A few tips on selecting an outsourcing partner by Topsource
When I started writing this blog post, the very first thought that struck me was the interchangeable vocabulary used in our business — namely that of a vendor versus a partner. While outsourcing, one naturally thinks of an outsourcing ‘partner’ and not an outsourcing ‘vendor’. Why would that be? After all, one is buying a service so one would be dealing with a vendor. The answer, I think, lies in the fact that outsourcing is far more than just a one time buying exercise. It is a partnership that gets developed where both the customer and the provider mutually continue reaping the benefits. The outsourcing relationship is a long lasting one, so do take your decision carefully before selecting your outsourcing partner.
The simplest approach is to choose the lowest-cost provider. If all other factors are equal, this of course is the best route to go. However, that rarely happens. Cost is a consideration but rarely is the sole decider. Do consider the ‘other factors’ before finalizing your partner.
When selecting a strategic partner, look for a partner who will help you in increasing overall productivity of your process. The partner who can focus on process transformation rather than carrying out the process as-is, surely adds more value to the partnership. Therefore do ask questions about the transition methodology of the partner. Assure yourself that while transitioning the process, it is checked for all possible process and productivity improvements.
Technology expertise is key to any process transformation. With technology evolving fast, it is necessary that the best of technology and service delivery platforms are used to deliver you the outsourced service. Has your partner invested in right technology? Does he have in-house expertise to deploy newer versions of software platforms? Check this out before making your selection. When you partner with someone who has experience of managing multiple processes, ask questions about how the outsourcing partner feeds in the learning back into the process to make it more efficient.
Outsourcing is a change in your organization. The partner who helps you with change management is certainly going to add more value. Your team needs to be trained and hand held through training, parallel runs, regular reports and issue handling. Quiz the outsourcing partner about this important aspect and satisfy yourself.
Lastly, one size does not fit all. Your business is unique and so are your requirements. Assure yourself that your partner sees it that way and is willing to make the changes necessary in their approach for it to work for you.
To conclude, when looking for an outsourcing partner, if you, the customer, do your home-work on these points beforehand and satisfy yourself, it is more than assured that the partnership will thrive year on year.
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