‘Jack of all trades’ is a figure of speech that can be applied to the practices of some businesses. On its own, it’s far from a negative comment, but it’s often followed by ‘master of none’, an idiom most businesses wouldn’t want levelled against their company.
It can be used to describe a business that tries to deal with everything ‘in house’ with staff who are often overworked as they attempt to deal with wide-ranging responsibilities themselves and can lead to things being missed, which is what often gets mislabeled 'bad service' from outside the company, when really, the service is very good but juggling too many balls. Sometimes one drops.
Is there a solution then that allows staff to feel in control and be proactive in delivering great service, rather than bouncing from pillar to post in a reactive manner and not being able to look beyond fighting the next fire? How about outsourcing?
Why do businesses choose not to outsource?
- Lack of understanding:
Businesses can sometimes be unaware of exactly what can be outsourced (for example Restore's secure shredding service can securely destroy branded products) and they’re not sure where or how to find an appropriate partner.
- Misconceptions about price:
A lazy assumption is that outsourcing is a needless expense; however, the cost to your business of tasks not being completed properly can be much greater.
- Misconceptions about trust:
A similarly lazy assumption is that if you want something done properly, do it yourself. But using trusted, accredited businesses, who are experts in their field is a much more reliable way to manage your business needs.
Why is not outsourcing certain business elements a poor decision?
- Wasted time:
To borrow another cliché ‘time is money’ if your employees are spending time on non-critical activities then business-critical time is being wasted.
- Less professional performance:
Every business has their area of expertise including your potential outsourcing partner. Staff with no experience will undoubtedly not perform certain tasks to the same level as an experienced, qualified employee of a potential outsourcing partner.
- Legal compliance:
Laws like the Data Protection Act dictate that some files and documents need to be disposed of in a certain manner; outsourcing to a knowledgeable partner would ensure your business remains compliant with all laws and regulations.
- ID theft or fraud:
Improper disposal of documents and files can also lead to other worrying things like identity fraud or identity theft. Again, outsourcing to a knowledgeable partner would ensure your business’ confidential documents are stored or destroyed securely.
In summary, while it can be tempting to keep everything in-house, doing so carries with it unnecessary risk. Restore can be the perfect partner for your business when it comes to storage, scanning, shredding and more.
Call us on 0808 278 6934 to explore what we can do help your business run more productively and efficiently.