One of the reasons some businesses choose to not utilise outsourcing is that they fear they’ll lose control of the operations that they send out for outsourcing accounting work.
Identifying Common Fears
If losing control of a key process is something that you’ve taken under serious consideration you’re not alone.
This survey of 3,300 business leaders identified that same worry as an obstacle in 44% of people and businesses that were considering using outsourced workers.
It makes sense – in order to reap the many benefits found when outsourcing accounting work you’re going to have to ship off not just information, but indeed a core function of what your firm is built on. How are you supposed to keep track of where a particular file is in its process if you can’t have eyes on it at any time you choose?
When you have the file physically in front of you (or in front of one of your in-house staff) not only are you able to maintain operational control, but you’re also able to perform spot-checks for quality control at any time.
You can’t possibly expect to maintain the same control and quality when shipping work overseas, can you?
Maintaining Quality and Control While Outsourcing Accounting Work
The truth is that business leaders find that they’re actually able to increase the control they exert over their processes that are sent overseas.
How? Because by sending out the basic work (compliance, basic bookkeeping, and so on) CEOs are able to get a bird’s eye view – they’re no longer in the trenches, so to speak.
You’re now no longer stuck with investigating the quality and progress of any one file – you can now measure all of the files’ progress as set against the benchmarks that you implement.
In other words, by outsourcing accounting work you’re no longer performing quality control of one individual file, you’re performing quality control on your processes as a whole.
You are now in fact performing quality control on your business itself, upping the quality you offer to all of your clients instead of crossing T’s and dotting I’s on one solitary file at a time.
Offer Your Clients More
Aside from an improvement in overall quality of existing services, there are two additional ways that outsourcing are going to enhance your client relations.
First, when you are outsourcing accounting work you’re investing in a deep and wide pool of talented and certified workers who are up to speed on accounting services that you might not be currently offering to your clients.
That means that essentially all you have to do to increase your menu of services is A) let your overseas manager know what service you’re looking to add and B) learning what information you have to collect for your overseas team.
You’re now able to offer your clients more services, keeping more of their work under one roof. The more ways you’re able to please them, the more reasons they’ll have to recommend you to others.
Second, outsourcing accounting work can free up a tremendous amount of time, leaving you able to both tackle the more complex problems your clients may have and also to spend more face time with them.
You’re Always in Charge
All of the work overseas doesn’t happen in a vacuum. You will have an overseas manager assigned to your firm. It’s their job to be your representative in maintaining your control over the work done on your behalf.
They’re always available for communication, and it is in fact encouraged that you set up a routine schedule of meetings (how often you have these meetings is up to you).
Outsourcing accounting work isn’t a way to lose control of your processes – it’s a method for gaining more quality control than you’ve ever enjoyed before.
