7 Ways to Overcome Outsourcing Challenges and Thrive

It’s no secret that outsourcing is a valuable solution for many software companies—added value via expertise and talent, increased knowledge capacity, and it can be a budget-friendly situation—what’s not to like? Plus, in today’s rapidly globalizing economy, it just makes sense. But as with any workplace evolution, having partners can come with some outsourcing challenges. Here’s an overview of how to rethink these issues and tackle outsourcing properly to ensure a smooth transition, optimal productivity and a win-win outcome for you and your team. 

Clear and simple communication

They say communication is key but what you really need is comprehension. 

For this, you really can’t underestimate the power of face-to-face communication. Today’s remote workforce is only growing and it can be easy to forget that you’re talking to human beings when you’re just facing a computer screen all the time. Take advantage of technology and use tools like Zoom or Slack to facilitate real conversations. 

The world is growing ever smaller and more connected but it can be easy to forget the simple and most important things. Sure, you don’t have to be best friends, but there’s no denying that it’s easier to become outsourcing partners if you get along. Schedule “buffer-time/get-to-know” into your meetings, it doesn’t have to be long, even a good 5-10 minutes of small talk to check in on how the team is doing can set the tone!

Respecting time zones and cultural differences 

It’s important not to neglect human connection, even (or especially!) in a professional setting. People will do much better at their jobs when you acknowledge that they’re also people outside of their work.

For example, be aware of which time zones your partners work in and set aside specific meeting times that work for both of your teams — no one wants to be meeting at 6 am or 9 pm. Here’s a hot tip: use a converter like worldtimebuddy.com to make sure no one ever misses a Zoom call again.

Don’t rush the onboarding

Nearshoring isn’t a simple cut-and-done process. The fact is, when you’re nearshoring a project, you are dealing with new players and more team members, all of whom need to understand your context and your goals. It requires a well-thought-out onboarding process, but working with an experienced nearshoring company can make this process much simpler. 

Give your team time to adjust, one step at a time. Consult them beforehand and don’t rush them in the engagement and adoption process. Once you get the buy-in, everything that follows will be much easier.

Expectation Setting 

Too often when a project runs into problems, it’s usually due to an expectation mismatch—where one or more of the parties had an idea but they weren’t aligned with the other. Working with an expert development company should be able to let you know if your project or goals are doable and scalable.

With this, it becomes crucial to have a kickoff meeting where everyone can become aligned. UruIT’s Agile work culture supports this. In fact, Agile principles are part of our DNA and a huge point of pride that we hold in all our successes. Learn more about Agile Culture here. 

Think bigger than budget

Nearshoring is great for keeping costs down, for sure. But you have to consider all the benefits of nearshoring before you become a stickler for the numbers. There are a lot of other factors to consider (such as the ones on this list). Scalability is important but not at the cost of shoddy work or ineffectual team cooperation. That’s why you have to keep the bigger picture in mind.

Consider what you’re actually trying to gain through nearshoring. Sure, economic aspect is great (money makes the world go around, after all). However, there are things your team stands to gain from nearshoring that you can’t get anywhere else. From diversifying talent, to supporting existing business to gaining a global perspective—nearshoring has a lot of value to add to your company. 

Choosing outosoucing partners for your project 

There are a lot of resources out there for finding outsourcing partners. Make sure you go through a solid vetting process, or work with a company with an excellent hiring process.

Make sure your screening process allows for you to ensure a culture fit as well as technical fit. Your project is only as good as the people working on it! Consider unique interview questions, open house days in the office, get examples of previous work, and talk to people in the industry. Reviews and referrals can really speak a thousand words when looking for development partners.

A PO can make or break your project

In our experience, the Product Owners have been a very important factor for project success. They determine objectives, manages the project flow, all the while ensuring the lowest investment and highest profits possible. 

However, we’ve also often discovered that our partners run into difficulties finding such a person with the time, skills and proximity with the team for their projects. That’s why we have a Product Owner Proxy–an UruIT team member who works along with either a PO you provide, or a subject matter expert from your company, helping him or her as needed.

There are a lot of learning curves when it comes to tech, and having a PO and/or PO Proxy makes the process, especially for communication, that much easier! 

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Solving outsourcing challenges

Choosing to take the first step towards nearshoring may not be a simple decision. But at the end of the day, the goal is to work together with innovative companies to make your life and work easier. It’s not without its challenges, but we’re confident that the risk is well worth the reward. Feel free to share this post with your network – let’s work together to increase the awareness about nearshoring and its benefits!