Signs You’re Ready to Outsource Your Packaging

It takes a lot to run an SME. And sometimes, the workload can prove too overbearing for the team. This can prove detrimental to certain areas of the company, including the packaging department. And it doesn’t help that there are already many considerations with in-house packaging, including weight and volume requirements, functionality, and sustainability.

In this situation, business owners are presented with a choice: hire new employees or outsource? Both options have their pros and cons, but these depend on the company’s current situation. In this article, we’ll be citing three signs that it’s time for you to outsource your packaging needs:

1. Your business is scaling up very quickly

Once the ball gets rolling and business picks up, you’ll find that work becomes more demanding — a growing need for risk management, more clients to attend to, and more orders to fill. If your business is expanding and your team hasn’t eased into the new routines just yet, then it’s a good idea to outsource some help.

Increased sales can lead to a dwindling supply of packaging resources. So, in the event that your company experiences a sudden surge in activity, you’ll likely benefit from outsourcing your packaging resources from a third-party. You can reduce operational costs by outsourcing labor, production, and the space needed to house your packaging lines. Plus, with menial tasks taken care of, you’ll have more time to focus on more urgent needs of the business.

2. Your business needs help in a particular aspect of packaging

SMEs are often made of small teams, and you can’t reasonably expect your employees to be adept at everything. So, if you notice that your company is struggling in a specific department — be it due to the workload or a skills gap — then it would be best to outsource. This will expedite internal processes and allow current employees to focus on their strengths.

Packaging isn’t just packaging. The logistics of preparing your goods overlap with other facets of your business. One obvious example: marketing. The way you present your products is an opportunity for branding. The team that handles your marketing, whether in-house or outsourced, need clear brand guidelines to work with. This should include in-depth information, such as your “why”, your color palette, and your illustration style. Know that one factor that affects consumers’ purchasing decisions, which ultimately leads to their loyalty, is how you present your product. Other than the aesthetic appeal, you have to make your packaging functional, too. If, say, your product containers look nice but are impossible to open or break easily, consumers can equate that with poor quality of goods. Packaging and marketing teams work hand-in-hand to create the ideal way to present your products and services to your customers, and make sure it contributes to their overall experience.

3. You need to create strong business strategies

If you find that your team is spending more time accomplishing daily operations than planning for the future, that’s a major problem. Strategy is what pushes businesses beyond their current margins. Thus, it shouldn’t be neglected. To free up some more time, it might be worth outsourcing extra hands.

Going back to marketing, you can opt to outsource professionals to help you create effective marketing strategies. The market is likely going to be saturated with competitors and how you promote your products could be what allows you to stand out from the pack. The age of heightened consumption is what slingshotted marketing as a fast-paced and in-demand profession. It’s also why online marketing degrees have surged, as professionals aim to expand their skillset with supplemental marketing training. Marketing graduates of recent years are well-versed in topics such as interactive and digital marketing, consumer behavior, and product development. All of these could help your business develop strong marketing strategies — these start in the way you reel consumers in with your product packaging. To optimize your business strategy, consider outsourcing marketing teams that also understand your packaging needs.

The perfect packaging style requires coordinated components that fit both your brand and your budget. Outsource your packaging needs to get a boost in your company’s efficiency and drive sales.

Article written for crpkg.com by Abby Clark

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