What Types of Processes can be Fulfilled by an Outside Company?

There seems to be no end to what you can outsource these days. From labor to space needs, call centers to product assembly, it seems every company out there is outsourcing something. Some outsource quite a bit, doing very few core activities themselves. In fact, some virtual companies take it to the extreme and outsource everything and just take a cut of all the services. Pretty smart, huh?

Most outsourced providers like Direct Answer offer a wide range of fulfillment services to their clients. We work with some clients on massive, year long projects. With others, its just a few things we need to help out with over a week or less. Whether you need a comprehensive solution where you use six or seven of our fulfillment services or just a few, we are here to help. Whatever company you go with, be sure to see how they personalize their service packages to best suit your needs. Definitely find out more about their customer service, how they manage projects, their turnaround time, and what their pricing looks like.

So, what types of fulfillment services can be outsourced? Quite a few. Most companies offer a  wide range of solutions.

One popular area is Circulation Management. Whether you need subscription processing, are preparing you for a BPA audit, require back-start processing, or need someone to manage your credit card processing, a fulfillment house can help with all of this. Lets face it, if you are a newspaper, do you really want to spend your time on accounts receivable and collections? It’s a big time waster.  How about premium “Free-mium” fulfillment? You would be wise to have someone else do that too.

Another popular outsourced activity is in Product Management or Kit Assembly. Think of the space and people that’s required for assembling products. It can be very expensive. But, when you use a company that does this all day, every day, their costs are reduced and the savings are passed on to you. If you have many products that need to be managed or assembled, it’s a smart decision to look at the possibility of outsourcing it.

One of the biggest areas includes Call Center and Data Entry Services. How many times have you called customer support for a product you own and hear the familiar tone of an Indian picking up the line? This is because many companies outsource this function. You should note that there has been a big backlash in over seas outsourcing in recent years, due to the fact that there are culture and language issues. If you are going to outsource your call center, make sure you use a call center that’s based in the U.S.

The other big area is Web and E-Commerce fulfillment. Just look at what’s happened on the web in the past 10 years. Wow, who would have thought, right? Everyone has a website and everyone needs help getting it set up and managed as well as day to day technical support, etc. Whether you need a new website designed, an e-commerce system set up or on going content development, it makes a lot of sense to have someone else do it.

Other outsourced activities include printing, production and form design, batching and caging, creative and marketing strategy, database management and integration, lockbox services, membership and fundraising management services, meeting and convention services, mail processing services and onsite staffing needs.

From policies and procedures to database systems, Direct answer customizes its services to fit your particular program, regardless of the deadline. When you go with us, you get a team of dedicated staff who have one focus: successfully completing your fulfillment project on time and on budget. Whether you have a large project that requires dozens of people on multiple shifts or have a simple one-person operation for a test product, Direct Answer has the answer.

Contact us to see how we can help!