The Top 5 Outsourcing Trends for 2022
Outsourcing your business processes isn’t a fad. It’s an affordable way to streamline your processes, cut costs, and grow your business. In years past, larger companies were the only ones outsourcing. But now, outsourcing is affordable for businesses of all sizes. So, yes, outsourcing is here to stay. And these are the top 5 outsourcing trends we can expect in 2022.
Trend #1: Specialists Who Fill A Gap
The #1 reason most people outsource? Because they need a specific skill set. When a business wants to rethink its product packaging or redesign its label, it’s more cost-effective to hire a designer for this one project than permanently hiring new staff.
Contracting specialists as needed lets businesses keep their overhead costs low while still accessing the specific skill sets they need. Most of our clients post gigs with us because they need a translator, audio engineer, or another specialist for a specific task.
Trend #2: A Stronger Need For Cyber Security
As technology evolves and the number of remote positions grows, cyber security remains a genuine concern. Companies want to protect their intellectual property, financial information, and in-house correspondence. Interpol reports that criminals are taking advantage of “businesses rapidly deploying remote systems and networks to support staff working from home.” The spread of COVID-19 has significantly increased cyberattacks. And since the pandemic is still going strong and remote work remains popular, we can expect cyber security to remain a popular outsourcing trend.
Trend #3: AI Continues to Grow
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an outsourcing trend that uses machines to improve efficiency and reduce cost. What can AI do for your business? Quite a lot!
What AI Can Do:
Transcribe audio
Translate text into multiple languages
Automate delivery of your email campaign
Help with customer service via chatbots
Make personalized recommendations for customers
With all these things AI can do, it’s a no-brainer that AI will remain a hot trend in 2022. But there are some things AI just can’t do (or at least not yet).
What AI Can’t Do
AI can’t write compelling copy that pokes at your target audience’s pain points. Yes, they have AI that claims to write great copy. But all it can do is follow a formula. It can’t “think” outside that set of rules, so there’s no creative spark.
AI can’t transcribe or translate with 100% accuracy because AI doesn’t understand euphemisms, analogies, or the other nuances of human languages. We’ve all read something translated or transcribed by AI, and it was good for a laugh. But that’s hardly what you want for your business, right?
AI can’t understand your brand. It’s not capable of reading between the lines. It can’t truly understand human values and ethics. At the end of the day, it's just a machine.
AI can’t connect with your customers. Chatbots have their place, and it’s right alongside human customer service. A human customer service rep can understand sarcasm or a customer’s tone of voice and know when the customer is agitated. And then they can act quickly to make it right.
Artificial intelligence is undeniably valuable for businesses. But, it can’t solve all of your outsourcing needs.
Trend #4: Blockchain Services Will Soar
A few years ago, no one knew what blockchain was (except for the techies, of course). Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have brought blockchain into the mainstream, but it’s been around for some time. The success of the crypto market has inspired many companies to build blockchain platforms.
What Is BlockChain Exactly?
Blockchain is a digital ledger that’s distributed across multiple servers and computers. Blockchain means the data is backed up over and over again. Essentially, every user in a blockchain network has their own copy of the data. And blockchain code’s not just for crypto. Blockchain platforms now offer a better way to handle your business transactions. Blockchain is more secure than traditional payment methods because each transaction is encrypted in a basically unbreakable code and linked to the previous transaction.
Trend #5: The Ease of Cloud-Based Technology
It’s the age of cloud computing. Gone are the days of expensive hardware that you have to upgrade or replace every few years. Cloud computing lets businesses access remote services, storage, software, and networks.
Cloud platforms are more cost-effective than hardware or computer-based software. And distance is a non-issue. With a cloud-based platform, you can work with a graphic designer in Hong Kong and a virtual assistant in New York.
Freelance sites like our own connect you with professionals around the country that possess the skills (or the time) you lack. From start to finish, the entire exchange takes place on our platform. You provide your freelancer with feedback through our site, then pay them through our secure server.
Hello, 2022!
Are you unsure about outsourcing to a freelancer? If you’re hesitant about outsourcing, start with a small task, something that one of our gurus can do in an afternoon. We’re one of the only freelance sites where you pay by the task, not the project, the hour, or the month. There’s no need to post a big project. You can post gigs that take as little as 2 hours to complete!
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