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Business Process Outsourcing in Action

Business process is the skeleton of a certain business activity. It involves the description of different tasks and possible outcomes that are associated with a specific business activity. It is essential in crafting the business goals of a certain corporate organization, which is clearly defined in the organization’s business strategy.

Business process is classified into three categories, which are as follows:

• The management processes, which is followed to run the operation of the business and comply with all existing yet relevant requirements.
• The operational processes, which is followed in delivering the business value to clients, and is considered as an integral part of a corporate organization’s core business.
• The supporting processes, which is followed to support the core-based processes. It includes accounting, information technology (IT) support, and recruitment processes.

Being the skeleton of your organization’s business activity, you must give utmost importance to your business process as a whole. This is extremely important since the success or failure in achieving the goals of your business will largely depend on the process that you have followed, together with your business strategies and plans. Thus, without an effective business process, your business is as good as dead when the time comes.

Realizing the importance of a business process in achieving their business objectives, there are companies that prefer to outsource some or all of their business process (most specifically the non-core processes) to third-party organizations. The main motive in outsourcing a business process is to allow the business to invest most of their time, financial, and human resources into core activities and focus on building effective strategies, which will fuel the growth of the company.

Since the global marketplace is fast-changing and highly-competitive, your business must concentrate on improving the productivity and at the same time trim down unnecessary costs. Non-core business processes are being outsourced since the tasks involved in these processes consumes time, essential resources, and energy. Thus, outsourcing these non-core business processes will help you achieve a cost-efficient system.

Non-core business processes that can be outsourced range from production to customer service to support functions (such as software development). Most companies that are outsourcing their business process are from Western countries and they are delegating the work to outsourcing firms located offshore, especially countries located on the Eastern hemisphere, such as China, Philippines, India, and Malaysia.

While more and more companies are becoming comfortable with outsourcing their business processes, outsourcing most of their learning and development functions is still a new approach to many learning professionals. Moving the training and learning model that is completely in-house to one that will be handled by other individuals outside the business is a big leap. However, as mentioned earlier, it is important that these processes receive equal importance and consideration for the benefit of your business as a whole. Thus, despite of business process outsourcing as a new approach, many training and learning professionals are starting to get the grip of the new system and subsequently will follow the outsourcing trend.

Business process, especially the non-core one, needs to be given equal importance and attention to achieve an efficient business operation. Outsourcing these business processes will not be a waste of time and financial resources, but rather a strategy to be followed. Surviving in this highly-competitive global marketplace is not as easy as you think. You need an option that will work to your advantage — and that is outsourcing.

Related Tags: recruitment processes, business process outsourcing, accounting information, global marketplace, relevant requirements

21st Century Business Women

When the first generation of women entered the workforce in earnest in the 1970s, they succeeded in the only way they could – by imitating men.  Authoritarian leadership and tight control was the hallmark of that day’s businessman, and women were not exactly welcomed into the ranks of management.  Well ladies, that was yesterday, and today is today!

Forget what your mama or your boss told you, because following the rules can be bad for your career.  Today’s CEO/entrepreneur can no longer tap his/her company’s full potential using a “command-and-control” style.  The 21st century business woman needs to be able to build a vision based on the awareness of economic transformation, then help her partners and staff fulfill that vision.  She must draw on a wide range of skills to get to the top and stay there.  Following are 7 Key Characteristics that are essential:

1. Sell the Vision: A leader with a fresh, independent plan for her company’s growth and future has a distinct advantage in luring and keeping great talent and investors.  Vision is not some lofty ideal, but an obtainable concept that is easy to understand and will make the company grow to another level.
2. Reinvent the Rules:  While women have traditionally been socialized to please others, the 21st century leader knows that good girls rarely post great returns.  The strong managers/owners today not only anticipate change, they create entirely new organizations that respond to shifts and search for innovation.
3. Achieve With A Laser Focus:  Go where others fear to tread! Being aggressive and ambitious has long been considered male traits, but they are key qualities for new leaders.  Today’s business woman has the ability to home in on opportunities that others may simply not see, and then excel in that uncharted territory.
4. Use High-Touch in a High-Tech Era:  When a number of leaders are conducting business by e-mail, voice mail, passwords, and PINs, the female entrepreneur succeeds because she guides with a strong, personal, bed-side manner. Today’s business woman is just as technologically savvy as her peers, but her skill with staff and customers is “high-touch” which gives her a critical edge and separation from the “pack”.
5. Challenge or Opportunity? – Women are great at turning a challenge into an opportunity instead of using the “slash-and-burn” approach.  They are able to make bold strokes, but they also win the cooperation of others in the organization in making any transformation a success.
6. A Customer Preference Obsession:  In this information age which makes it easier to shop around for the best “whatever”, businesses must work harder to give people what they want before their competitors do.  There is no substitute for spending time with clients to become expert at their businesses and learn their demands.  Female leaders are almost intuitively adept in doing just that, and without the client even suspecting.
7. Courage Under Fire:  Show me any career woman or female entrepreneur today that isn’t able to “stand-the-heat” in any tough-call situation.  Their decision-making skills are rooted in a high level of confidence, because they’ve had to weather and surpass any and all “corporate” storms they’ve encountered over time.

It takes a certain mind-set and bravado for anyone to start their own business and succeed, but it’s even more difficult for a female entrepreneur.  Let’s face it, ladies!  We’ve always had to be twice-as-smart and twice-as-confident as any male counterpart in the corporate world.  After all, if we can bear and raise the future generation, how can running a successful business scare us?

Related Tags: mail voice, authoritarian leadership, voice mail, economic transformation, male traits

Business Party Do’s and Don’ts

Here it is holiday time again, and while Ms. Abby and Manners takes care of our social etiquette I’d like to share some practical tips for business holiday parties.

Here are some DO’S….
- Attend the Event:  It’s an unspoken expectation that showing up may not be mandatory or can it be required, but attending isn’t really optional.  That is if you want to be working there next year.
- If you RSVP – by all means ATTEND: Many business functions are paid on the basis of the number who attend, and that is calculated by the number of RSVP’s.
- Mingle, Mix, and Move: Talk to different people and learn something new.  Don’t stick with your usual watercooler pals.
- Pay Attention to Start and End Times on the Invitation: This is there for a reason, and you don’t want to overstay your welcome.
- Remember that Any Business Party is Really a Business Event: Although it might be outside the standard office meeting and be accompanied with food and beverage, the same rules of conduct apply.
- Limit Gift Giving:  Colleagues will often feel obligated to give gifts in return for receiving gifts. If you do give, give from the heart and keep it simple, and priced at a minimum.
- Dress Appropriately and Professionally:  All eyes are not meant to be on you, and this is not the time for provocative dress.  Lean toward the conservative or classic look.
- Give Thank-You’s:  When appropriate write either a note of thanks, or if at a private home tell the host/hostess in person that you enjoyed the celebration.

Now for the Don’ts…..
- Say “yes” to a Blind Date:  You don’t know who the person is or who he/she might know.  Rule of thumb – when in doubt, go stag.
- Be Flirtatious or Get Frisky: This is crossing the line of appropriate and adult behavior at a business event.
- Drink Too Much:  it’s not worth taking the chance that you’ll say something you wish you hadn’t.  Rule of thumb is- limit  yourself to 2 drinks.
- Talk All Business:  BORING!! After all it is a social gathering.  The guests are supposed to have fun, get to know each other, and have a different experience outside of daily office routine.
- Prospect for New Business: TACKY!!
- Assume Everyone Celebrated the Same Holiday:  If you say “Merry Christmas” to someone who doesn’t observe the holiday it might offend them.  Be generic and say “Happy Holidays.”
- Give Gag Gifts:  This is not the place to risk offending or embarrassing someone.
- Gossip:  Gossiping in any situation is usually damaging and not a good practice, but it’s especially not appropriate at a business-related event.

Hopefully with these tips under your belt, your appearance at you next business holiday event will go successfully.

The majority of business professionals know these things, but there’s always some newcomers to the firm who may not be as seasoned as some of us.

Related Tags: business party, rule of thumb, business parties, receiving gifts, social etiquette