Even if you are in a technological startup, there are many techies’ tasks you will probably need to outsource. Budgets are tight, and every startup employees are famous for being forced to wear a number of hats. However, employing a DIY approach can sink a startup faster than an investor who pulls out funding at the last minute. The best approach is budgeting for business support solutions so that the founder and employees can focus on their own jobs.
The size of the market for business support services in Darwin is difficult to estimate for a number of reasons. The primary reasons are the providers, services and customers who are constantly evolving with technological advances. For example, the secretarial service of the 1960s and 1970s were the good electric typewriter was pretty much all you needed but now it’s get off the ground today’s businesses. And who knows what technology will be able to do in 30 to 40 years from now?
To understand the future perspective, take a look at how the industry has evolved over the span of the 20th century. The administrative demands of doing business have grown tremendously, creating a need for clerical support. With the introduction of desktop computers and increasingly sophisticated office equipment, the skills and knowledge requirements of employees have also increased.
At the same time, the general business landscape has changed radically. Big business is looking for ways to streamline their operations, and one popular option is a farm out, where they retain another company to provide a service that may have traditionally done by employees. Small business companies want to stay lean and profitable; even they are turning into outsourcing rather than fattening up their payroll.
Combine the obvious need with new ways of operating in the business world; you have a dynamic young industry wide open with opportunities: business support services. In fact, there are so many opportunities that if you don’t have a clear plan, target market, and specific services, your chances of success are low. With a lot of thought and preparation and a minimal amount of cash, you can quickly be on the road to profitability.
Types of services
You can offer a wide range of services; the following list encompasses the kind of services you can offer. The most important thing listen to your clients, they will let you know what they need and then you can decide if you can provide it.
- Taxation
- Accounting
- Bookkeeping
- Business improvement and automation solutions
Taxation
Taxation is very important for business support services because it helps you for the preparation of tax return for individual and companies and trusts.
Bookkeeping
The biggest advantage of bookkeeping is that remote bookkeeping solutions can go paperless. By using your Smartphone you can have a secure portal into your accounting software. The stressing of filling and fear of losing your receipts is not an option for you.
Business improvement and automation solutions
As technology improves and industries become more competitive, many businesses want to remain profitable. With new software applications being developed daily you can take advantage of technology to increase productivity and reduce administrative costs. There are many affordable technical solutions available that suit your business needs. Through the implementation of business support, you can roll out new software system and processes.
Accounting
The manual processes and diverse data and legacy system used financial reports must provide accurate and timely information. The processes should be the standardized and efficient workflow that enables your organization to capture and share accurate financial data across the enterprise.
Target market
You have three broad markets for business support services in Darwin.
- The general public
- Small commercial and home-based businesses
- Large corporations.
General public
By “general public” we mean the individual person who is not into businesses. The two largest segments of this market are people with college or school students and housewives.
Small commercial and home-based.
The majority of your clients will fall under this category. These are companies that require administrative support but do not have the money, space or need for the full-time employee. They may prefer to outsource specific tasks rather than invest in the talent and equipment necessary to get a job done right. Hiring temporary employees can be more costly than small businesses needs demand.
As the number of small businesses continues to grow, so does your potential market. The list of services they use is limited only by your imagination and personal preferences. As you develop a relationship with small businesses, you will be in a position to make a suggestion that will increase volume and expand the scope.
Large corporations
Large companies also use business support services when their own staff members are unavailable for certain reasons like vacations or illness. They may not actually need a temporary staff they just need someone to come in and be present in the office. Sometimes they may need someone who can handle all or part of the work of the absent staff.
Marketing
Marketing is an area where your creative side can shine. It is something many people don’t like to do it it’s very essential if you are going to build a successful and profitable business. Don’t get discouraged if your marketing efforts don’t produce an immediate response. You will have to put together a professional and attractive information package. It is not unusable for a sales contact not to generate a response for months or even a year.
Advertising
Advertising is a great way to bring new business, but choosing effective media may take some experimentation. The single best place to advertise is your local newspapers because that’s the place where people look when they need a service and don’t know who to call. Don’t limit yourself with local newspaper; try to put ads on a radio station and news channel. You can place ads in the university newspaper classified section and get a good response from that.