12 Essential tips to finding the best outsourcing company
We all know that outsourcing is a big business and identifying the best offshore, or onshore, company can be difficult. Most companies cannot rely on just the quality of the services provided to them but also take into account factors such as how long a company has been in business, what their client testimonials are like and brand reputation.
So to make it easier for you to find out who has the best experience and is likely to provide good quality service, we have compiled this list of 12 essential tips for finding and working with an outsourcing partner. Let's dive in!
#1: With offshore companies seeking clients daily, they will either seek you out or come after you until your project kicks off. With an onshore company, it is not uncommon to get a sales pitch. If a contact makes you uncomfortable, then be cautious of them.
#2: The most reliable references are those from the people who have already worked with the outsourcing company you are considering. They can provide you with honest feedback instead of just positive feedback that some companies give their clients. Real references will not damage the relationship between you and your outsourcing partner so if possible try to talk to someone who has used their services in the recent past.
#3: Make sure that the outsourcing company you choose can handle the entire lifespan of your project. They should be able to supply resources for both initial and ongoing projects, not just a one-time thing. You don't want to have to shop around for another provider mid-way through a project.
#4: You should ask the potential outsourcing partner if they will work with other companies. Some companies outsource their projects internally, with multiple staff members working together on different parts of the same project. This means that you aren't able to get direct access to your team members, instead they will be communicating with an intermediary who may or may not translate their needs properly.
#5: If you have the opportunity to actually meet with the representatives of the outsourcing company and work with them to get your project started, then you should definitely do it. Try to meet with a few different people who are responsible for different parts of the process. You want to make sure that they are able to handle all aspects of your needs. Some onshore companies may outsource some components of their project and that can greatly affect how your end product comes out.
#6: The most important thing to investigate is their relationship with each other and their customers. In a small company, everyone knows everyone. But in larger companies, the relationship between employees and customers can be a bit dysfunctional. This can cause issues later on in business if someone is not communicating properly with the customer to make sure that they are getting what they want.
#7: If you have the opportunity to try out their services before hiring them, then do it! Smaller companies may not offer this kind of service but established companies should be able to do so. It is way too difficult to trust a completely new company with your project even if they have solid references and history of successful projects. So it's better to test drive them first before you invest in them fully.
#8: How long have they been in business? This doesn't necessarily mean that they are the oldest, it just means that they have been getting a lot of work done. Companies with a great track record will be more eager to take on your project and more willing to provide great customer service.
#9: Try to get references from people who have used their services in the past. Forums like Recruitment Agencies are great for finding testimonials from previous clients that already have some kind of relationship with the outsourcing partner. You can also reach out to other companies for references by email or phone directly instead of going through an agency. Just make sure to ask them to sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) so that they are able to share their opinions with you.
#10: Ask the outsourcing company if they have any relative pricing. Reputable companies don't have exclusive agreements like this, making it easy for other companies to provide them with work at a lower price than you pay for your project. If an onshore company advertises a great price for a particular type of work, then you should keep tabs on that company and research how it was able to provide such an amazing deal.
#11: If possible, try working with a few different outsourcing companies until you find the best one for your project. Doing things this way will allow you to compare their services, pricing and overall service to find the one that best fits your needs.
#12: If an onshore company charges you a large fee for the first project, they may be unwilling to work with other clients at a similar price point because they will lose revenue. This can make it hard for other companies to provide them with work without getting the same kind of treatment from them again. As long as you don't agree to pay too much for your first project, then try not to worry about seeing fluctuations in prices for future projects.
Are you looking to hire onshore or offshore services? Packing a great deal of work into a small package, these tips will make sure that your outsourcing experience is smooth and enjoyable. Good luck with your next project!
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Comments Comments are closed. Guest Post Submit Your Own Slowing Down in a Faster Economy Written by Tony Jenkins The goal of any business is to increase revenue as quickly as possible. However, this doesn’t always mean expanding at breakneck speed. It can be easy to forget that ratios of time vs revenue are important.
If we double the number of hours you have, but give you twice as little revenue, then you have actually reduced your productivity. This is called “slowing down” in a faster economy.
The purpose of this article is to outline some strategies for increasing your productivity without slowing down too much.
1. Adapt to the changing environment: The job market is tough for everyone, including individuals with highly paid technical jobs. However, those who can adapt quickly to a changing environment are more likely to succeed than those who cannot cope with change at all.
2. Attract new customers: Your clients (customers) will not all come to you. You can help by writing articles that introduce you as the “go-to” person for companies in your field. Such articles will also ensure that people will know that you have the expertise they need.
3. Prioritize your job: If you are in a rush and feeling overwhelmed, it is better to do the job of three people than to have four people and feel stressed out. Take time to prioritize tasks using techniques such as an index card system (one step at a time).
4.
Conclusion: The bottom line is that you should work smarter, not harder. Slowing down in a faster economy can be a balancing act. If you overdo it and slow down too much, you can lose your edge in the competition. However, if you do too little work, then you will feel stressed out and under-productive.
In other words: understand what is slowing down your income and then use the right tools to increase productivity without slowing down too much!
Until next time… Good luck! This article originally appeared on The Resilient Blog - http://theresilientblog.