5 Smart tips for companies to choose outsourcing partners in India
Check out these highlighted key tips which aim to help companies looking for outsourcing partners in India to opt for the right vendors in no time.
Outsourcing Partner from India
India and China have been a constant source for the US and other parts of the world looking for outsourcing over the past few decades. India soon became the de-facto destination for outsourcing for its abundant availability of talents at a lower cost. Right from Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) to Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) to Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), India has proved to be an excellent resource source for completing and managing core and non-core activities, at a cost which is lesser than half what the US and UK companies would have incurred if it was done within their organization.
An ever-rising and demanding market for outsourcing in India has led to the emergence of several small, medium and large outsourcing companies in this country. This has, in turn, resulted in the difficulty in deciding on whom to trust for companies looking for outsourcing partners in India.
To relief you for this difficult task, we are here to offer you a structured approach to select your correct outsourced partner in India. The highlighted key tips aim to help companies looking for outsourcing partners in India to opt for the right vendors in no time.
Outsourcing Areas for IT, KPO and BPOs
There are tons of outsourcing agencies in India. How would you know which one is the right option for you for your outsourcing needs? You need to do your homework carefully regarding the few top most outsourcing companies in India according to your business needs. Let’s take a quick look at what all areas companies can outsource when it comes to IT, KPO and BPO.
IT - Information Technology Outsourcing
· Data Storage
· Website Creation
· IT Infrastructure
· Cloud-Based Services
KPO - Knowledge Process Outsourcing
· Investment Research
· Business Research
· Knowledge Management
Business Process Outsourcing
· Human Resource Outsourcing
· Employee Benefits
· Preparations of accounting statements
· Call Centers
Two Vital Questions for Companies looking for outsourcing partners in India
Question 1: What you want to do in-house and what you want to outsource?
Aim: To identify the scope of outsourcing work
a. Know what specific obstacles you want to solve?
b. Know the answers to those problems?
c. How to implement those solutions?
Question 2: What are the primary goals of outsourcing?
Aim: To identify the order of the goals as per its importance - Recognizing whether the objective is to:
· scale up, or
· cost reduction,
· focusing on core business,
· acquire specialized skills or any other aspect
Key Tips to Follow for Companies looking for outsourcing partners in India
1. Check Credentials and Track Records
We know by now that India is a storehouse of a large pool of talented employees and their services are at a reasonable rate. It is an extremely difficult task for companies that are looking for outsourcing partners in India to choose on the right partner from a sea of expert providers. The best way to go about it is by checking the credentials of the outsourcing agencies via online as well as tracking their growth records. Checking credentials is one way to be sure that the company is genuine. By tracking the company records you can get detailed information about the company - All these information will help you decide whether it is your suitable outsourcing partner or not.
2. References and Work Samples
Ask for their past work portfolios and take the list of their clients. You can refer to those clients and ask them about the experience and skill set of the agency along with their quality and scope of work. Things which you should consider while interacting with the past clients are:
● whether the outsourcing agency can provide timely deliveries including the turnaround time,
● what are their client engagement practices,
● how strong is their customer support
● the potential challenges and how best to overcome them
Make sure to ask for the sample portfolios and case studies they made for marketing purposes, as they might not be able to share their client cases due to the confidentiality clause.
3. Understanding Business Objectives
Analyze the experience of the outsourcing agency in delivering services similar to the ones you plan to outsource to them. The experience can comprise of:
● types of clients worked for,
● number of projects executed with similar services,
● sector/function expertise, in the case of knowledge-intensive tasks
Do not forget to inquire about the experience as well as the qualifications of the management team including project managers. While going into an outsourcing contract for long-term it is a wise idea to interact several times with the proposed team who are going to execute your outsourcing tasks.
4. Communication and Client Handling
Communication is one of the vital aspects which can make or break the bond between you and your Indian outsourcing partner singlehandedly. Due to this reason, an effort should be given from both ends to understand the communication practices of both the organizations – to come to a pre-decided communications protocol. Things which you need to decide while communicating with your Indian outsourced partner are as follows:
● Do you and your partner operate in the same time zone?
● How many hours overlapping in the working hours of you and your partner?
● Can you both communicate in a common language, say English?
● How comfortable are you both connecting via standard communication channels such as e-mail, phone, VOIP (Skype)?
● What is the best way to communicate? - Weekly meetings or report sharing basis.
● Decide on who will be the single point of contact dealing with feedbacks, queries, feedback, and concerns - What is the expected response time to queries?
● Do you and your partner understand the scope and the benefits of the projects in hand along with the long-term goals of your organization?
Communication is essential for building a powerful and reliable business and cultural relationship with your Indian outsourcing partner.
5. Data Confidentiality
During a knowledge transfer stage of the project, there are lots of data shared with the vendor. The companies looking for outsourcing partners in India should look for a vendor who has got these risks secured with proper policy in place. The business shares a high risk when there is any loss of data. Hence, choosing an Indian outsourcing agency which has the best IT infrastructure along with advanced data security system is imperative. Outsourcing agencies should be well-versed with BCP (Business Continuity Plans) for uninterrupted services and support which is a vital requirement of a long-term relationship for large enterprises. Choose a provider with accreditation such as ISO certificates, CMMi, and Microsoft competency certificates that would establish processes to manage projects while maintaining quality within deadlines.
These parameters are bound to help companies looking for outsourcing partners in India and should help in zero-in on the right partner by following these tips.
