money and dedication to activities that does not contribute to the bottom line. The dangers of outsourcing Outsourcing is not always the right answer and it is important to choose the right outsourcing provider with care. The biggest danger is if both parties expectation does not match each other. It is therefore essential that the processes are properly defined (and subsequently followed) or it is a recipe for disaster. It is important to find a BPO which knows what it is doing and a good indicator is to ask for references, (though these can be rigged as well). A more reliable indication is to analyse the process documentation and ask for a testing period, prior to going live. This serves several purposes: 1) Process documentation indicates the level of quality,


which can be expected 2) Testing period is always required as there will always be teething problems, when two organisations are starting to work together. Always allow for enough time to test and do not be afraid of asking for additional tests if you are not convinced. En essence, outsourcing can be very beneficial for any business, small or large, but it is vital that proper research is done prior to commencing to outsourcing.About the Author About the Author Rasmus Nielsen has specialised in CRM and outsourcing for several years and been consulting to various companies in Denmark and Australia on the topic. Rasmus also holds a M.Sc. International Business Economics and is a Director of Smart Boss, an Australian Bookkeeping Service for Small Businesses. For more info, please visit www.smartboss.com.au