Purchasing Resources for Business Support

Business Support Services Business Guide: Internet Research, Desktop Publishing & Secretarial Support

Business support services exist to aid businesses, both small and large, in areas where they need additional help. These services cover a broad range of topics, from desktop publishing to bookkeeping, proofreading, and technical support. If your business is just getting started or seems deficient in a certain area, then finding a purveyor of business support services could be quite beneficial.

Benefits

Services offered by business support companies are varied and can ease the burden of running a business.

Desktop Publishing

Businesses in need of document creation of nearly any type should look into desktop publishing services. Companies offering these services use computer software to design, prepare, and typeset numerous kinds of documents, from business cards, brochures, and manuals to in-store signage, newsletters, and periodicals. Having an outside company to handle these tasks is a good way to keep employees focused on their tasks and save time and space.

Bookkeeping

Bookkeeping and accounting services are also available for the business owner who does not have the time, desire, or expertise to tackle such matters. These services will take care of your daily, weekly, and monthly financial accounting needs in addition to any projects that might arise. Such companies offer payroll processing, accounts payable and receivable management, and financial statement analysis and preparation services. This can be especially helpful to the inexperienced or new small business owner who has just started a business and needs some help making sure that all financial records and matters are appropriately taken care of.

Tech Support

Many small business owners are unfamiliar with the technical side of running a business and with all of the many advantages that a properly functioning and up-to-date system has to offer. Do not be afraid to seek out an IT business service, even if only to discuss the possibilities that a solid IT department can offer. Your small business is unlikely to need the same tech support that a large corporation does, but there are things that these services can do for your business to make getting started a lot more productive. Such services often support the creation of a Web site to promote your business’ web presence. IT professionals can help you pick the right hardware for your business needs, such as computers, servers, a working telephone system, and setting up a network. There is a lot of software out there that can help a small business owner, but you may not know where to look for. Tech support services are more than capable of pointing you in the right direction.

Get Some Advice

A universal feature of business support services is their willingness to offer advice in addition to their other services. Should your business experience a technical malfunction, for example, that no in–house employee can fix, you can contact an IT business support service to get advice on how to remedy the situation without the need for a technician.

Pitfalls

There are a few drawbacks of outsourcing to business support companies that business owners will have to overcome if they are serious about acquiring business support services.

Loss of Control

If you are the type of person who likes to oversee each and every detail of your business’ growth and the development of your product, then you are probably less inclined to agree to outsource. Relinquishing control over part of your business’ operations can be a stressful and troubling decision. If the thought of being out of the loop or not being able to micromanage your business troubles you, do not discount business support companies altogether. If times get a little rough and you start to experience some trouble and have questions or need help, remember these companies. Their advice could be invaluable in getting your business back in shape.

Trust

The lack of apparent transparency may also deter small business owners from turning to a third party for business support. Doing your research on the prospective business support company is a good way to relieve some of your anxieties. Make sure that the company is legitimate and has a good standing with its customers.

Long-Term Cost

It will usually mean additional cost to hire a third party to take care of an entire facet of your business’ operations. Handling these things yourself would almost certainly be a cheaper alternative. Hiring additional full-time, in-house staff to take care of these operations is likely to cost you more in the long run, though. That being said, the space that your business would save from the lack of additional staff members could be used for other more vital purposes, and it is hard to deny the boon that a whole company filled with professionals could offer your business.

Pricing

Prices vary form company to company and from service to service. The quantity of work involved is always the bottom line for these third-party companies. Accounting and bookkeeping services often cost around $60 per hour and are usually billed at the end of the month. IT services vary widely, and a contract will be drawn up once the company knows your exact needs. Desktop publishing services usually charge based on the services requested. Business cards, for example, cost around $75 for a complete order, and services run around $50 per hour.

These business support services have the potential to radically change the way that your business operates. By outsourcing tasks that do not directly pertain to your business’ service or product, you will need to hire fewer employees, so you can concentrate on performing your primary tasks. Bookkeeping, accounting, and IT tasks can be especially confusing or overwhelming to the inexperienced.