How to choose a reliable outsourcing partner

You already know what the pain points of your business are (and if you’re having a hard time identifying them, check out this blog post). Now you’re thinking about outsourcing certain business processes to another company. You know that choosing the right outsourcing partner can make or break your business… but how do you go about choosing the right one for you?

You wouldn’t buy a new car on a whim without first checking to see that it gets good gas mileage or has a good crash safety rating, right? Choosing an outsourcing partner is even more important, so it’s essential to do your due diligence.

Here are a few things to examine closely in order to choose a partner that will foster future success for your business.

Experience and quality workforce

This may come as a shock, but not all BPO organizations are created the same. Just like any company, the quality and value is largely determined by the workforce operating behind the scenes. Most companies who are exploring outsourcing options don’t realize what a high-quality staff they can have access to, even when they’re operating with a limited budget. Ask some questions to determine whether the workers who will be handling your outsourced tasks have the experience, dedication, and motivation that will help your business to thrive.

• Meet your management team: Although it might be impractical for you to have direct contact with every member of your outsourced staff, you should have a strong rapport with, and great confidence in, your management team.
• Look at case studies and portfolios: Many businesses have portfolios available online demonstrating the quality of their work. If the service doesn’t lend itself to visible examples, case studies should be provided and closely examined. You can even ask for references from other clients.
• Choose someone who specializes in what you need: Identify what it is that you need to outsource–sales leads, customer service, software development, etc.–and find someone who has experience and a history of success in that specific area.

Here at Unity Communications, we’re proud to work with some of the most extraordinary, dedicated, and reliable workers in the world. Our retention rate is 4 years or more, and we get hundreds of applicants for each Tier 1 job that becomes available, so you know that you’re getting high-quality, experienced workers for all of your business processes.

Transparency

The idea behind outsourcing is that you won’t have to be as hands-on in certain functions of your business. However, it’s important to choose an outsourcing partner who offers complete transparency in everything they do. This allows you to ensure quality control, ethical business practices, and accurate reports of progress and results.

Unity Communications offers 100% transparency to each of our clients, including accurate data reports, admin access to any phone systems, and on-site review.

Security measures

It is vital to ensure that proper safety protocols are in place if you’re handing over client-sensitive information and passwords to an outsourcing company. Gabby Nizri, the Co-Founder and CEO of Ayehu, an IT automation company, suggests using the PoLP rule, (principle of least privilege) to give employees only the access they absolutely need to do their job. This way, not all employees have complete access to data, thus minimizing the risk of a security breach. Any outsourcing partner that you’re considering should be able to report on the security measures that they’ll take in order to keep your data and your client information confidential.

Proper communication

When working professionally with employees who are in another country or who speak another language, proper communication is fundamental. You are bringing them onboard your company and business processes, so taking the time to ensure that everyone understands the project objectives, procedures, and expectations will help ease the transition. If possible, visiting your outsourcing employees in person a few times a year is good business protocol. Time difference also plays a major role in communication and depends on what skill your outsourcing company is helping with. If the skill requires a lot of communication, choosing an outsourcing partner that has working hours closest to yours is best. This is where nearshore operations in locations like the Dominican Republic can be useful.

Future scalability

Since your goal is future growth when choosing an outsourcing partner, one thing to keep in mind is the ability of the company to scale up to meet your growing needs. In order to promote a great relationship from the beginning, you want to think about this possibility from the outset. This helps you and your partner establish a positive relationship that solves current problems and anticipates future needs.

Think Unity Communications would be a good outsourcing partner for your business? We help our clients focus on their strengths, and we can prove it! Contact us to get started.