If you’re looking for a strategy to increase efficiency and profit margins for your business, outsourcing specific job roles to nearshore locations may be the solution.
This approach enables you to access remote experts without having to make costly investments in an in-house team or be hindered by the challenges of offshoring to a distant country.
From software development and customer service to digital marketing, there are numerous functions you can outsource to nearshore professionals.
In this article, we’ll look into which roles are best suited for nearshore outsourcing, as well as some of the major advantages of this method.
What Is Nearshore Outsourcing?
Nearshore outsourcing, also known as “nearshoring,” is the practice of outsourcing services to an external service provider located in another country that is geographically close to your own. For US companies, it usually refers to hiring remote talent in Latin America (LatAm).
Like other forms of outsourcing, nearshoring involves hiring outside contractors or agencies to perform professional services traditionally conducted in-house. This allows you to focus on core competencies while taking advantage of the cost efficiency, specialized skills, resources, and flexibility of third-party providers.
However, nearshore outsourcing is unique from other common outsourcing approaches, such as onshoring (outsourcing services to professionals based in your own country) and offshoring (hiring outsourced providers located in a distant country).
Specifically, it provides similar advantages to onshoring, such as time zone and cultural similarities. However, like offshoring, it also allows you to hire skilled talent without the high labor costs of US talent.
We’ll cover the benefits of nearshore outsourcing in more detail below.
Why Outsource Roles to Nearshore Locations?
To help you understand if outsourcing is the right approach for your business, let’s look at the top reasons why companies of all sizes utilize it.
Find and hire experts from different industries
With the ability to access experts from different industries, you can fill specific business functions quickly and cost effectively.
LatAm has skilled talent in a wide range of fields, from tech to finance to customer service. Whether you need additional services for an IT project, marketing campaign, or financial analysis, you’ll be able to find experienced professionals who can provide specialized support.
With a large talent pool of virtual contractors and remote foreign employees to choose from, you’ll be better equipped to handle projects or processes you may not have the internal resources or expertise to complete.
Save valuable time and resources
Nearshore outsourcing can be an efficient way to grow your business while reducing costs associated with hiring and training new employees. You can also completely eliminate overhead costs such as office expenses and employee benefits.
Furthermore, due to lower living costs in nearshore regions, you can also save significantly on salary expenses compared with US talent.
On top of that, nearshoring can be a fast and scalable hiring method when you partner with a nearshore talent company. For example, Near can reduce your sourcing and screening time by 50–70%, connecting you with qualified nearshore professionals within 21 days.
Take advantage of external skills and experiences
Around 26% of organizations with 10 or fewer employees choose outsourcing primarily to receive help from a skilled expert.
Nearshore outsourcing is an excellent way to access advanced skills and knowledge that can help grow your business. Given the flexibility and expertise of remote talent in LatAm, nearshoring can be an effective solution whether you’re looking for an expert in a certain field or need help with a specific project.
By outsourcing tasks that might take up too much of your time or require specialized knowledge, you can reduce your in-house staff’s burden so that they can focus on core business functions and increasing profit margins.
Collaborate remotely with ease
One of the biggest challenges of offshore outsourcing is collaboration. Not only are offshore providers typically located in vastly different time zones, but cultural differences may also result in communication issues.
Nearshoring is a simple solution to this challenge. LatAm is known for its cultural similarities with the US, making communication easier. The time zones of these regions also overlap, so it’s convenient to interact with remote talent in real time during regular business hours.
14 Key Roles You Can Easily Nearshore
Understanding the most common business roles to outsource to nearshore experts can help you decide which of your own company’s positions to nearshore. Here, we will explore some of the best jobs to outsource and the implications this may have for your business.
1. Digital marketer
A digital marketer plays a vital role in any business. The primary responsibility of a digital marketer is to analyze data from online sources and create campaigns that will reach your target audience.
This includes creating content that will be shared on social media, running ads on search engines and other websites, and using email campaigns to reach out to potential customers.
2. Human resources
You can nearshore HR functions such as workforce management, payroll processing, employee benefits administration, recruitment and selection processes, risk and compliance management, training and development, and other related activities. Make sure that the outsourced service provider is familiar with your industry and business practices in your region.
Nearshore HR service providers do more than just lighten administrative tasks. In many ways, they’re strategic partners that can propel your business forward.
3. Virtual assistant
Outsourcing specific roles to a nearshore virtual assistant (VA) can save your business time and money and increase productivity. VAs come with many different skill sets, ranging from administration to graphic design to marketing.
One of the most common roles for a VA is customer service. VAs are well versed in providing customers with helpful responses to their inquiries and effectively resolving any issues that arise. With their expertise, VAs can quickly handle customer requests or complaints, giving you more time to focus on other important tasks.
4. Executive assistant
Outsourcing an executive assistant (EA) in a nearshore country can be a great way to reduce administrative costs and improve efficiency in your business while also providing extra resources to focus on the core goals of your organization.
With an EA, you can benefit from experienced and knowledgeable staff equipped to handle a wide range of tasks, such as responding to incoming emails, scheduling meetings, taking notes, planning events, and providing customer service. They can also take on more challenging roles, such as preparing reports, developing strategies for growth, and managing vendor relationships.
5. Customer support
Customer support is the backbone of a business. Outsourcing a team of experienced customer service professionals can ensure that your customers have access to high-quality service. This includes providing timely responses to inquiries, resolving disputes and complaints quickly, and offering helpful advice on how products or services could be improved.
Additionally, they will be able to handle a wide variety of questions and can help customers navigate your website or service with ease. This helps create an excellent customer experience, which is essential for repeat business and keeping loyal customers.
6. Accountant
Outsourced accountants can help your firm’s finances in many ways. They can provide guidance on financial decisions, review and analyze financial statements, provide tax planning advice, create budgets and forecasts, and set up accounting systems. They can also assist with compliance issues, such as filing taxes and payroll regulations.
In addition, nearshore accountants may offer consulting services to help develop business strategies that increase profitability and reduce costs. Their experience can help you to understand your financial position better, identify areas of improvement, and make more financially sound decisions.
7. Financial analyst
Companies often do not have the in-house resources or expertise to manage their own financial analysis. In this case, an outsourced financial analyst can help identify cost savings, assess capital investments, and create financial models that aid decision-making.
Nearshore financial analysts have the expertise to provide strategic planning and budgeting, assess financial performance, identify risks and opportunities, and develop long-term strategies.
They can also create cash flow projections, analyze pricing strategies, review capital investments, design cost reduction techniques, recommend process improvements, and advise on stock buyback programs.
8. Content writer
Outsourced content writers can take on various writing tasks, including writing high-quality content such as blogs, articles, social media posts, and website copy. This type of content is essential for building brand awareness and engaging customers.
Some experienced content writers can also create visuals, such as infographics or videos, to supplement the written content. Additionally, they may be able to research keywords and analyze data to gain insights that can help shape future content strategies.
9. SEO specialist
Outsourcing SEO tasks to an experienced nearshore specialist is an excellent way to boost your business’s online presence and maximize search engine visibility. A skilled SEO specialist can help boost your website’s ranking on Google and other major search engines, making it easier for potential customers to find you.
They can also provide valuable insights into how your site performs compared with your competitors and suggest improvements to help you stay ahead.
An SEO specialist’s main tasks include keyword research, content optimization, link building, technical website audits and analysis, competitor analysis, local SEO promotion, social media promotion, and more.
10. Graphic designer
Outsourcing a graphic designer can give you access to quality design skills without the overhead costs of having an in-house design team.
A skilled nearshore designer can bring creativity and experience to any project, helping you stand out from competitors. They also often come with a network of contacts that could be beneficial for finding suppliers or other professionals to help with your design projects.
Graphic designers can create custom logos and business cards, create flyers and brochures for events or marketing campaigns, design websites, create illustrations and animations for digital projects, develop packaging designs, and even manage entire branding projects.
11. Software developer
Nearshore software developers can play an essential role in any business that utilizes technology. They are responsible for creating, maintaining, and improving a wide range of applications and programs companies use to perform tasks such as managing data, processing customer orders, or providing access to the internet.
Outsourcing software development roles like front-end, back-end, and full-stack developers can allow you to benefit from the technical proficiency of experienced professionals without investing in an internal development team.
12. Bookkeeper
Outsourced bookkeepers can play a vital role in helping your business stay on top of your finances and ensuring that your books are up to date. They are responsible for the day-to-day management of finances, including:
- Recording daily financial transactions
- Reconciling bank accounts and credit card statements
- Handling accounts payable and receivable
- Preparing monthly financial reports
- Assisting with budgeting and forecasting
- Completing required tax filings
13. Business development representative (BDR)
Business development representatives (BDRs) play an integral role in the growth of businesses. By leveraging their skills and expertise, they can help you reach your sales goals quickly and efficiently.
Outsourcing BDRs to nearshore countries allows you to benefit from experienced professionals without incurring the salary and overhead costs associated with hiring full-time employees.
Nearshore BDRs are responsible for generating and handling leads and improving conversion rates. They research potential customers, create lists of contacts, and contact them to initiate the sales process. BDRs also manage customer relationships, set up meetings, make follow-up calls, send emails, and more.
14. Sales development representative (SDR)
Outsourcing sales development representatives (SDRs) can enable you to supplement an existing sales team or replace it altogether.
SDRs are in charge of prospecting potential clients, typically through cold-call outreach and qualifying them for sales opportunities.
This process often involves researching your organization’s needs, understanding its competitive landscape, crafting a compelling value proposition, and engaging prospects to initiate conversations that can lead to an initial sale.
Final Thoughts
Nearshoring to LatAm countries can be an excellent option for outsourcing certain roles and processes. It offers the perfect balance of cost savings, access to highly skilled talent, and cultural compatibility that is difficult to find anywhere else in the world.
With the right nearshore outsourcing partner, you can maximize your resources and unleash the full potential of your business operations.
Are you ready to start filling roles with the best nearshore talent? Schedule a complimentary remote recruiting consultation with Near to learn how you can access our pool of over 35,000 LatAm professionals.
