Why Do Companies Choose to Outsource Work?

Onyema Donald

Outsourcing is the newest trend in the business environment. The number of companies that have started outsourcing their services are on the rise. The good thing is that if done rightly, outsourcing can be a game changer for business owners.

Research shows that 64% of firms in the United States used outsourcing services in 2022. A further study by Clutch revealed that 27% of small businesses use outsourcing for IT services, 24% use outsourcing for digital marketing (24%) and 23% outsource legal services.

With these huge numbers, people are asking "Why do companies choose to outsource work?" This article will explain to you in full details the top reasons why companies will choose to outsourcing their work, instead of hiring an in-house staff to the the job.

Outsource Definition: What is Outsourcing?

Outsourcing can simply be defined as the process of getting help from outside experts or companies to do certain tasks instead of doing them yourself.

Imagine a small manufacturing company that has been handling its accounting tasks internally for several years.

As the company grows, they discovered that it is becoming difficult and time-consuming to manage financial records, payroll, and tax filing at the same time. The staff members responsible for accounting are stretched thin and struggling to keep up with the workload.

In this situation, the company's management decides to outsource their accounting services to a specialized accounting firms.

So what are the key reasons why the manufacturing company decided to outsource accounting services? The next paragraph will explain it carefully.

Why Do Companies Outsource Their Work?

Here are the major reasons why companies outsource their work:

1. Cost Reduction and Efficiency Improvement

One of the primary reasons companies opt for outsourcing is the potential for cost reduction and efficiency improvement. In-house operations can be expensive since they involve overhead costs such as salaries, benefits, office space, and equipment.

When companies outsource non-core functions, they can often obtain the same services at a lower cost, particularly when outsourcing to countries with lower labor costs.

For instance, customer support and call center services are frequently outsourced to countries like India and the Philippines, where skilled labor is available at a fraction of the cost in developed economies. This cost-saving advantage allows companies to reallocate funds to other critical areas of their business, such as research and development, marketing, or expansion.

Moreover, outsourcing can enhance efficiency by tapping into specialized expertise. Outsourcing providers often possess a deep knowledge of specific domains, enabling them to complete tasks more efficiently and effectively. This expertise can lead to improved quality, which will benefit the company's bottom line.

2. Focus on Core Competencies

Companies often have limited personnel and capital resources. Outsourcing non-core functions allows them to concentrate on their core competencies – the activities that differentiate them from competitors and drive their success.

By offloading tasks like IT support, payroll processing, or logistics to external experts, companies can free up internal resources and management attention for strategic endeavors.

For example, a technology company specializing in software development may choose to outsource its IT infrastructure management to a specialized service provider. This allows the company's engineers to focus exclusively on software development, enhancing product quality and innovation.

3. Access to Global Talent Pool

Outsourcing opens the door to a global talent pool. Companies can benefit from several skills and expertise that may not be readily available within their local workforce. This access to a broader talent pool can also benefit the industries that require specialized knowledge.

For instance, pharmaceutical companies may outsource clinical trials to contract research organizations (CROs) with extensive experience in drug development and regulatory compliance.

These CROs often have access to a network of skilled professionals and can conduct trials in various countries, expediting the drug development process.

Additionally, outsourcing can help companies quickly adapt to changing market demands. If a sudden surge in customer demand occurs, an e-commerce company can outsource order fulfillment to third-party logistics providers, ensuring timely deliveries without the need for substantial in-house infrastructure investments.

4. Risk Mitigation

Outsourcing can be a valuable risk mitigation strategy for companies. When specific functions are outsourced, the associated risks are often transferred to the service provider. This includes risks related to compliance, legal issues, and market fluctuations.

For example, companies may choose to outsource legal services to law firms that specialize in various areas of corporate law. These firms are responsible for staying updated on changing regulations and ensuring the company's compliance. This will help the company to avoid any legal issues that they could face as a result of not following the rules.

Additionally, outsourcing can help companies navigate economic uncertainties. In tough economic times, some companies might decide to outsource some of their tasks to outsourcing companies so they can stay flexible and spend less money on fixed costs. If market conditions improve, they can scale up their operations more easily by leveraging their outsourcing partners.

5. Scalability and Flexibility

Lastly, outsourcing provides companies with scalability and flexibility. Business needs can fluctuate over time, and outsourcing allows for rapid adjustments to match those fluctuations. Companies can easily scale up or down their outsourced operations to align with market demand and changing circumstances.

For instance, a software development company may decide to outsource its customer support during product launches to handle increased customer inquiries.

Once the initial surge subsides, they can scale down the outsourced support team accordingly, avoiding the burden of maintaining a full-time in-house support staff.

Furthermore, outsourcing can provide a level of flexibility that would be challenging to achieve with an entirely internal workforce.

When a company outsources to another company, they can make a contract that lets them make changes as needed. This means they can adjust what needs to be done, how well it's done, and how much they pay, so it fits their changing needs.

Why Do Companies Choose to Outsource Work?

Outsourcing Accounting Services

Accounting is not left out in the conversation about outsourcing. According to Clutch, 37% of businesses outsource their accounting services to accounting firms.

Outsourcing accounting services means hiring another company or professionals outside of your own organization to handle your financial record-keeping, bookkeeping, tax preparation, accounts payable, and other financial tasks.

Instead of having an in-house accountant, you "outsource" these responsibilities to experts who can do the work remotely, often saving you time and money.

How Much Does It Cost To Outsource Accounting?

There is no specific cost of outsourcing accounting services since there are different niche in accounting and each niche has its own function.

Therefore, the cost of outsourcing accounting services depends on several factors, including the difficulty of your needs, the size of your business, and the location and expertise of the accounting firm.

Generally, outsourcing accounting services can range from $500 to $5000 per month, depending on the size of the firm. It's best to obtain quotes from different accounting firms to get a more accurate estimate tailored to your specific requirements.

Risks Related to Outsourcing

Here are 10 risks associated with outsourcing:

You might have less say in how tasks are done.
Outsourced work may not meet your quality standards.
Sharing data can lead to breaches or leaks.
Contracts may have unexpected fees.
Relying heavily on partners can be risky.
Language and time zone differences can cause issues.
Differing work cultures can hinder cooperation.
International locations may pose compliance challenges.
Outsourcing may limit your ability to innovate.
Poorly managed outsourcing can harm your company's image.

Conclusion: Why Do Companies Choose to Outsource Work?

Companies choose to outsource work because of several reasons ranging from trying to save cost to getting more time to focus on core business functions.

If you think that you can't handle your tasks anymore as your business grows, you can outsource it to trusted outsourcing companies online or near you. It will save you the money you should have used to hire, train and buy equipments for a new staff.