So, you decided to automate your business processes. What should you do to make the change effective? If you’re not going to go to the IT sector, then your company will need third-party IT specialists. Today, this is a common approach: according to statistics, 53% of the IT needs of companies around the world are outsourced and offshored. And if it’s good for Skype, Slack, Opera, and Facebook, then why can’t it be good for you?
However, to cooperate with the offshore team, you have to keep in mind a lot of things. In the post, we will consider some advice regarding offshoring training and managing your team of remote workers.
Why Offshoring Is Good for You?
Offshoring has definite advantages. First, it saves up to 40% of finances. And not just on the rate difference. Sometimes only a dedicated specialist can understand what technologies you should implement and what to avoid (remember all the technologies that have long gone in recent years). Good developers deep into the business processes they work with and have a wide range of vision that allow them to objectively estimate your ideas.
Secondly, the expansion of the search field allows you to access the best specialists and the latest technologies from around the world. And we, by the way, are very pleased that according to third-party estimates, IT specialists from Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, take top positions by the quality of services.
How to Integrate the Offshore Team Into Your Business Processes
Step 1. Explain your processes
The best way to integrate the offshore team is to explain how your company works. So, show them documentation, videos or make a presentation. If the specialists know your internal processes and workflow, they will know how to solve your potential issues and will be able to provide more effective solutions.
Step 2. Face to face training
If it is possible, invite your new offshore team and train them face to face. It will help them to understand your corporate values and culture, internal processes, etc. Also, let them work independently but under your control. They will be able to ask you some complex questions, you will review their work and retrain if something goes wrong.
Step 3. Setup a meeting rhythm
Your local team must regularly meet with the offshore team. Setup a meeting plan and make the meetings regularly. How should you build the working process?
You will achieve the best results when your local team will review the work, analyze all possible mistakes made by the offshore team, refer to the training videos, and assign the task once more. If you repeat this step regularly, the offshore team will know the process better and will require less training.
Step 4. Face to face review
If the offshore team still has difficulties with some tasks and processes, it is reasonable to organize face to face sessions again. Also, you may assign a new, more complex task you want the offshore company to work with. All these things will help to build a good fellowship with the members of the offshore team.
Step 5. Polish and refine
There is no clear answer on how often you should visit your shore team. Some companies never visit them while others visit regularly.
The best way to solve the issue is to set up a plan. Visit the team if you see they face some problems. Of course, it will require some additional expenses but the productivity will also increase.
How to Manage the Offshore Team
We reviewed the steps on how to train your offshore team. What should you do once it is trained? Here are several tips on how to manage it in the best way possible and make the cooperation more effective.
1. Draw up a contract. It is absolutely necessary. The contract contains a description of the terms and conditions of cooperation, responsibility and so on. Therefore, in the text of the contract, specify the responsible worker on both sides, who will communicate with each other, as well as indicate how this communication will be performed. For example, if you use e-mail, enter the addresses in the contract, or any other contact details.
In the case of online cooperation, the contract is also necessary. Send the signed contract by mail. In this case, the Special Terms section states that the contract sent by e-mail is legal.
Important! The Terms of Reference should be an appendix to the contract.
2. Compile the Terms of Reference for the offshore company you are going to work with. Be sure to include the entire scope of work with a description of the specific result that you need and deadlines. Make sure that the performer is satisfied with everything and, most importantly, is able to take on this task. Clarify all the possible misunderstandings on this step.
3. In the contract, specify how often the performer should submit a report on the work done. For example, it can be on a monthly or weekly basis. Also, specify whether the developers should send the ready parts of the software project with the report.
4. Specify the expected result, both the quality and quantity.
5. Record the work performed in written form and give feedback. The offshore team will know whether it is acceptable, what improvements are needed and so on. This way you can influence the result of the order, you will understand that the work is done, and control the payment.
6. Treat the offshore team like it is in your office. It will help the specialists feel part of your company and provide better results.
Offshoring is a very popular way to improve business processes in the IT industry. If you follow all these recommendations, your cooperation will be much more effective.
