65 Outsourcing Resources and Guides to Growing Your Business

Carol Soriano
Business and Outsourcing News
13 min readSep 17, 2015

Outsourcing has been continuously growing as a popular and effective business strategy used to achieve growth and efficiency. More and more companies around the world are realizing its benefits and are capitalizing on them to improve business performance. This comprehensive list of outsourcing articles will tell you everything you need to know to help you decide whether this strategy is for you.

What is Outsourcing?

Simply put, outsourcing is a business strategy that involves the farming out of tasks to a third party provider, whether the latter is located within the same country or not. Companies who wish to outsource some of their business processes must first understand exactly what it means to them and what their reasons are for doing so.

1. 4 Ways Outsourced Employees are Better than In-House

Experts share some of the reasons how outsourced employees provide more benefits to companies compared to in-house employees, including lower costs and access to specialized skills among others.

2. 4 Reasons Your Company is Overspending by Managing Your Call Center In-House

Matt West of NPI shares some of the difficulties involved in managing an in-house call center and how these can be alleviated by outsourcing contact center solutions.

3. Market Research: Why is it Better Outsourced?

Because market research provides many benefits to companies, it is necessary to partner with an experienced outsourcing company that can do the job and add more value to your business.

4. How do you know when to outsource your customer service department?

It’s important for business owners to realize when their current services aren’t working and when it’s time to rely on contact center outsourcing.

5. 3 Ways Your Customer Service is Improved by Outsourcing

Outsourcing helps businesses improve and maintain quality customer service and this article tells you how.

6. Why Do Companies Outsource?

This article provides the common reasons why companies decide to outsource.

7. What is Outsourcing and How Does it Actually Work, Anyway..?

This article provides a quick breakdown of what outsourcing means and how it works.

8. What is Outsourcing?

This article defines outsourcing and provides the seven steps to take in order to make it effective.

9. OTTP002 — What is Business Process Outsourcing and How Does it Actually Work?

Learn about outsourcing from the full transcription of the second session of Chris Ducker’s Outsource to the Philippines podcast.

10. Outsourcing Definition and Solutions

This tutorial offers everything you need to know about onshore and offshore outsourcing, pricing and contract negotiation, vendor management and ROI.

11. Guide to Outsourcing

This free 8-part training guide is designed for those who want to learn about outsourcing and how it can benefit businesses.

12. Outsourcing — What is Outsourcing?

Learn how outsourcing can take on many forms and how the process of engaging in it encompasses four stages.

13. A Brief History of Outsourcing

Learn how outsourcing began and how it evolved to what it is today from this article by Dr. Robert Handfield, Ph.D.

14. Managing Your Small Business: The Advantages of Outsourcing

Outsourcing benefits not only large enterprises but also small businesses as well and this resource explains how.

What Can You Outsource?

Businesses can always find tasks that can be accomplished more efficiently through outsourcing. Depending on the nature of your business, you can outsource complicated or time-consuming tasks such as data analytics or medical billing. However, even smaller tasks such as encoding, transcription or article writing can be outsourced as well.

15. What Can High-Tech Hospitals Outsource Now?

Healthcare reforms, continuous development of technology and consumerization are driving hospitals to leverage technology to improve services and outsourcing can help them do just that.

16. Outsourcing is key to small-business efficiency

Small business owners who are overwhelmed by the multitude of tasks involved in managing their business can find ways to outsource some of them to ease the burden.

17. Thinking of Outsourcing? Ask These 4 Security Questions First

Asking yourself these 4 security questions will help you choose the best outsourcing provider to partner with.

18. What to Consider Before Outsourcing

Because outsourcing is a big move for any company, businesses must first consider factors such as business assessment, employee skills and budget before taking the leap.

19. 3 signs it’s time for outsourced medical billing

You’ll know it’s time to outsource your medical billing when your process is no longer effective, your staff changes regularly or if your practice is new to the business.

20. 5 reasons businesses should still outsource marketing services

Businesses should still outsource marketing services in order to save time and effort, tap into established networks, open doors to additional outsourcing opportunities, reach a larger audience and ensure quality control.

21. Social Media Analytics: Is It Worth Outsourcing?

Business owners should maximize what social media analytics can bring to their business and it is through outsourcing this task to experts that they will be able to gain the most out of it.

22. Outsourcing Bookkeeping: 3 Things to Consider

In deciding whether to outsource your bookkeeping functions, you must consider the cost, the benefits and which service provider is the best one to do it for you.

23. Guest Blog: 5 Reasons Why Outsourcing Your Customer Service Can Be A Smart Move

Alleli Aspili, Senior Specialist for Business Development in Infinit Outsourcing, Inc., writes about the challenge of companies in providing excellent customer service and how outsourcing can help.

24. 3 Reasons You Need to Outsource Data Research

When it comes to efficient and effective data research, partnering with the right service provider is key and this article tells you three reasons why.

25. Your Guide To Outsourcing: Why You Should Outsource and How To Get Started in the Next 20 Minutes

Celestine Chua, founder of Personal Excellence, shares her personal experience with outsourcing and gives tips on how anyone can be successful doing it.

26. What Can You Outsource?

This article by Jill Celeste explains how outsourcing helps professionals and entrepreneurs become successful by working smarter and not harder.

27. Do What You Do Best — Outsource The Rest!

This article shares some common tasks that business owners can outsource so that they can spend more time doing what they love instead.

In-House VS Outsourcing: Pros and Cons

Hiring in-house staff and outsourcing both have their own sets of advantages and disadvantages. Business owners must compare them to manage expectations and be in a better position to make the best decision for their business.

28. 4 Ways Outsourced Employees are Better than In-House

If you still need to be convinced on whether outsourced employees are really better than in-house ones, this article will convince you with 4 compelling reasons.

29. 4 Reasons Your Company is Overspending by Managing Your Call Center In-House

Companies tend to overspend on managing their in-house call center because the industry is constantly changing.

30. Outsourcing Pros and Cons: Why I Cannot List Them

The author explains that listing down outsourcing pros and cons is hard and he tells you why in this article.

31. The Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Medical Billing

To help you decided if you must already outsource your medical billing, this article provides a list of pros and cons for you to consider.

32. Pros and Cons of Outsourcing

This article from Udemy shares the pros and cons of outsourcing and recommends classes you can take if you wish to learn more about them.

33. Outsourcing v. Hiring In-house: Pros and Cons

Dale Traxler shares how complex it can be to manage an online retail business and compares outsourcing and insourcing to come up with a conclusion on which one is the better solution.

34. The Pros & Cons Of Outsourced vs. In-House Maintenance

This article focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing maintenance management considering factors such as cost, work quality, obtaining expertise, tools, equipment and technology, risk reduction and management focus on core business.

35. In-house or Outsourced — what are the pro’s and con’s?

This article lists down some indicators you should look for if you’re considering outsourcing a marketing consultant.

36. Outsourcing pros and cons

In this article, Task Army puts the outsourcing pros and cons side by side for easier comparison.

37. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Outsourcing

Flatworld Solutions lists down the most commonly outsourced business functions as well as the importance of considering the pros and cons of doing so before one even approaches a service provider.

38. 12 Advantages of Outsource Hosting vs. In-House Hosting

In this article, the author attempts to show how outsourcing the development and management of hosting solutions is the more cost effective and most practical choice.

39. Hiring In-House or Outsourcing: Which Is Right for You?

There’s no clear-cut definition of when and when not to outsource, but this article’s list of steps makes it easier for business owners to work out what they need and decide which choice suits them best.

40. Should you hire in-house or outsource? Here’s how to decide

This article features varying opinions on which model is better — hiring in-house, outsourcing or a hybrid — but in the end tells you that what matters most is to make sure that everyone working for you shares the same vision.

Outsourcing Statistics That Prove It’s Good for Your Business

Many studies and surveys have already been conducted by reputable organizations regarding outsourcing services. Their results reveal a lot including information on how much outsourcing has grown through the years, which outsourcing destinations are performing well, how many jobs have been created and how much it has affected businesses around the world.

41. Payroll Outsourcing Gaining Momentum

Payroll outsourcing is seen to play a major role in the growth of the outsourcing industry based on studies done by Global Industry Analysts and statistics gathered by PriceWaterhouse Coopers that show the hidden costs of in-house payroll and HR administration.

42. 20 Customer Service Statistics You Can’t and Shouldn’t Ignore

This list of customer service facts and figures shows what defines excellent customer service and how the changing customer landscape affects how businesses must handle it.

43. Why is India Losing 70% of Call Center Business to the Philippines

The Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) reports that India is losing 70% of its call center outsourcing business services to the Philippines and Eastern Europe and this article states some of the reasons why.

44. Quick Facts: Future of the Contact Center Industry [Infographic]

This infographic states how much companies spend on outsourcing, how outsourcing destinations are performing and how servicing via social media is boosting customer satisfaction.

45. 5 Call Center Tech Trends That Have Become Mainstream

There are five critical tech trends in 2014 that are continuously driving changes in the call center industry including mobile customer care, the cloud, social media, automatic call-backs, and video support.

46. BPO Recruitment Runs Year-Round

This article explains how the BPO industry is unlike other industries in that it doesn’t have peak hiring seasons and gives examples on just how many applicants some BPO companies have hired recently.

47. Contact Center Expansions Are A Good Source for Employment

Contact centers do not take away jobs but instead provide a good source of employment as evidenced by the companies mentioned in this article.

48. 3 Ways Your Customer Service is Improved by Outsourcing

Global company, KPMG shares survey results that reveal that 48% of UK companies aim to develop their service levels and that 56% need to access skills through outsourcing.

Where is the Best Outsourcing Destination?

There are many factors that come into play when it comes to choosing the best outsourcing destination. India has been at the top of the list for several years. However, the Philippines comes very close at second place and is even expected to surpass what India has accomplished.

49. Outsourcing in the Philippines

The Philippines is becoming the premier destination for high quality outsourcing services because of its young, enormous workforce, whose English American accents are preferred by Western clients, as well as its lower cost of living, high quality manpower and policy support among others.

50. Philippines Set to Become Top Healthcare Outsourcing Destination

Various industry reports reveal that the Philippines is now poised to be the top healthcare outsourcing provider in the next few years.

51. Infosys Fails to Meet Expectations; Highlights India’s Setbacks as Outsourcing Destination

Infosys’ third quarter performance results for 2011 fell behind estimates and highlights how the appreciating rupee is becoming a hurdle to outsourcers in India.

52. The Philippines shines as the offshore outsourcing destination of choice

Companies known to be Indian BPO clients have begun shifting their business to the Philippines, a good sign for the local outsourcing industry.

53. Finance and Accounting Outsourcing And Emerging Outsourcing Destinations

A list provided by A.T. Kearney revealed that Sri Lanka, Kenya and the Philippines are fast becoming an emerging destination for finance and accounting outsourcing.

54. Telecommunications Outsourcing on the Rise

A report released by Infonetics Research states that telecommunication services providers are increasingly adopting outsourcing to cut costs and remain competitive.

55. India VS Philippines: Which is the Better Outsourcing Destination?

India and the Philippines ranked first and second place respectively in the 2014 list of Tholon’s Top 100 Outsourcing Destinations but this article provides a comparison to see which country is better.

56. Singapore Endorses Philippines as Investment Destination

The International Enterprise Singapore (IES) has recommended the Philippines as an investment hub, citing the country’s strong economic growth potential.

57. Manila Ranks Top 2 Outsourcing Destination in the World

Seven Philippine outsourcing destinations made it to the 2014 Tholon’s Top 100 Outsourcing Destinations with Manila taking second place after India.

58. Why 2015 is a Great Year to Invest in Philippine Outsourcing

2015 is a great year to invest in outsourcing in the country because of its stronger economy, its top BPO hubs and its reputation as a BPO destination of choice.

Choosing the Right Outsourcing Partner

For an outsourcing venture to be successful, choosing the right partner is critical. Some may choose partners based on cost alone, but take note that there are other important factors to consider such as the partner’s reputation, resources, skill set and experience, as well as the infrastructure, political, economic and other environmental factors in the country where the provider is located.

59. Medical Billing Partnerships Start Early This Year

This article gives examples on how some medical billing partnerships were formed in order to establish efficiency and explore ways of providing better service.

60. What Can High-Tech Hospitals Outsource Now?

High-tech hospitals can partner with outsourcing companies to outsource technology-based services such as mobile applications and wearables, emergency care, predictive analytics, and cloud.

61. 4 Healthcare Transaction Trends That Will Take Center Stage in 2014

Steve Messinger, Managing Partner and Board Member of ECG Management Consultants, identifies four hospital and health system consolidation patterns expected to take center stage in 2014.

62. How to Choose the Right Outsourcing Partner for your Personal Brand

Personal branding is vital to the success of small business owners and this article lists down how to choose the right outsourcing partner to take care of it.

63. 12 Must-Bookmark Blogs on Call Center and Customer Service

In choosing outsourcing partners, a lot of research must be done. This list of call center and customer service blogs provide a wide range of information business owners will need to help them make informed decisions.

64. Outsourcing contact centers for credit unions

Credit unions benefit from contact center outsourcing in that it makes them more accessible to customers 24/7 and enables them to provide personalized calls.

65. FAO Seen to Further Increase Transactions This Year

This article provides examples of BPO clients renewing contracts with their financial and accounting outsourcing partners after being satisfied with their collaboration.

Outsourcing is a strategy that can be used by all types of businesses, regardless of size or location. In fact, in this ever-changing, fast-paced business landscape, outsourcing is becoming an integral part of many organization’s strategy.

However, outsourcing is also a major business decision that should not be taken lightly. Although it undoubtedly provides many potential benefits to business owners, that would depend highly on how well-thought of the strategy is and how well the venture is managed.

Before making the decision to outsource, business owners are advised to first study their operations to figure out if outsourcing, as opposed to other alternatives, will be the most beneficial to the business. If so, the next step would then be to study which functions will be handled more efficiently by third party providers.

Ideally, the functions that must be outsourced are those that will be done more efficiently by the service provider, which is exactly why business owners must take extra precaution in choosing the right partner. Cost must not be the sole factor for decision-making.

Outsourcing providers must, first and foremost, share the same vision for your brand. They must be able to work constantly with the business owners in terms of setting policies, identifying opportunities, governing relationships and assuring high quality results. A successful outsourcing partnership must not only decrease costs but also help the company adapt easily to change, spur innovation, encourage growth and add value to the business.

In outsourcing, what you sow is what you reap. It is only through the full commitment of both business owner and outsourcing provider that the company will be able to rise from the different business challenges that will most likely take place in the next decade and beyond.

Download our FREE Ultimate List of Outsourcing Resources and Guides to find out where the best outsourcing destination is.

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Originally published at www.infinit-o.com.

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Carol Soriano
Business and Outsourcing News

Content Strategist @spiralytics. Loves God, books, TV series, indie films and electropop