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I’ve been getting a lot of email lately from people wanting a little more information on outsourcing, and more specifically the different ways to be able to outsource work, systems, processes – you name it. So, here’s a brief run-down on how to identify a good quality outsourcing partner.
If you’re an individual seriously looking into outsourcing life, or even a company owner that wants to offload some of your business routines, or perhaps even all of them, you basically have two pretty major options straight off the bat. One option is to keep things a little closer to home and chose to outsource to a domestically based company, in your own country. At first this might seem like the easier option – same time zone, same language, etc., however, the costing of this type of set-up isn’t going to be all that different than doing things in-house yourself.
Some business owners find it hard to let go, it’s in our entrepreneurial blood, they say. So, if you simply don’t want to rent additional space, or hire the people yourself (but still want, or need the work to be done) then embracing the virtual business way of getting things done might be your best option.
Bottom line, if you don’t mind having part of your business at arm’s length (it’s tough, I know, but come on guys, let go already!), you can chose to go the route that a lot of people are and use an offshore outsourcing partner, in another country. This tends to be the more financially attractive option to most people. Either way, you should pick a partner that enables revenue growth by accelerating market capture through modern strategies, or marketing in ways that are dedicated to your company vision and potentially with companies that provide results-driven professionals.
Quality, Flexibility, Proven and Competent
Your outsourcing partner should be one that executes quality with flexibility, whilst attaining pinnacle competencies without challenges that might affect your business growth. They should be a corporation that has a proven track record, working with a diverse selection of clients across the globe and on a number of different campaigns in numerous industries.
You should also look at teaming up with a corporation that consistently provides monthly, weekly, daily and hourly process-flow results and documentation from the beginning to the end of all parts of your operation. This is a real Golden Nugget. In this day and age, you shouldn’t settle for anything less, either. This enables you to monitor, in real-time, the performances from each individual working on your outsourced project, as well as the whole operational campaign as a complete unit.
My Top 10 Tips to Finding an Outsourcing Partner
1. Results Driven – A company that can help you reduce costs and increase customer satisfaction, at the same time. One that can set a goal that is achievable within a specific time frame.
2. Partnership – A company that shares your common goals and values. In which, performance is the key point among staff, the community and the managing company.
3. Innovative – A company that can execute on its own across the board. One that can provide a great deal of benefits to you and your business with modernized technology and more.
4. Flexibility – A company that is run by management that truly offer customized and tailored services, always keeping in mind the needs of you and your customers, first and foremost.
5. Modifiable Management – A company that can swiftly manage changes when necessary for achieving your performance improvement goals without negative impact. A corporation that can prepare staff members for a change without flaw and deliver change in a positive, productive and professional manner.
6. Benchmarking – A company that can provide comparison data to ensure that your customers are receiving the highest quality of service. Offering measurable success to customers and employees satisfaction, creating more growth and profit potential for everyone involved.
7. Resourceful – A corporation that attains depth, with an extensiveness of experience in the long-term market and is able to offer resources specifically fitting your goals and vision.
8. Employee Development – Your outsourcing partner should be able to provide comprehensive and ongoing training, as well as overall professional development for all employees, at all levels of the corporate ladder in relation to your outsourced campaign.
9. Continuous Improvement on Quality – Your partner should always take things to the next level and raise the bar higher for every goal that is achieved; this enables you to get closer and closer to perfection. They should also encompass the willingness and ability to meet both short and long term goals.
10. Proven Record – Above all, your outsourcing partner should have a successful, professional proven track record. They should be able to provide you with references and testimonials if you feel they are required. If a company, particularly one overseas, cannot do this one simple thing then simply stay clear of them.
A Final Word of Advice!
Most importantly, take your time. Outsourcing should be approached in the same manner as any other business decision. With caution, thought out properly and with a certain amount of ‘go with your gut’ instincts that set apart every successful true entrepreneur, from just the ‘other’ business owners out there.
Warranted, as someone that is involved in the outsourcing industry and does own an outsourcing solutions company, I am biased, of course, on what outsourcing can do for individuals and companies in regards to lowering costs and producing awesome scalability options for businesses to grow. However, I want to point out, I didn’t write this post to drum up business – I wrote it for you, my loyal readers who were simply asking for more info on the subject.
Now I’d like to turn the floor over to you guys – Questions? Comments? Rants? Raves? Go for it…! Have an awesome weekend…