Starting a business is like planting a seed. You plant it, water it, nurture it. You would never plant the seed without hoping to be successful, and starting a business is pretty much the same. In order to succeed, you need to set yourself goals and objectives; you should identify who you are going to target, and who you are going to work with to help you achieve those goals. And, like planting, you work only with suppliers who can identify with your goals and objectives and help you grow.
So what happens when it comes to needing staff? Outsourcing is often not a route companies are willing to consider. They could be short staffed, budget constrained, but outsourcing your operations overseas is often a hard NO. But, why? We take a look at some of the steps you can put in place to help ensure looking at an outsourcing model can help pave the way for long-term success.
Whether it’s outsourcing business processes and are in need of full-time staff, or because you require part-time or freelance talent, there are different reasons for considering this strategy.
How to choose an outsourcing model that works
Firstly, don’t skip the planning stage.
When it comes to outsourcing, planning is the key. Where do you need support? What do you want them to do? Can you itemize the tasks? Are all your systems and processes in place?
If you bring someone into your business on-shore, you would think about why you need them and how you will measure their effectiveness. It’s no different for offshore teams – understanding their purpose and communicating effectively will promote confidence in the work that they’ll do for you and your company.
Secondly, identify your business needs.
Do you need support for short-term projects? Do you want to move your main business support operations overseas? Or do you want to outsource only a part of your business?
Identifying what you need will help you select the right model for your business. If you have tried a model and been unsuccessful, it can be hard to try again. But ensuring you have followed all of the steps we have highlighted will also help you identify where you went wrong previously. Ensuring you select the right partner can benefit your business in the longer term.
Thirdly, communication is key.
It sounds like it’s stating the obvious, but communication really is the key to a successful offshore model. The biggest challenge to working with overseas staff is cultural differences. But, it doesn’t need to be.
Understanding the cultural anomalies of your offshore team, and working and encouraging them to understand yours in turn will help create mutual understanding. Spending time with your offshore team, not just the process you are asking them to undertake, but also working with them to understand any local nuances for your on-shore team and/or customers is vital for successful collaboration. Is there a certain way to pronounce specific words? Is there local slang? Teach your offshore team, they’ll be more confident and it will build a sense of teaming.
What do you want to do?
There is no such thing as one size fits all outsourcing model. With over 20 years experience, we know this more than most.
At Cloudstaff, we help you select the right staff for your business and provide training and support so you have the peace of mind that your Cloudstaffers have the backing of a team of industry specialists to extend your capabilities, get the job done and get the results you want.
If you would like to know more, speak to us today.