Does finding an outsourcing partner feel like an Easter egg hunt?

30th March, 2010 - Posted by Rob - No Comments

Easter’s round the corner. And all those cute kids are gearing up for the Easter egg hunt, ready to stock up and munch on a whole range of goodies. But as a company looking for an outsourcing partner, does finding a good match feel like an Easter egg hunt?

No doubt, you have so many options open to you. And like the Easter eggs, they come in all shapes, sizes and colors. You can choose your outsourcing partner from India, China, Russia or any other country. You are indeed spoilt for choice. And just like those eggs, what’s inside is anybody’s guess. You may find M&Ms or those gooey gummy candies or those sour gummies. That’s probably the reason why, you are wondering how to choose your perfect outsourcing partner.

Well, we’ll give you a few guidelines down here. Maybe, they will make the hunt a whole lot easier for you.

Check for experience: Find out how long your partner has handled outsourcing activities. Ask to see if he has experience your kind of work. Be it BPO or custom software development or CMS development, it always makes sense to work with an experienced partner who can understand your needs right away and start delivering from day one. Ask for samples of their previous work and assess their quality to see they can cater to your business needs.

Ask for reference: Interview your outsourcing partner just as you would interview a potential employee. Check to see if they can provide credible references. Talk to their clients and see if they can meet up to your unique needs and expectations. Check up on these parameters – understanding the client’s need, work ethics, work quality, timely delivery, post-development support and transparency.

See if goals and ideologies match: As with any successful partnership, there needs to a match in the wavelengths if an outsourcing partnership has to really work. Talk to all probable partners and assess to see if you share similar vision and ideologies. You need to see if your goals and objectives match and if you two can work on a mutually beneficial relationship. This is very critical because partners who are tangential in terms of goals and ideologies can never work together and you tend to lose a lot in this kind of unproductive partnership.

Do they have the resources? Does your outsourcing firm in India have the skilled, experienced manpower to cater to your needs? Is their infrastructure up-to-date? Do they have the technology to work for you? Do they have strong communication channels? Check to see if your prospective partner is over-promising but under-delivering. This is a key reason why many outsourcing partnerships fail. It’s better if you can visit your prospective vendor and have a through walk-through across his premises and then decide to sign on the dotted line. This way, you will save yourself from rude shocks at later stages.

Are they financially strong? Look for companies that have a long history of financial stability. Your partner needs to have a decent list of prestigious clientele and an impressive turnover. This way, you are assured that he will sustain through the vagaries of global financial meltdowns and recessions. And your work, in turn, would not be affected.

Are they in it for the long-haul? Outsourcing pays best when it is focused on a long-term approach. It’s great to use an off-shore vendor for just one software development project, but, you will see a gradual increase in profits with a sustained outsourcing approach. If this is your business model, then, always look to see if your outsourcing partner will go with you for the long-haul. He should be willing to stay with you over many years. You can gauge this by assessing his interaction with existing and previous clients, analyzing the vendor’s growth and business ideologies.

True, finding an outsourcing partner is very much like an Easter egg hunt. But you can take out suspense, surprise and disappointment from this exciting hunting process through careful thought, analysis and interaction with prospective vendors.

In short, choose your egg wisely and you may just savor some very sweet candies, inside. Happy Easter!

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