Image by Abdul Rehman from
By Noah Rue
With revenue from retail sales in the United States well into the trillions of dollars, there’s no wonder why so many entrepreneurs are throwing their weight behind opening a store. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic has turned the retail world upside down, there’s still plenty of room for growth.
Before you can take your retail business to the next level, it’s important to consider the tasks and responsibilities that are most important to you. This will lead you to an important question: are there any services you should consider outsourcing as your retail business begins to grow?
Start with these four services
It doesn’t matter if you’re managing a brick-and-mortar location, an online store, or both, you’ll soon come to realize that you’re strapped for time. Outsourcing your IT services is a simple and common way to save money for your business. But there are plenty of other services and tasks you can outsource.
Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to streamline your business, with outsourcing among the best. Here are four services to consider outsourcing:
Administrative
There’s nothing worse than administrative tasks that suck up a large portion of your day. Even for business owners who emphasize time management, these tasks have a way of becoming a distraction.
One of the best and most modern ways to outsource administrative tasks is by hiring a virtual assistant. They can help with tasks including but not limited to:
-Schedule and calendar management
-Email management
-Setting up appointments
-Following up with customers (such as sending emails or postcards)
When hiring a virtual assistant, have a clear idea of how they can help. This will allow you to calculate your time savings.
Marketing
If you want to beat your competition to the top, it’s critical to have a sound marketing strategy guiding you. By outsourcing some or all marketing related services, you can get all the help you need with:
-Search engine optimization (SEO)
-Content marketing
-Email marketing
-Conversion rate optimization
Without marketing, it’s a challenge to grow your business. If you don’t have enough time to carry out your marketing strategy, outsource this task to a professional who does.
Accounting and finances
Money, money, money. That’s what your retail business is all about. You have expenses, you have income, and you have a budget to manage. And that’s just the start.
If you’re bogged down by accounting-related tasks, such as tracking invoices and running payroll, it’s time to find someone to take this off your plate. You can turn to:
-Individual CPA
-Tax professional
-Accounting firm
-Payroll company
Furthermore, if you’re in a precarious financial situation, such as the result of a past bankruptcy, you may want to hire a legal professional with a financial background. A business lawyer can help you structure your business and identify where you can outsource more services to save money.
Customer support
According to HubSpot, “90% of Americans use customer service as a factor in deciding whether or not to do business with a company.” Adding to this, you must provide solid customer service after a customer makes a purchase.
The problem with this is that customer service is time-consuming, especially if you’re in an industry where potential and past customers always have questions.
You can outsource a variety of customer service tasks, such as online support via live chat. When you do this, it’s one less thing you have to worry about. And on top of this, dedication to customer service will help your business grow.
Final thoughts on outsourcing for retail businesses
You have many goals as a retail store owner, but the most important is ensuring that your business is always on demand. When you do this, you position your business for growth and relevancy in your space.
If you’re fighting for time, consider outsourcing one or more of the services above. It may be just what you need to take back control of your business.
___________
Noah Rue is a journalist and content writer, fascinated with the intersection between global health, personal wellness, and modern technology. When he isn’t searching out his next great writing opportunity, Noah likes to shut off his devices and head to the mountains to disconnect.
