Tips on How to Reduce Overhead Costs for Small Businesses

The global pandemic has changed millions of lives around the globe. Restriction in movement and halt in operations took a huge toll in every sector of the global economy. Companies are now looking at achievable strategies to ensure the continuous marketing and business growth. And one way of dealing with this unfavorable economy is to focus on how to reduce overhead costs. 

How to Reduce Overhead Costs?

Your overhead costs are indirect costs associated with running your business. However, it is not directly related to the manufacture of a product or service. For example, if you have a service-based business, you will incur overhead costs such as rent, utilities, and insurance. This is to maintain your operation and achieve optimum productivity.

It’s important to note that the higher your overhead cost is, the longer it takes you to achieve your goals. Having said that, you need to plan on how to reduce overhead costs. This is to ensure most of your expenses go directly towards the production of your product or service. The following tips can help you minimize your overhead costs in your small business:

Go paperless

Having many hard copies of documents adds up on your printing and storage costs. To reduce it, you may opt to outsource data entry services to digitize your data. Data entry services can help you store and organize your data in an easily accessible manner. With this service, you can also ensure data errors can be efficiently addressed all the time.

By going paperless, you don’t have to spend money on office supplies such as paper and ink cartridges. Moreover, you don’t need to give up office space for your file cabinets and documents. With data entry services, you can also store important documents in the cloud or on disks. Additionally, this helps you to keep your data in a secure location.

Make good hiring decisions

The aftermath of the global pandemic may force you to reduce your company’s workforce. With small manpower, it’s a challenge to increase productivity in the workplace. However, it all comes down to your hiring decisions. When you hire new employees, make sure they possess multiple skills that can bring value to your company.

Hiring the best talent during a pandemic is a tedious task. With a restriction on movement, assessing candidates thoroughly is a challenge. However, you can outsource your recruitment process to a reliable service provider. Having a recruitment team in place will help you process successful employee recruitment.

Hire a virtual assistant

You can grow a more flexible workforce through the help of virtual assistants. This is true since nowadays, most jobs are done remotely. Hiring a virtual assistant can help you save money by not having to hire additional part-time staff. They work from home as effectively as regular employees and help you keep your financial resources under control.

From social media management, scheduling appointments, and managing events to personal errands, an outsourced virtual assistant can be of great assistance. When hiring a virtual assistant, communicate your personal preferences and work style clearly. This will help them know what to expect from you and how to best perform their tasks.

Sell products on affordable platforms

With so many brick-and-mortar stores have closed, eCommerce has encouraged shoppers to purchase products at home. Leveraging the power of eCommerce in these challenging times is in your best interest. By selling products online, you can achieve profitable long-term growth. This platform will also provide professional and helpful assistance to your customers before, during, and after every sale of goods and services.

There are reasons as to why eCommerce can help you reduce overhead expenses. First, an eCommerce operation doesn’t require a salesperson to sell your products. Second, you don’t need a cashier to ring up your sales online. Lastly, you don’t need to have a brick-and-mortar store for customers to visit. Hence, eCommerce is a smart move since they require fewer resources than traditional retail stores.

Invest in tax and accounting professionals

As a small business owner, you hope to pay as little income tax as is legally possible. However, it’s not your expertise to research all possible tax deductions you may qualify for. That being said, you need a tax or accounting professional who has extensive knowledge of tax preparation. These professionals can help you identify potential deductions and minimize your income taxes. 

Accountants are responsible for securing accurate business records on your finances from month to month. It’s important to note that if your expenditures are not adequately supported by business records, deductions can be disallowed. You will end up paying more in taxes than is required by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If you want to reduce your taxable income or receive a larger refund, invest in accounting and finance operations. 

Outsource specific duties to third-parties

Instead of hiring new employees for certain tasks such as HR or administrative tasks, consider outsourcing to third-parties. This allows you to work with professionals without the attached recurring benefits. The mandated employee benefits are one of the costs that add up in payroll expenses. One way of cutting these staff benefits is to work with an outsourcing service provider. 

An outsourcing service provider can help you carry out some of your business functions. These include but not limited to payroll processing, appointment setting, debt collection, and even reminder calls. Commercial Outsourcing Service is proven to cut at least 70% of labor costs. Not only does it improve your bottom line and cash flow, it can also save up costs on payroll, rentals, and utilities.

Reduce Overhead Costs via Outsourcing 

With the pandemic around in place, the potential for your business to flourish is much limited. This is true if your manpower is dwindling and you keep losing fresh perspectives of business solutions. However, you could still tap on professionals, like Magellan Solutions, to give you a helping hand. By doing so, you can free up your time and focus on growing your profit margin.

Outsourcing some of your business functions is the best way to cut overhead costs. However, finding a reliable outsourcing service provider is a daunting task. If you prioritize high-quality service at a low cost, you may consider the Philippines. It is an excellent choice for its key competencies such as its educated workforce, efficient labor practices, industry expertise, low labor cost, and strategic location. 

Do you want to have the best cost-saving strategy to reduce your overhead costs? Fill out the form below to get a free consultation. Or you can contact us.