Relieve the pressure of contractor management with an OBM

Hiring a team of contractors is a great way to scale your business efficiently while maintaining flexibility. From marketing and admin to finance support, there’s an expert out there. But no matter the reason for needing external support, contractor management takes energy to ensure you get the most out of each specialist due to the many moving parts.

With freelancers now accounting for 22% of the UK workforce, more and more businesses are utilising flexible, specialist skills on a contract basis instead of the traditional hiring route. This means businesses also need to learn how to manage the process of hiring contractors efficiently, so it actually saves them time and money. 

At Virtually Priceless, our online business managers (OBMs) regularly support growing businesses utilising various contractors, relieving pressure from business owners and managers. 

It might sound counterintuitive to hire someone else to manage your existing contractors and freelancers, but using an OBM could be the perfect solution to relieve you of having to manage all of them. 

Here’s how using an OBM service like ours can help your business grow more efficiently and manage your outsourced team.

Common challenges of managing external contractors

Before we get into how an online business manager can support you, it’s important to understand why it’s difficult to manage a hybrid team of external contractors, as until you’ve done it yourself, it can sound easy. 

Areas in which many businesses struggle to manage contractors efficiently include:

Communication issues

As each contractor is only involved in part of the process, the communication with the rest of your team is often limited. They might not be using the same communication channels as you, so things get lost and it’s hard to keep track of everything. If your contractors are in different time zones, you may also have difficulties due to differing work hours.

Keeping up with the admin involved with managing contractors

Many businesses underestimate the contractor management admin involved, as you have to keep on top of contracts, invoices, timesheets, and project deliverables. This all takes time and good organisation so you don’t miss a payment to your contractor or end up with the wrong outcome.

Differing processes and systems

Your various contractors might deliver their work in different ways, as they work via their own systems and have a specific process. This could mean you’re spending time adapting to the different formats and having to save files in multiple places. 

For example, one contractor might deliver things in a Microsoft Word file, whereas another will issue a Google Doc link. These two systems, although similar, work and are accessed differently, changing the way you interact with the files.

Reduced engagement and collaboration

When you hire contractors for specific roles, they usually work independently to deliver their outcomes. It takes active contractor management to ensure everyone has what they need, acting as the go-between to encourage collaboration or discussion between two parties when required.

How an OBM can support your contractor management process

An online business manager can take many of the time-consuming and admin-heavy tasks off your plate, managing contractors on your behalf. Of course, you still need to manage the work they’re doing for you, but your interactions can be kept to a minimum to focus on the results without the surrounding noise.

This means you will not only save time, but you’ll also ensure consistent and responsive contractor management, meaning everyone has what they need to achieve the best results possible.

What’s the difference between a VA and an OBM?

Both terms refer to outsourced admin support and assistance, however, an OBM is more commonly a planner or strategist, often managing projects from start to finish. A VA is often more task-oriented, handling specific administrative or operational duties.  

But this distinction isn’t always clear-cut. Many VAs are highly skilled and capable of managing complex projects, blurring the lines between the two roles.

For example, many of our Virtually Priceless team members actually do a hybrid OBM and VA role, overseeing and coordinating the work of others and acting as the main point of contact within a more strategic role. They would typically work fewer hours at a higher rate due to their expertise and leadership responsibilities.

Ultimately, whether someone uses the title OBM or VA is less important than the skills, experience, and competency they bring to the table. 

When hiring someone for contractor management, focus on finding a professional whose capabilities align with your business’s unique needs, and check they are confident in these 5 key areas:

1. Handling contractor communication

Never worry about sending emails to multiple contractors with updates again or replying to queries again – an OBM can take this off your hands. They will step in for all contractor communication you need, only contacting you when there’s a specific question or issue you need to be aware of, ensuring smooth operations for all.

2. Organising contractor management admin

Your OBM can handle all admin such as contracts, invoices, timesheets, and project deliverables. They will know what’s due, outstanding, and on track, and can report back to you with a regular and simple update.

3. Creating a centralised system for all contractor information

To manage the varied information and files, your OBM can create an organised, centralised system to have everything in one place. Meaning when you’re looking for a specific file, you don’t have to search through endless emails. They can also create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) so everyone has the same information to hand.

4. Encouraging team collaboration for a better culture

As your OBM will become an active part of your team and are dedicated to supporting your contractor management process, they should be able to spot when team members need more encouragement for collaboration easily and give people a nudge in the right direction. This creates a better company culture for both internal and external team members.

5. Evaluate the contractor management process

And finally, so that your business is getting the most out of your contractors, an OBM can regularly review the process. They can check what’s working, what’s not, and what could be improved. This could mean altering the output from certain contractors or looking for people with different skill sets to bridge a gap.

Remove the stress from your contractor management with Virtually Priceless

Hopefully, you now understand how an OBM can improve your contractor management process and that hiring another person to do this isn’t just smart – it’s going to save you so much stress and reap better results.

The Virtually Priceless team can work with you to manage your contractors, giving you more time to focus on growing your business and delivering excellent results. Get in touch to discuss your business needs today.