Words that “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result” are credited to the genius Albert Einstein. Even though there isn’t proof that he actually said that, the quote still stands. There’s no success with outsourcing your work through an e-commerce company if you don’t know how to choose the right partner.
So, what are the trending mistakes when choosing e-commerce outsourcing companies? What are the steps that lead to the wrong decisions? How can you learn to outsource your e-commerce company the right way and have more time to do what you want? We have the answers.
Business Owners Turn To Outsourcing for Many Reasons
A qualified third-party team that does a specific job in some industry, providing services such as customer support or inbound sales, is something more and more directors are turning to. For example, an incredible 92% of Forbes Global 2000 companies are using outsourcing services for their IT sector. Outsourcing offers a chance to reach financial goals much faster and win the race with the competition.
What Can Outsourcing E-commerce Companies Do for You?
You’ve probably heard something about how is outsourcing evolving. Statistics show that the future of outsourcing is promising. However, there are both negative and positive sides to this business practice, and you will find risks as well as challenges. Depending on your goals, you’re much more likely to thrive than to have a debacle if you know what you’re doing. Companies can build or grow their business, especially when it comes to e-commerce. You can find partners that can assist you with web development, digital marketing, content creation, accounting, customer service, and many more.
There Are Even More Benefits of E-commerce Outsourcing
It’s not only about the fact that this way of doing business saves time and money for the owner (and there’s less stress for them as well). There are even more answers to the question of why companies outsource – you might just want to focus on something you’re good at and let others handle the parts you’re not that passionate about. Or it could be the fact that your company developed so much that your team can no longer manage everything.
Highly skilled teams with high productivity whose primary goal is to focus on your business are the recipe for a successful e-commerce company. Especially if you were wondering how to prevent burnout while keeping up with the innovation trends in eCommerce that are numerous… almost like the Kardashians. The team you hire will have more flexibility for your demands and all types of customers so that you can avoid bad customer experience.
Highly skilled teams with high productivity whose primary goal is to focus on your business are the recipe for a successful e-commerce company
Don’t Forget That E-commerce Outsourcing Companies Have Cons as Well
Don’t jump to conclusions – outsourcing is great, but it’s not for everyone. Also, there are some things you should consider before hiring a partner that will do some work for you.
- Small businesses might not be suitable for outsourcing because of the cost coverage. Big companies with large revenues are safe, but outsourcing may come as more of an expense than a saving option if your income isn’t considerable.
- It can come to lack of consistency. If your brand is defined by now, and your employees are doing the business in a certain way, it might happen that your customers notice differences once someone else starts doing the job.
- Once you outsource work to someone external, you can also face a negative impact on your staff. The morale of your employees might fall, so you should be extra careful to prevent this scenario.
Be sure you do your homework and don’t close your eyes on some facts that might not go on your hand.
What Does It Mean to Look For E-commerce Outsourcing Companies?
If you want to have an e-commerce business but don’t want to struggle with learning (or you don’t have enough time) to do it right, you probably turned to outsourcing, as it is the recognized A-1 solution. But if you’ve tried that and failed, how can you know what went wrong? The mistake is probably in the fact that you chose a non-suitable e-commerce outsourcing company.
When you’re looking for an e-commerce outsourcing company, you’re searching for someone who can do the business just like you would want – with the expertise and the right skills to grow. To find that, you must know what to look for. We’re here to help by starting with stating the most common and often overlooked errors business owners make.
1. One of the Top Mistakes When Choosing E-commerce Outsourcing Companies Is Not Defining Your Concept
There are many eCommerce business roles that you can outsource. You might go through the best roles for outsourcing and choose what you will get help with, but more is needed if you wish to have a positive experience with outsourcing. Every outsourcing company has a domain that they cover, and they will need a clear concept of your goals so that they can be able to achieve them. Assuming that someone will read your mind and do the exact thing you imagined them to would not be that logical, right?
Focus On Being Crystal Clear With Your Needs and Expectations With Your E-commerce Outsourcing Company
When you decide to outsource, create a document that will include the concept of your company, your desired milestones, existing and possible problems, and your expectations. Try to be as precise as possible so that nothing can be lost in translation, and prevent any miscommunication. That way, when you start collaborating, you’ll be certain that your new team can and will benefit you.
2. Another Important Error with E-commerce Outsourcing Companies Is Overlooking the Location of the Company
There are many types of eCommerce business models, and depending on your needs and preferences, you might want to hire someone who isn’t in your time zone. For example, if you choose to work with European customers and you live in the US, you’ll require employees who are there or can work when they would usually sleep. Before hiring an outsourcing partner, ensure you know their working hours and if they can provide you with timely communication when you need them.
Another critical factor when it comes to the company’s location is that you won’t be able to have face-to-face meetings if you hire someone from another country or continent. If that’s something that will impact the progress of your business, be sure you know the physical location of your future digital partner.
3. Don’t Make Miscalculations When It Comes to Costs
Ok, so you’ve learned how to start an eCommerce business, you know how to choose the right eCommerce business model, and now outsourcing it looks tempting. If you’re considering it because it’s cost-effective and you’ve come to numbers, pay close attention.
Many companies can offer cheap services that might sound attractive, but then you might also have to deal with sales mistakes and other similar not-so-good interactions with customers. All of a sudden, you can find yourself learning how to handle customer complaints, and you really don’t have time for that. How did this happen? You overlooked the quality of the service because of the low price they offered.
Repeat after us – Quality over quantity must be a priority. Be wise when choosing who you will give your work to, and don’t prioritize a company just because of its low fees.
Quality over quantity must be a priority
E-Commerce Outsourcing Companies Might Also Have Hidden Fees
Clear communication regarding finances will save you from costs you didn’t know existed. Some outsourcing companies can overpay for their services, some will simply not mention which fees are included, and some have partners they share work with, and you don’t know about them. Once you receive a lengthy contract agreement, be sure you read everything, especially the fine print at the bottom. This is essential for planning your budget upfront and not getting ripped off.
4. Make Sure You Find a Company That Will Offer You Confidentiality
Honesty and transparency must be on your list of traits that a company should have before you sign an agreement. If you’re not sure you’re working with someone trustworthy, you might end up with a lack of control regarding the privacy of your clients or your own data protection. Confidentiality must exist between you and the company you’re sharing your information with, and a way to prevent that is to protect yourself with a contract that covers that area. Create an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) document with a lawyer and avoid any possible privacy issues and breaches.
5. The Reputation of the Company Is Crucial
Not every outsourcing company can be good for your business. Their market reputation is crucial, and you should do good research on previous experiences and testimonials. Make sure you check if the company you’re considering meets your criteria and whether they have some negative experience with previous clients. The trends in the future of eCommerce show that more and more customers will continue to be e-commerce users, and if your name is compromised by an outsourcing company, you can be in a lot of trouble.
Don’t Skip to Vibe Check With the E-commerce Outsourcing Company You’re Considering
Having an amazing company culture isn’t something that should be overlooked, especially if your brand has a personality that should be presented in a specific way. Your team’s customer service skills must be on point, and your outsourcing sector might even have ways to improve customer service that you didn’t know existed. To manage that, you must be certain that the outsourcing company you chose has a good culture, one that can pull through the particular vibe you’re heading for. Find a partner that shares the same values as you, and you’ll be on the right track.
Do Your Research and Consider Only the Best
To avoid looking for ways to improve outsourcing services, focus on finding the right outsourcing company. If you’re striving to get excellent customer service as a competitive advantage, or you’re interested in outsourcing your sales, e-commerce customer service, or gaming customer service, contact us. We’re here to provide you with a flexible, high-functioning team while you focus on your priorities at the moment. You’ll get a team of dedicated employees that will represent your brand just the way you want it. Discover the right third party and experience the pros of outsourcing.
