Outsourcing data entry is a strategy that companies adopt for various reasons. There are several advantages that derive from outsourcing time-consuming activities, such as data entry. Some companies have to convert files from one format to another, while other companies have to update their online databases.
There is an endless number of data entry activities that companies have to perform. Since these tasks are seasonal or require a lot of resources or staff, companies usually decide to outsource.
Why do companies choose data entry outsourcing?
Every company has to manage data entry.
However, it can be a real challenge to manage it internally. In addition, start-ups and SMEs are not able to allocate sufficient budget to data entry activities.
Therefore, the main reason why people decide to outsource data entry operations is cost cutting.
If the activities are seasonal, it would be wiser to simply outsource the work rather than hire more staff, which would translate into more costs. Furthermore, the cost of an outsourced FTE is significantly lower than that of an internal employee.
Another reason why companies choose data entry outsourcing is meeting deadlines.
Often, data entry activities have to be carried out overnight. The data entry outsourcing service guarantees a faster turnaround time. In addition, outsourcing is a good option when the volume of data entry is very high and the deadlines are tight.
On the other hand, technology also plays an important role.
Data entry activity can be managed faster with the aid of technology. Companies do not need to make further investments to have access to such technology. When they choose an outsourcing partner, they gain access to new technologies and to workers from all over the world. As a result, opting for data entry outsourcing means delegating the task to experts and qualified workers, who would be entirely dedicated to the campaign.
Creating an internal data entry team with the right experience and skills can be a challenge. When the restrictions imposed by location are removed, opportunities increase.
10 things to know about data entry outsourcing
If you have decided that data entry outsourcing is the best strategy for your company, but you do not know where to start, we have prepared a list of tips to guide you through the data entry outsourcing process for outsourcing business data entry activities.
The project of outsourcing business activities
- Type of data entry.
If you do not yet know which type of data entry service is best to outsource, we have prepared a detailed breakdown to help you. Continue reading our other article that goes into detail: “Data entry Service: all the types of data input“.
- The volumes.
Analysing volumes is an important step in managing the process. This is the case with seasonalities in which volumes are higher during a certain period of time. In certain situations it is necessary to have more dedicated staff during that time frame. Furthermore, if volumes are higher during certain months, you need to be ready to allocate more staff during that period.By knowing the work volumes, it is possible to calculate the number of FTEs needed to meet the deadlines.
- Monitoring and quality assurance.
Even if data entry activities seem to be low-level, they can be complicated. In addition, depending on the nature of the tasks (for example, processing sensitive information), the data entry process might require a high level of specialisation.The monitoring of data entry activities is important to guarantee a high quality of the work carried out.
- Data security and protection.
If the data entry activities consist in the management of personal and sensitive information, a high level of data security and protection is important. In addition, every company has to consider the General Data Protection Regulation for the management of information relating to the European data subjects concerned.
- Delivery time.
Another important aspect to keep in mind when choosing data entry outsourcing is the speed of delivery times. This can depend on several factors, such as the urgency of the project, the volume, the timeline, and so on.Furthermore, your service outsourcing partner should have a strategy to meet deadlines and deal with unforeseen events.
Outsourcing partner for data entry services
- Technical support.
Furthermore, live support when carrying out data entry outsourcing activities is crucial for the success of the operations. The data entry outsourcing partner should appoint a contact person who acts as the main point of reference for any questions or problems that might arise during the campaign.
- Know-how.
The outsourcing partner should have strong experience in managing data entry projects as well as sufficient sector know-how. Extensive experience is an added value that can help manage the campaign, monitoring and reporting efficiently.
- Infrastructure.
Most entry-level projects do not need special technical requirements. However, for some projects optical character recognition, voice recognition, image recognition, specialised conversion software, monitoring software and so on might be necessary. Make sure that your partner has the right technology to start a data entry project.
- Scalability.
Equally important is the ability to scale a campaign up or down flexibly. In this way, when there is a huge volume of work, more resources can be made available. On the contrary, the number of resources can be scaled down when volumes are low. This flexibility is hardly possible with internal employees. So scalability is also one of the greatest advantages of data entry outsourcing.
- Backup and emergency.
Finally, an outsourcing partner should be able to provide a backup plan in case of emergency or disaster. The backup plan must include secure data backups, secondary internet lines, and so on. In this case, the work would not be stalled in the event of unexpected emergencies.
Choosing the right outsourcing partner for your business activities
While keeping in mind all the aspects mentioned above, it is easier to see what to look for in a business process outsourcing partner.
Data protection, scalability, quality, fast delivery times, technology and organisation are all very important factors in choosing the right BPO.
We Are Fiber
Our partnership with Retail, Food and Beverage, e-commerce and technology companies for which we provide data entry services has helped us gain extensive knowledge of managing data entry projects. We have set up a two-level Quality Assurance team in order to guarantee that our clients are satisfied with our quality standards. We Are Fiber is GDPR compliant and also holds the ISO 27001 and ISO 27002 certification.
Click here to receive a free quote or to obtain more information about service outsourcing from WeAreFiber.
info@wearefiber.com
Phone (It) + 39 02 42 10 11 22
Phone (UK) + 44 20 38 70 44 08
