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The Resource Center has all the info you'll need From content to user feedback, the resource center has the information you need for every level of the entrepreneurial process.
Even if it's "in place," your network requires continual vigilance and improvement. This article provides five "no-nos" that will help you keep up to date and up to speed by avoiding big mistakes.
When opportunity costs are figured into the cost-benefit mix, outsourcing even non-core functions can become strategic. How much faster could you grow your company if you spent more time leveraging your strengths? This article explores the cost effectiveness of the practice and offers valuable tips for getting started. Key: Choosing the right tasks and the right partners.
Mason Kauffman launched his first company with himself as the only employee. He quickly embraced outsourcing as the savior that would allow him to leverage his core competencies. He knew that's how his company would grow. Along the way he learned a lot about the ins and outs of outsourcing. He shares some of those lessons here.
Document destruction probably isn't at the top of your to-do list. But, increasingly, it's becoming a critical business function-and not just for companies with super-secret technology. With identity thieves afoot, for example, even basic personnel information that's gone astray can lead to expensive and distracting lawsuits. This article offers an insider's view of why even small firms should seriously consider outsourcing this function as the most secure, efficient, and economical way to ensure confidentiality.
The devils plaguing entrepreneurs who outsource are indeed in the details. Getting it right involves sidestepping five common pitfalls and following five commonsense practices. Basic to a successful outsourcing relationship: Does everyone agree on what the deliverables will be?
Just as with hiring internal managers and staff, using external support requires careful planning and selection. Before you select a consultant or contractor, determine your budget, scope of work, timeline, measures for success, and other resources available to support the people who will do the work. Use this worksheet to help you think through important issues and to guide you in the selection process.
The hidden cost here is outsourcing customer service functions. This article cites major corporations that tried it and didn't like it because customer satisfaction decreased. If you're a service company, think twice about short-term cost savings versus long-term competitive advantage.
This in-depth piece offers all the basics of Enterprise Resource Planning in a straightforward, no-nonsense way. It will be especially useful to owners of fast-growing organizations who need continuous efficiency improvement. ERP integrates all operations onto a single software platform and provides corporate-wide access. The main benefit is in order fulfillment.
This article provides a comprehensive and clearly presented overview of the professionals required to renovate or build a commercial structure and what they do. Great information for entrepreneurs who love their location but not their building.
What's your quantifiable risk in conducting (or not conducting) specific business activities? Operational Risk Management (ORM) has stepped up as a practical tool for finding out, especially in technology-related arenas.
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