Although chaos isn’t a word that startups want married to their businesses, sometimes I feel that they go hand-in-hand: The product or concept is constantly iterating, roles aren’t always defined, and small teams typically carry the workload of ones twice their size. With team members wearing multiple hats and juggling tasks, it’s important to know how and when to outsource some of the projects to keep your team working efficiently.
1. Identify your team’s core strengths and keep them in-house
The first step to figuring out what work needs to be outsourced is deciding what needs to stay. Since we’re only a team of four full-time employees at PeachDish, there’s no way we can do everything on our own. Instead of finger-pointing people’s weaknesses, we focused on everyone’s strengths.
Ask your team some questions: What does each team member do best? What critical tasks need to be supervised internally? What are the core competencies of our business? What part of your job takes a backseat to the things you enjoy most?
2. Admit when something isn’t 100% perfect and outsource accordingly
When you feel strongly about your startup (and I hope you do), it’s easy to want do everything yourself. After a couple of months, it will wear on you. When there’s so much your plate, no task is getting all of the attention it deserves.
During my first three months at PeachDish, I tried to tackle all of the marketing and customer service. With the volume of customers increasing, I spent all my time following up with them through customer service emails and calls. This distracted me from my marketing responsibilities that I was originally hired to do. We also knew that customer service needed a lot of attention. When a situation like this arises, take a step back, and reevaluate. Find the distractions that can be handed off and act before you drown.
3. Invest in the right fit
Once you know what needs to be outsourced, the most important step is finding people to do the job. We’ve had had great success using websites like Elance and Odesk to find lasting partners for customer service and tech support. Fiverr is also great for when you need a smaller task completed, like handing out fliers, creating a graphic, or editing a YouTube video. Other times, it’s about old-fashioned grassroots networking. We found our amazing social media team Imagine Media and our box packing partners through referrals in Atlanta.
4. Maintain contact and continue training
Once you have taken the time to find the right fit, it’s important to remember that contract hires should be treated like full-time employees. Invest in their training, keep in constant contact, and make them feel like part of the team! We have regularly scheduled Skype calls or in-person meetings with all of our team members to make sure that everyone is on the same page and working together, no matter where they are located or how often they work.
Startups can be chaotic, but with the right tools and contract help, they don’t have to be. When you take the time to invest in the right people, the company can work more efficiently. Just remember to treat them like part of the team! Like any other employee, contract workers who feel happy and included are productive ones — especially when they’re told how much they’re saving your business!