What to Outsource First: 10 Tasks Small Businesses Should Hand Off

Most small business owners do not have a time problem. They have a task problem. Too many hours go on jobs that are necessary but do not grow the business: chasing invoices, answering the same customer emails, updating the website, posting on social media and keeping the books in order.

Outsourcing is one of the fastest ways to win that time back. But the biggest question we hear is not whether to outsource. It is what to outsource first.

This guide answers that question. We cover a simple way to decide, the 10 tasks small businesses most often hand off first, what you should keep in-house, and how to start without disrupting your business.

How to Decide What to Outsource First

Before picking tasks, it helps to look at your week through three simple questions.

1. Does it eat a lot of time?

Keep a rough log of how you spend a typical week. You will probably find a handful of tasks that take hours but would take a specialist far less time. Those are prime candidates. Our article on what admin tasks really cost your business shows how quickly those hours add up.

2. Does it need a skill you do not have?

If you spend an afternoon watching tutorials to fix something on your website, or worry every quarter about getting your VAT figures right, that is a sign the job would be done better and faster by someone who does it every day.

3. Is it repeatable?

Tasks that follow a clear, regular process are the easiest to hand over. Monthly bookkeeping, weekly social media posts and daily inbox management all fit this pattern.

A task that scores high on all three is where you should start. A useful rule of thumb: if a job is time-consuming, repetitive and not the reason customers choose you, it is a strong outsourcing candidate.

The 10 Tasks Small Businesses Should Outsource First

1. Bookkeeping

Bookkeeping is the single most common place businesses start, and for good reason. It is regular, process-driven and vital to get right. Errors cause cash flow surprises, penalties and stressful year ends.

It is also becoming more demanding. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is extending to sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £30,000 from April 2027, which means more digital record-keeping and quarterly updates. Mandatory e-invoicing for VAT invoices between businesses follows from April 2029. Handing bookkeeping to an outsourced accounting team keeps your records accurate and ready for both changes.

Good sign you should outsource it: you do your books in a rush at the end of the quarter, or you are not sure your figures are up to date.

2. Payroll

Payroll looks simple until something goes wrong. Tax codes, pension auto-enrolment, statutory pay and real-time submissions to HMRC all need to be correct and on time, every time. Mistakes affect your team directly, which makes payroll one of the most stressful jobs to get wrong.

Outsourcing payroll removes that risk and the time it takes. We explore the pros and cons in more depth in Payroll Outsourcing: Is It the Best Solution for Your Business?

3. Invoicing and Credit Control

Late payments are one of the biggest threats to small business cash flow, yet chasing them is a job many owners put off. An outsourced team can raise invoices promptly, send reminders on schedule and follow up overdue accounts politely and consistently.

The result is simple: you get paid faster, and you no longer have awkward conversations with your own customers.

4. VAT Returns and Tax Preparation

VAT returns follow strict deadlines and rules, and errors can be costly. If you are VAT registered, outsourcing the preparation of your returns means your figures are checked by people who handle VAT every day. We look at this in more detail in Outsourcing for VAT and Tax Efficiency.

5. Customer Support

Answering emails, live chat and phone calls can quickly take over a working day. Yet customers expect fast, friendly replies, and slow responses lose sales.

An outsourced customer support team can handle routine queries, order updates and first-line support, passing only the complex cases back to you. Many businesses also use it to extend their opening hours without hiring extra staff.

Tip: start with your most common questions. If 70% of your inbox is the same few queries, that portion is easy to hand over first.

6. Social Media Management

Posting consistently is one of the hardest things for a busy owner to keep up. Weeks go by without a post, and then a burst of activity, which does little for your brand.

Outsourced marketing support can plan a content calendar, design posts, schedule them and report on what is working, while you approve the direction and add your personal touch.

7. SEO, Content and Digital Marketing

Being found online takes ongoing work: keyword research, blog writing, on-page optimisation, Google Business Profile updates and paid advertising. These are specialist skills that change quickly, which makes them ideal to outsource.

A good partner will tie the work to clear goals such as enquiries, calls or sales, rather than vanity numbers.

8. Website Updates and Maintenance

A slow, outdated or broken website costs you customers, often without you knowing. Security updates, plugin fixes, page changes and speed improvements are easy to neglect when you are busy.

Outsourcing website development and maintenance means your site stays secure, fast and up to date, and new pages or features can be added without a long wait.

9. Recruitment and Candidate Screening

Hiring well takes a surprising amount of time: writing job adverts, posting them, sifting CVs, arranging interviews and running checks. For a small business without an HR department, that can take weeks away from running the company.

Outsourced recruitment support can manage the early stages, so you only meet the strongest candidates. If you are also looking at people processes more widely, our article on outsourcing HR for small and medium businesses is a good next read.

10. Data Entry and General Admin

Updating your CRM, processing orders, organising files, preparing reports and managing spreadsheets are all essential, but rarely the best use of an owner’s time. These tasks are usually quick to train and easy to measure, which makes them a low-risk place to test outsourcing before handing over bigger functions.

What You Should Keep In-House

Outsourcing works best when you are clear about what stays with you. In most small businesses, that includes:

• Your vision and strategy: where the business is going and why
• Key client relationships: the conversations only you can have
• Your core product or service: the thing customers actually pay you for
• Final decisions: approving budgets, hiring and major changes

The aim is not to hand away control. It is to free up your time so you can focus on exactly these things. If you are unsure where the line sits for your business, a short consulting session can help you map it out.

Why More UK Businesses Are Outsourcing Now

The cost of employing staff has risen in recent years. Higher employer National Insurance contributions, pension costs, recruitment fees, equipment and office space all add up before a new hire has done a single day’s work.

Outsourcing lets you access skilled people for the hours you actually need, without those fixed costs. We compare the numbers side by side in 3 Employees vs an Outsourcing Team. If you are weighing up different models, Outstaff vs Outsourcing: What’s the Real Difference? explains the options.

How to Start Outsourcing Without the Risk

1. Pick one or two tasks. Start with the jobs that score highest on time, skill and repeatability.
2. Write down the process. A simple checklist or short screen recording makes handover far smoother.
3. Agree clear expectations. Set response times, deadlines, quality standards and how you will communicate.
4. Run a trial period. Review results after a month and adjust before expanding.
5. Choose the right partner. Look for experience, clear pricing, data security and good communication. Our guide on how to choose the right outsourcing partner covers the questions to ask.
6. Scale gradually. Once the first tasks run smoothly, add more.

Not sure whether you are ready? These 5 signs your business is ready for outsourcing will help you decide.

How Legacy Outsourcing Can Help

Legacy Outsourcing supports UK businesses with accounting, customer support, marketing, website development, recruitment and consulting, all from one partner. With a UK base in Didcot and a dedicated delivery team, we work as an extension of your business, so you can start small with one service and grow from there.

If you would like to talk through what to outsource first, contact our team for a free, no-pressure conversation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the first thing a small business should outsource?

For most small businesses, bookkeeping is the best starting point. It is regular, process-driven and vital to get right, and outsourcing it frees up time while reducing the risk of tax errors.

What tasks can a small business outsource?

Common tasks include bookkeeping, payroll, invoicing and credit control, VAT returns, customer support, social media, SEO and digital marketing, website maintenance, recruitment screening, and data entry or general admin.

What should a small business not outsource?

Most businesses keep their vision and strategy, key client relationships, their core product or service, and final decision-making in-house.

Is outsourcing cheaper than hiring staff?

Often, yes. Outsourcing avoids fixed costs such as employer National Insurance, pensions, recruitment, equipment and office space, and you only pay for the support you need. The right choice depends on the volume and type of work.

How do I start outsourcing for the first time?

Choose one or two time-consuming, repeatable tasks, document how they are done, agree clear expectations with your provider, and run a trial period before expanding.

Can I outsource just one task?

Yes. Many businesses start with a single service, such as bookkeeping or customer support, and add more once they see the benefits.