Elegant MicroWeb - Five Technology Offshore Outsourcing Myths

In the last decade, the outsourcing phenomenon hasmodels.
gained acceptance and grown in popularity. The2. My organization will lose control if we outsource IT
reason for this growth is clear. Outsourcing enables antasks
organization to focus on core competency and criticalA reputable outsource partner will ensure that the
activities and to pass on other business activities toclient retains control over critical project decisions and
experts and professionals who specialize in specificthat the client is informed of project progress, issues
processes, and business functions.that require attention and upcoming deliverables. The
In the realm of offshore technology outsourcing, anclient will have the option to set guidelines for how
organization might decide to outsource softwaremuch vendor interaction is expected and the types of
development, management and support, programmingreporting and communication it requires at various
services, project management, business analysis,stages of the project.
infrastructure management or any one of a number of3. Outsourcing is more expensive than staffing IT
other tasks. But, in many instances, an organizationtasks with internal team members
may discount or dismiss the value of outsourcingWorking with a proven offshore outsourcing partner
because they assume outsourcing is ineffective or thatensures an ideal mix of affordable services and the
it may cause delays in projects or even cause theskills, processes and delivery models required by global
organization to lose its technology investment. Theyclients. Choosing an appropriate offshore partner
may fear the loss of control over projects or haveworking in a dependable offshore location allows the
concerns about protecting intellectual property or dataclient to comply with budgetary requirements and, at
security.the same time, staff the project with experienced
In this article we will discuss the five most commonresources.
outsourcing myths. This clarification process may help4.Offshore vendor teams are never as dedicated or
your organization to better understand outsourcingresponsive as internal team members
opportunities, and to decide when and how to useWorking with a proven offshore outsourcing partner
outsourcing to accomplish goals and objectives.ensures an ideal mix of affordable services and the
The decision to outsource an activity does not meanskills, processes and delivery models required by global
that the organization defines that activity asclients. Choosing an appropriate offshore partner
‘unimportant.' Rather, the outsourcing decision isworking in a dependable offshore location allows the
based on the separation of tasks. The organization willclient to comply with budgetary requirements and, at
begin by identifying tasks that must be completed bythe same time, staff the project with experienced
its own team versus tasks that can be outsourced.resources.
Tasks that contribute to or involve the coreYour outsource partner will also focus on ‘soft'
competencies of the organization are those that will beinteractive skills, leadership skills and the potential of its
reserved for your team.team members to grow and adapt. Offshore team
Tasks that are specialized, or outside the competencymembers will work as an extension of your team with
of the organization, can be outsourced. You may alsothe same enthusiasm and dedication of your internal
choose to outsource tasks that can easily betechnology and business team members.
performed by your team where these outsourced5. Offshore outsourcing has a negative impact on my
tasks will free your team to spend time on tasks morejob, my company and my country
critical to the success of your organization. You mayOrganizations often struggle to justify outsourcing
also choose to outsource tasks to leverageprojects. While the affordability and flexibility of these
investment funds, using affordable outsourcingservices may be tempting, the organization often
services to complete a project or provide support andbelieves that employing offshore services may result in
investing the money you save on other critical projectsjob loss and send important investment dollars
or business needs.offshore.
To make an appropriate outsourcing decision it isAt its inception the outsourcing concept seemed to
important to separate fact from fiction. This processwarrant caution. With the passage of time and the
will help you to make an educated decision aboutadvent of global business relationships, outsourcing has
outsourcing some or all of your IT tasks.become a successful strategy for many companies.
The five most common outsourcing myths:Employees of your organization can be more focused
1. Outsourcing is undependable and the vendor mayon critical tasks and core competencies. By focusing
not deliver resultson these core competencies, your employees can
Contrary to what some prospective clients believe,learn the business more quickly and move up in the
appropriate outsourcing of tasks, projects ororganization to add more value.
technology support is a proven method of achievableOutsource partners can add to the competitive
goals in a timely, affordable fashion. Clients oftenadvantage of your company and leverage critical
believe that offshore outsource partners will befinancial investments and provide better ROI, allowing
undependable. If a client does not directly employ theyou to pay for other important projects without cost
people working on a project, it may believe it cannotoverruns. As local governments adjust trade and
ensure that deliverables will meet expectations. But,service laws and tax structures, your organization can
proven offshore outsource providers are skilled atmore easily implement a global business structure that
delivering on requirements in a timely fashion and willwill provide flexible, affordable services without a
consistently meet budget needs.negative impact on the local job market or on the
Remember, these vendors are experienced ateconomy. Long-term studies on the outsourcing
working with clients as an extension of the client team.phenomenon illustrate the proven results and the
They have developed proven processes and modelsbenefit to local and global economies.
to ensure project success across time zones and in allAs you consider your technology project or support
types of industries. Reputable offshore vendors workneeds, you should seriously consider the offshore
in cities, countries and locations that can guarantee aoutsourcing solution. In our discussion of the five
stable economic and political environment andcommon myths of outsourcing, you may have noticed
adequate IT resources. This ensures affordableour focus on reputable, dependable offshore service
services and a dependable service offering. Provenproviders. Outsourcing projects to an offshore provider
offshore vendors have dependable data and networkcan be a very rewarding experience for your
security that will ensure your information is protectedorganization. However, as with any other project your
and mitigate infrastructure downtime, so yourorganization may consider, we encourage you to plan
organization can be confident of stable, dependableand execute your project using the best, most
service. They can also supply flexible delivery modelsexperienced resources available. In this way, you will
that will provide dependable services for thoseensure a successful project and a positive outcome.
organizations that require onsite or hybrid delivery