds, and employment insurance.
· You can kiss agency fees goodbye. Temping agencies usually charge a fee in order to work with them.
· You can take advantage of the time zone differences. While you are sleeping your virtual assistant is working you.
· Thankfully, you also do not have to worry about footing the training cost for specialized skill, why? Because outsourced virtual assistants are already well trained.
Here are just some of the tasks that outsourced virtual assistants can carry out effectively:
i. They can add press pages to your company’s web site – if your company’s site doesn’t have a press page, then add a press page now! Outsourced VA’s can even create a press page and go on to add links to the articles that feature your business on a day to day or weekly basis – it’s your call.
ii. You can also delegate the responsibility of the distribution of your company’s articles and press releases to variety of directories to your virtual assistant. You of course know that it is important to write articles and press releases on a regular basis, but writing these articles and press releases will not mean squat if they are not read by the right audience. Outsourced virtual assistants will help you distribute them to various directories online.
iii. Virtual assistants can help translate your website to another language. For instance, if you are doing business with Spanish speaking people, a virtual assistant who is very fluent in Spanish can translate your website into Spanish.
Daven Michaels

What Outsourced Telemarketers Can Offer You

August 16th, 2010
Most business owners are well aware of the fact that telemarketing is indeed one of the most affordable and professional ways of getting more business.
If you go on to outsource your telemarketing services, you will definitely notice that it is a successful way of connecting with lots and lots of prospective customers and client than you can meet one on one. Competent outsourced telemarketers offer successful lead generation and help boost the sales of goods and or services at a much more affordable price.
Here are top 2 ways an outsourced telemarketers can do for your business:
i. Help keep Costs Down
It sure makes a lot of sense to save good money on running your business and thankfully you can do this by simply do outsourcing your telemarketing. Instead of paying for an office space to accommodate in-house telemarketers, outsourced telemarketers work from a call center – this way, you will not have to worry about renting an office space. You do not have to worry about spending money purchasing or replacing furniture for the office. You will save loads of cash on buying office stationery, equipment and so on.
ii. Expand Your Business
One of the smart things to do is to outsource your telemarketing to a firm that employs the services of well trained telemarketers who understand not just the American culture but other cultures as well. For example, the NBC television series show, “Outsourced” where the outsourced customer service operators learn and understand the American culture. Another way to reach different people from all across the globe is to hire an outsourcing firm that hires the services of telemarketers from different parts of the world. If you have plans for expanding your business the way it was done a couple of years back, it is going to cost you an arm or leg. Well, the way it was done a couple of years ago involved opening branches of your business in various parts of the world which will involve the following:
· Renting office spaces
· Training staff
· Salaries
· Benefits
· Insurance etc.
Outsourced telemarketers usually get paid for the number of hours they work. And many of them know how to effectively sell your products to customers from all over the world and many reputable outsourcing firms also come up with effective ways to market your products and or services to customers in not just the English language but also in their native dialect as well.
Daven Michaels


Why Should I Use Outsourced Employees?

August 16th, 2010
Have you wondered why on earth you need to use outsourced employees? Or you are simply wondering when it is the right time to outsource? Well, the best time you should consider using outsourced employees is when you or your in-house employees really need to take out some quality time to clearly focus on very important business processes, other not-so-important but critical business functions can be successfully taken care of by the (reputable) outsourced company. So, a really good time to seriously think about outsourcing work is when you need to do the following:
· Gain access to world class professional services
· If you are seriously looking for an affordable way to successfully complete office tasks or business processes, in a really quick and effective way.
· If you clearly don’t have the funds to invest in additional or state of the art equipments, software, technology and so on.
· If you feel it is a lot more affordable to have someone else do the work instead of doing it in-house.
· If the job or functions can be done cheaper in-house, but doing this completely drains resources which is very useful somewhere else.
· If the work process is one that you or your staff – as a matter of fact – don’t derive pleasure doing. Many outsourced employees effectively carryout those tasks that many business people do not find pleasurable to do.
· If the expertise required for a specific job is so specialized that it is not at all practical to let a regular employee do it.
· If one of your staff took a vacation or has to leave the office often or if you need to take a vacation or have to be constantly out of the office.
· If you require short-term assistance with projects
· If you just need brief assistance until you get to hire new staff.
“I would love to outsource to my call center service, but I am worried about what people would stay, I just watched the trailer of NBC television series ‘Outsourced’ and some people where really not so thrilled because they think that outsourcing is bad for the American economy”
Whether you choose to believe it or not, everybody in America outsources work! And who told you that outsourcing is bad for the economy? You obviously have not read my article titled “Is Outsourcing Good for America? Oh Hell Yeah!”
Daven Michaels

Choosing an Outsourcing Country – China and India

August 26th, 2010
Let’s cut straight to the chase
China
Yes, it may seem unlikely but in the recent years, China is a nation that is fast becoming one of the top countries that supply offshore software outsourcing this is because of China’s incredible development rate. Even though India is presently the top leader in software outsourcing provider on the planet; right now, China is doing everything it possibly can in order to take over from India so that they can be the top leading player in software outsourcing. Some experts have even predicted that China will one day become one of the top three countries for outsourced software.
Many companies are even beginning to plan their offshore techniques in order to advantage of China’s emerging strength as a top outsourcing country. This plan also includes searching for different methods to take advantage of this country’s present software strengths. There are some assessments that suggest that China’s outsourcing industry could even give India a run for its money as the top outsourced country in the information technology service market.
As a matter of fact, the recent flood of activities that placed China right on the outsourcing world map came as a result of the following:
· Government’s support and promotion
· Japan’s decision to move most of its software development processes to China
· And because some large foreign organizations set u R&D centers in China
India
It is no secret that this country is well known for its outsourcing industry – there is even a television show on NBC titled “Outsourced” which feature outsourced employees in an American owned business customer care service in India. India is a nation that that is known for a labor force with the following qualities:
· English speaking
· Affordable
· Highly skilled
· Educated
This country also boasts of the following:
· World class Information Technology and networking facilities
· Friendly laws
· Well paid taxes
· A somewhat stable political environment
· World class certified software companies.
India’s offshore outsourcing industry is really growing industry and has produced lots of success stories that sure makes India a really popular offshore outsourced country for Information Technology related work and of course Business Process Outsourcing (also popularly known as BPO) services too.
Please Note:
If you are searching for an outsourcing country to handle your customer care services, it is important that you choose an outsourcing nation that totally understands the American culture. India is wonderful when it comes to outsourcing technology related work projects but if you want to capture the American market with your customer service, consider the Philippines, because they clearly understand the American culture.
Daven Michaels

Choosing an Outsourcing Country – The Philippines

August 26th, 2010
Offshore outsourcing is known as the practice of employing the services of an outsourced firm to carryout a couple of business activities in a country other than the nation where the products and or services will be sold. Outsourcing has truly grown at a really fast pace, thanks to the development in the following:
· Modern satellite
· Internet technology
· Better connectivity
· A stable search for affordable labor in order to reduce expenses and achieve competitive advantage.
When a business employs the services of outsourced employees from less expensive countries such as the Philippines, India, Malaysia, China to handle its back office and other business functions; the company can cut down on labor costs and of course have the time to concentrate on its core competencies and thus provide better customer satisfaction.
According to a reliable report, the United States companies have saved about 8 billion dollars – all thanks to taking advantage of outsourcing to a top outsourcing country like the Philippines. There are many developing countries recognized for their outsourcing industries, and are patronized by developed countries such as the United States.
The Philippines
One of the great things about this country is its people. An average Filipino is well educated and speaks fluent English – If you are an American business owner, you will definitely want outsourced employees who speak impeccable English. Outsourced employees from the Philippines are known to be quite excellent particularly in front office operations such as sales and customer service.
The Philippines is a nation that has a really massive pool of productive, multi-skilled and teachable labor force. A large number of Filipino outsourcing firms will only employ staffs that are highly qualified for a variety of outsourcing responsibilities. There are many American owned companies in the Philippines.
If you are seriously searching for an offshore outsourcing company that will certainly provide you with outsourced employees that know their onions when it comes to effectively handling work activities such as telemarketing targeted at customers or clients in the United States, you will need to choose employees who speak impeccable English. A reputable outsourcing company will ONLY hire employees who will successfully meet all your needs for your telemarketing department.
Please note
It is important for prospective customers or clients to hear a telemarketer clearly – this way, they (prospective customers) will be able to understand the kind of products and or services that you offer.
Daven Michaels 

Outsourcing is Good for America – Seriously!

August 26th, 2010
Virtually everyone on the planet already knows that China has become a key importer of consumer and industrial goods. May be in a short time, India will do the same. Outsourcing has really stood the test of time. In the early 19th century, the US was actually a poor (yes, poor!) developing country. The European capital assisted in helping to finance the American railroads, canals and even helped to finance new factories while the labor force in the United States began to produce goods that successfully competed with European made goods.
Because the markets were quite open and also somewhat competitive, both the Americans and Europeans benefitted immensely from this process. Thankfully, employment creation and economic development took place on both sides of the Atlantic. At the moment, service providers outside the country prefer to use “American made” computers, equipment, software, and telecommunications. Top outsourcing countries also obtain monetary, legal and marketing services from the United States.
There are some job processes that cannot be outsourced because in these particular job functions, personal contact is very important. It will definitely take domestic companies to come up with new products and or services to meet the needs of local customers. You really need to understand that outsourcing is not going to be the ruin of America, as a matter of fact a lot of the people we work with consistently remain close by – do you have to travel to India in order to see a dentist when you have a tooth ache? Or do you have to travel to get a lawyer, doctor, plumber? etc.
You will definitely begin to notice that after sometime that more and more jobs will be created than outsourced in America. The United States is popular for its open labor market – this is a characteristic that is basic to our country’s economic vitality. Do you know that about a million employees are tired of their jobs or simply hand-in their resignation letter each week and an equal number is hired to take their place right away? Agreed, it is a lot harder to lay off workers in countries like Japan and Europe than in the United States. You also need to understand that many foreign companies still come to the United States in order to set up operations and hire Americans to work in these businesses.
So, do not be afraid to outsource business tasks to offshore countries.
Daven Michaels

Choosing A Country to Outsource to

August 26th, 2010
It is absolutely no secret that India is the country that comes straight to the mind when the word “outsourcing” is mentioned – there is even a new NBC television show titled “Outsourced”. The show is centered around a fictional company which has moved its customer service center to “India”.
When you choose to outsource, this will also mean sharing your business’ control and sometimes sensitive data with an outsourced firm. A lot of people simply see outsourcing as the best thing that has happened to the “business world”. Offshore outsourcing is known to assist in the effective use of resources, skills, investment and technology at an affordable rate. Well, according to the survey carried out by Goldman Sachs, since 2001 about 40,000 and 60,000 service division jobs have been moved offshore – they expect the number to rise in future.
Virtually anyone can outsource no matter how big or small your business is. When you choose to outsource, you basically get competitive edge without making any investment on infrastructure. Taking advantage of outsourcing is really the best option when you notice that you are losing focus on the main issues of your business because you spend most of your time on minor but necessary business facts.
The following countries are known for the competitive advantage they offer clients are:
· Philippines
· India
· China
· Canada
· Singapore
· Malaysia
· Brazil
· Kenya
· Czech Republic
· Poland
Yup, India is a country famous for its outsourcing industries as a matter of fact, “Outsourced” is not the only television show that features Indians and outsourcing centers. There are top Hollywood and Bollywood movies which feature characters that work for outsourcing businesses.
India is one of the top outsourcing countries that a lot of organizations seek when they need to outsource Information Technology tasks. India really stands out as a country that many people recognize but the truth is, if you are searching for an outsourcing country that totally understands the American culture, then you can consider choosing the Philippines. An average Filipino understands the American culture, you will be glad to know that they also have one of the best work ethics among the entire top outsourcing countries in the world.
Choosing a good outsourcing destination is the best thing you can do in order to have a pretty strong competitive edge – so, do not settle for any ole offshore outsourcing firm.
Daven Michaels