Choosing the right provider is a key to successful outsourcing. With the hundreds of software outsourcing companies, you must thoroughly filter through all of them and determine if they are offering the services you need and if their goals and overall company culture complements your own corporation’s culture.

Below are few general rules to follow when selecting an IT outsourcing companies that can help you.

Communication

The most common problems faced by companies who decide to outsource to offshore locations are those of language and cultural discrepancies. It is important to see that you communicate effectively and understand each other’s requirements, in order to minimize misunderstandings. The difference in time zones could also cause communication difficulties. Accessibility at critical junctures should also be considered as a factor while selecting your outsourcing partner. On a practical level, this would involve regular access to a clear, reliable communication link, be it e-mail, phone call or instant messaging. Ensure that your outsourcing service provider has access to good communication channels.

Technical Competence

Establish the credentials of the company through testimonials. Once that has been established, you need to know if the provider possesses enough infrastructural and technical expertise to be able to handle the requirements of your project. It is always wise to be informed about the processes and methodologies that your prospective development partner follows. Once you are aware of the process, it will be possible to get a clearer idea of how exactly your project will be handled and whether it is in sync with your quality expectations.

Keep your information safe

When working with outsourcing companies, you may have to provide information that has commercial value to your company and you may not want your competitors and general public to get a hold of that info. In such case, make sure you sign an NDA (nondisclosure agreement) with the outsourcing company.

Look for a risk free deal

When you decide to outsource a certain IT project look for the company that is ready to sign an agreement and take a full financial responsibility for the product they develop. If they fail to produce the piece of software you order, claim for a compensation of losses that may come from malfunction or failure of the software. Chances are that a company will provide such a guarantee only in case it is confident about the quality it provides.

Quality of the Contract

The contract must have the appropriate clauses and incentives to continue to make the outsourcer perform and to continue to make you perform.

Risk Mitigation

The sheer distance involved in off shoring your project lessens the amount of control you have on its development, thereby increasing the risk involved. Check your outsourcing partner’s payment options and see if they are progress-based. Also check to see if your outsourcing partner has provisions to enable periodic checks on the advancement of the project, so that you are kept aware of the progress in the development of your project.

Post Development Support

Your relationship with the service provider needs to continue even after the completion of the project. The success of a project is best judged after its implementation and it is during this stage that it requires reliable maintenance services. Your service provider should offer post development support and testing procedures to see the problem that you experience in the early stages of a project.

References:

• Ezine articles
• Outsourcing Services
• Outsourcing: 20 steps to success by Warren S. Reid
• Outsource 2 India

Contact:

Kaushal Dugar
Assistant BDM, NA & Canada
netPurists
Email: info@netpurists.com