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Outsourcing to India: How a measured approach helps make the most of it

Author: John Tie
by John Tie
Posted: Dec 06, 2017

If you run a business, odds are you will have heard a lot of things about outsourcing. If you run a business, you also obviously have the good sense and wherewithal to separate the truth from the myths. Tomes have been written about the benefits of outsourcing, and if you’re planning to tap into the benefits of outsourcing, here are a few pointers to make the transition and the entire process as fruitful and as uncomplicated as it can possibly be.

The first thing to keep in mind is that as with any business strategy, outsourcing requires research, planning, time, and patience for its benefits to truly shine through. It needs to be a sustained effort and not a stop-gap arrangement. It is not a temporary fix. To make the most of everything that outsourcing has to offer, you will need to allocate time, and use your business acumen so that you get into business with the right third-party vendor or remote staffing company.

When you start shopping for offshore outsourcing services, these are the 10 key things you must keep in mind:

  1. Decide upon the whys of your decision to outsource: You need to have a very clear understanding of your reasons for wanting to outsource. You must also be very clear on which processes you want to outsource and to what degree. Once that has been ascertained, you must then decide how long you want to use offshore outsourcing services for.

  2. Remember that outsourcing is not a temporary fix: Outsourcing is most beneficial when it falls in line with your company’s long-term goals. You need to consider your vision of the company’s future, its current and future core competencies, structure, costs, performance, and the competitive advantages it would enjoy when the non-core processes have been outsourced.

  3. Ensure that the legal ramifications don’t get in the way of your business goals: Consider the risks involved and the legal issues (if any) that might arise from outsourcing to another country. Also consider the costs.

  4. Do your research: When you do, you will find that India is, undeniably, the number one choice for businesses looking to outsource. Hundreds of global businesses, regardless of their scale of operations, have benefited, and continue to benefit, from outsourcing to India.

  5. Examine the market: Pick a vendor who suits your needs and meets your demands with as much transparency as possible. Consider quotes from multiple vendors. Pick the one that fits your needs and your budget.

  6. Ask for references about the vendor you choose: Before you put anything down on paper, it is imperative that you conduct some sort of background check on the vendor you have chosen. The best way to find out what kind of offshore outsourcing service provider you’re getting into bed with is to contact past (and current) clients of the vendor and ask for references.

  7. Be involved in the transfer of work to ensure a smooth transition: Once you’re satisfied that you’ve found a vendor you can work with, the next thing to do is ensure that the outsourcing of the chosen processes happens in as seamless a manner as possible. Resolve whatever HR or IT issues there may be, train your resources (both onshore and off), run some tests, and make sure the transition is smooth and successful.

  8. Involve your in-house staff in the transition: It’s the best way to alleviate any fears they may have about their job security when you throw outsourcing into the mix. Contrary to what detractors claim, outsourcing can actually enhance the performance of in-house employees as well. With the non-core processes outsourced, they can spend more time on innovation and on honing their skills. They could even find the time to undergo specialized training in order to become bigger assets to your company.

  9. Check to make sure all the teething troubles have been tackled: The final thing you must do, before pushing the offshore processes out of the nest to see if they can fly unaided, is take care of teething troubles and check to make sure that the agreed-upon goals are being met, ample time is being allocated to innovation.

  10. Decide what comes next: It is also around this time that you must consider whether or not you want to renew (or cancel) the arrangement.

  11. When you outsource work to India, it helps redirect the focus of the management towards core competencies and towards serving the customer’s needs. It is important to remember that anything that distracts from these two major objectives must be considered for outsourcing. That is a foolproof way to ensure that your business stays on track, without losing momentum or direction.

About the Author

Article By John Tie, Outsourcing Enthusiast

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Author: John Tie

John Tie

Member since: Dec 06, 2017
Published articles: 17

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