Your Checklist When Choosing an Outsourcing Partner

When approached correctly and with a reliable partner, businesses that outsource critical core functions will gain immense benefits in productivity and efficiency.  Even more importantly, they will be initiating steps to secure their business continuity in the event of unforeseen circumstances that can derail business operations.

Outsourcing can address many operational areas.  According to online reports, 58.8% of US marketers who outsource marketing functions experienced no COVID-19 related changes in outsourced marketing activities. Other reports point to data that by the end of 2021, the overall value of outsourced IT services will be more than $413.72 billion. One of the top reasons cited for outsourcing was cost reduction (70%). Other reasons include flexibility (40%), speed, and agility.

Following are some considerations that should be part of your checklist while searching for an outsourcing partner:

1. Reduced costs, expertise, and infrastructure

Outsourcing can help to reduce costs considerably. Think about the expense associated with hiring, training, managing, and retaining employees.  It is a sizeable investment, and sometimes businesses can’t expand beyond their current size as they may not have the funds to increase manpower due to the expense. Outsourcing can be a cost-effective way to expand resources, especially if the resources are needed only for peak periods. Additionally, significant expertise comes with outsourced resources as those resources are constantly working within that field. Furthermore, the infrastructure belongs to the outsourcing services provider. Businesses also save on expenses that would otherwise go into setting up, maintaining, and repairing, and upgrading their in-house systems.

Points to consider: What are the ways in which you can contact outsourcing partners when the need arises? What is the level of support and technical assistance the outsourcing organization can offer? Research the outsourcing vendor well to determine if they understand your business needs and are able to meet them. Evaluate back-end support and responsiveness.

2. Adherence to timelines

Outsourcing can help businesses adhere to timelines. Access to resources and reliable infrastructure reduces and often eliminates the possibility of error, enabling timely deliveries and higher quality work.

If work is not delivered on time, it loses significance, regardless of its quality. Striving for perfection is important, but timely delivery is equally significant.

Points to consider: Choose vendors who can provide you with timely results. This includes evaluating options regarding quality, establishing benchmarks, and also checking the processes and systems the vendor has in place to ensure they do not miss deadlines.

3. Infrastructure and tech capabilities

Technology can be an expensive necessity for businesses, especially startups and small to medium-sized businesses. Outsourcing enables businesses to access the most up-to-date technology easily and without a heavy capital investment by relying on the providers IT infrastructure.

Action items: Check-in and communicate with the intended vendor several times if needed, to ascertain whether their capabilities match your business needs. More importantly, ask about critical areas such as backup and storage capabilities. One of the benefits of outsourcing is that businesses can access advanced technology, and the provider handles all of the maintenance and troubleshooting on the IT systems.

4. Security and reliability

Outsourcing raises concerns of security and reliability, especially where data and information exchange come into play. However, having robust safety measures in place can help allay most of these fears while boosting data security and safety of information.

Action items: Communicate business requirements clearly. Check if outsourcing partners offer an initial pilot or demo session where you can actually test out vendor capabilities with respect to your own business. This can help your business understand how well the potential vendor aligns with your business requirements, including those of data security and information safety.

The ideal outsourcing partner

The ideal outsourcing partner will help understand business needs while providing options that are aligned with both long and short-term goals. Researching potential partner websites can help; reviews and testimonials are also a good way to get to know a vendor. You can reach out to companies that have provided their feedback independently to verify information.

Next Steps

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Written by

Analytix Editorial Team