Public Relations Officer (PRO) services are a great solution when it comes to navigating legal administration requirements and regulations in the UAE. These professionals manage all the paperwork and processes related to initial approval, business license, trade name registration, document attestation, visa services, and others. This allows businesses to set up a legal entity in the UAE smoothly and compliantly and focus on revenue-driving activities, as your PRO partner is there to handle paperwork.
Put simply, PRO services ensure all documents are compliant, accurate, and submitted on time, avoiding fines and delays. It is also worth noting that any type of noncompliance with local laws in the UAE can have legal risks. With a trusted PRO by your side, you can have peace of mind knowing that your business adheres to all regulations.
However, most companies get confused about whether to choose in-house PRO services or outsourced PRO services. Your decision can have a significant impact on your business’s operational efficiency, compliance, growth, and employee satisfaction.
If you are wondering which option — in-house vs. outsourced PRO service — is right for your business, you are in the right place. This article explains key differences between in-house and outsourced PRO. So, read this and make the right decision.
Understand PRO Models
A PRO services company acts as a liaison between your business and various government departments in the UAE. The company is responsible for handling government-related tasks and communicating with legal authorities on behalf of your business. The main responsibilities of a PRO in Dubai include submitting applications for work permits, visas, and business licenses. In addition, PRO also helps with legal documentation, ensuring that all administrative procedures are completed on time. They liaise with local government agencies such as the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, and Dubai Municipality. Here are two popular options for PRO: Outsourced PRO services: When you assign all PRO-related tasks to a third party or specialised PRO agency, this is known as outsourced PRO services. In-house PRO services: When a company hires an internal team of lawyers, immigration personnel, HR specialists, and other employees to manage PRO functions, it is known as an in-house PRO.
Outsourced vs. In-House PRO Services
Here is the difference between in-house PRO and outsourced PRO services:Cost considerations
Hiring an in-house team often involves substantial upfront costs. You need to invest in recruiting, training, and technology to build a team of experts in PRO services in Dubai. Moreover, paying monthly salaries and benefits to in-house PROs can be more expensive than outsourcing PROs. On the other hand, hiring a reputable agency like Connect Group to outsource PRO services has low upfront costs and reduced long-term expenses. You don’t need to spend money on recruitment as the quality PRO service provider has experts to handle visa processing, documentation, work permits, visa renewals, license renewals, etc. Also, you won’t need to pay for office space, software updates, and staff training.Expertise
When choosing between in-house PRO and outsourced PRO services, expertise, skills, experience, and knowledge play an important role. Navigating complex regulations and local laws requires specialised expertise in local regulations and experience. In-house PRO team members may not be fully familiar with local laws and processes that work in the UAE. You need to provide them with regular training about local laws, regulation updates, employee benefits, visa and licence renewal rules, and more. This can increase the time it takes to legally start your business in Dubai, lagging you behind in the competition and losing potential investors. Whereas with a dedicated Dubai-based PRO services partner, you gain immediate access to a team of highly skilled and experienced PRO professionals who live and breathe local regulations and stay abreast of regulatory updates. Contact them, and they start serving you right away, which keeps you at the top of the competition by allowing you to operate as quickly as possible.Scalability and flexibility
As you plan to add new services for continuous growth, your in-house team also needs to evolve accordingly. For this, you need to provide regular training to your team or recruit new hires to grow the team for additional responsibilities. This can be time-consuming and costly, especially for SMBs. This may lower the speed at which you wish to grow your business, resulting in a reactive approach rather than a proactive one. On the other hand, working with a PRO services company offers you a higher degree of flexibility in meeting changing business needs. Established PRO services companies are equipped with extensive resources, allowing them to offer services based on your daily growth requirements.Risk management
With an in-house PRO team, you can control all activities and ensure everything is being handled properly according to local rules and laws. However, the risk of penalties and fines is high, especially when you fail to comply with local immigration laws, labour laws, and licensing regulations. This happens because your in-house employees may lack experience and up-to-date knowledge about the UAE’s local laws. Additionally, there’s the risk of turnover. Imagine your key personnel suddenly leave the company, and your operations get disrupted. You face a lack of approvals or may miss some important deadlines, which may cause heavy fines and/or reputational damage to your company. On the other hand, outsourcing professional PRO services helps minimise risks. These service providers keep themselves updated with any changes in laws, visa processing, license renewals, and other government-related tasks. Also, top-notch PRO service providers ensure compliance and easily handle potential issues.
Which is Better – Outsourcing PRO or an In-House Team?
Before deciding which option is best, let’s understand the day-to-day tasks or documents you need to work with when running a business in the UAE.- Address change
- Business license renewals
- Employee work permit
- Visa application
- Visa renewals
- Document attestation
- Emirates ID
- Dependant sponsorship
- E-signature card
- Open a business bank account
- Immigration clearance
- Employment rules
- Change of designations
- Import-export license and more.
