Many companies from all over the world are turning to IT outsourcing to find software developers and take advantage of benefits such as flexibility in managing your team, cheaper and quicker access to talent and more. At the same time, the very same companies fear outsourcing. What makes them scared and how to respond to these fears?
Varying quality of developers, issues with communication and project management, hidden costs – there are many reasons why some companies fear outsourcing despite its well known benefits.
According to “Barometer of Global Outsourcing” by Dun & Bradstreet, up to 25% of all outsourcing projects fail in two years.
It’s a sad scenario, but one that is very easily avoidable. Follow these 5 practical tips tested in real-life projects to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits of IT outsourcing services.
1. Meet the devs beforehand and ensure that the same people will work with you
Many companies tend to assume that the people they talk to during the sales process will be the same ones that will take care of their project. It is not always the case.
Some vendors tend to run the sales process with their most talented and senior developers. The ones that will actually work on your projects will be less impressive. If you want the quality of the software development to match your expectations from the sales process, make sure that you will be served by the same people you speak with from the start.
2. Make sure your in-house processes are efficient
You might be afraid that controlling developers remotely as part of an outsourced project will not be as easy as it is with an in-house team. This might in turn decrease the quality of your development.
But the truth is that your project will always suffer when your internal processes are inefficient. With the right processes and communication tools, you should be able to achieve a similar level of efficiency in both models.
3. Pick an outsourcing vendor that emphasises foreign languages
When working remotely with a foreign company, a good understanding of the language, typically English, can go a long way in ensuring that everyone is on the same page. How can you increase the odds of a good pick in this field?
Try to find out if the vendor organizes English courses for their employees and expects good English skills during their own recruitment process.
4. Better yet, pick one that has the whole communication figured out
The language is just one of the many ingredients of the whole communication area in IT outsourcing. Go over all of its aspects such as their approach to Agile, use of various communication tools, the way they handle crises, take over existing projects etc.
5. Be open about working with foreign developers
Research shows that some of the best software developers in the world can be found in various developing countries from all over the world. Devs from countries such as Poland also rank among the best when it comes to English fluency. The point is that you can find great specialists in the furthest corners of the world. Have your eyes wide open as you try to select and validate each and every one of your potential vendors.
To put it in other words, own the project you try to outsource the same way you would one that you develop in-house. Be sure to get to know your vendor and the exact way they are going to work with you. If you do all that, you will definitely contribute to improving the outsourcing statistics!
