Successful outsourcing begins with successful vendor selection process. When your company is considering Philippines offshore outsourcing or vendors from other offshore outsourcing destinations, thorough selection process should be followed in order to achieve success on the long run.

Most times, selecting a vendor is usually a daunting task, even complicated at times. Unless you follow a systematic approach, you may end up choosing the wrong vendor for your business process outsourcing.

In this post, you will discover a systematic approach to selecting the right vendor, a step-by-step vendor selection guide;

Step 1: Business Requirements Analysis

If possible, set up a committee that would take up the business requirement analysis task. This would involve defining and putting down in writing, the business function or process that you intend to outsource, including what would be required. Also, spell out your expectations from the project – this is what you intend to achieve by using an offshore company to handle such function. You also need to be proactive in defining what a vendor may likely require for the accomplishment of the task, this would help you formulate questions for interviews. It will also help you to negotiate favorably. Remember, the entire analysis should be drawn in paper.

Step 2: Search for a Vendor

The second step in selecting Philippines offshore outsourcing or vendors from another location is to embark on real search for the vendor. In summary, vendor search

would follow the following procedures;

• Write a list of potential vendors, focusing on the ones that have experience in the business aspect you intend to outsource.
• Do a deeper research on the listed vendors and narrow down your list based on the outcome of your research.
• Contact the vendors you have in your new list to ask for more information. The request for information should be formally written, it is called Request for Information (RFI).

• Evaluate responses from the interviewed vendors critically and narrow-down your list again.

Step 3: Proposal Request and/or Quotation Request – RFQ and/or RFP

Here’s a summary of the sections that would likely be in the proposal or quotation;

• Details of submission
• The background and overview of business
• Introduction & Executive Summary
• Criteria for selection
• Detailed specifications
• Constraints and Assumptions
• Terms and Conditions

Step 4: Evaluation of Proposal and Vendor Selection

The following steps will be involved;

• Groundwork (in form of extensive review) on all proposals submitted
• Analyzing business requirements and vendor requirements side by side
• Evaluate each vendor’s requirement in the light of the business requirements
• Each requirement should be assigned a performance value
• Draw a total score for anticipated performance
• Brood over the entire process again before doing the final selection.

This guide is only a summary of the steps you need to take in hiring Philippines offshore outsourcing vendor or any outsource vendor from other offshore destinations.

Daven Michaels is an award-winning outsourcer and author of the book, ‘Outsource This!’ Daven has been honored more than any other individual or outsourcing organization. You can get more information on outsourcing by visiting www.123Employee.com

Outsourcing strategy is needful for achieving outstanding success with outsourcing. The strategy you employ in managing the process before and after signing the contract would determine how successful the outcome will be. Thorough vendor selection process is needful for peak performance with outsourcing. Do not just award the project to the lowest bidder without delving deeper to find out other things about the provider.

Rash vendor selection may ultimately result in issues such as low quality, missed delivery dates or bad customer service. In as much as you want to achieve costs savings with outsourcing, don’t just jump on a ridiculously low bid, issues usually arise afterwards; this does not go without the saying “You will get what you paid”. So, take heed and embark on a profound vendor selection process. Successful outsourcing starts with successful vendor selection.

In this post, we will examine top outsourcing strategy (not just one) for achieving outsourcing success;

Strategy 1: Your Reason for Outsourcing Should Be Right

This may sound more like a tip, it is also a strategy. If you outsource for the right reasons, you’ve taken the fastest track to achieving exceptional success with outsourcing. Although the vendor is expected to add value to the client’s business, the company should not rely on the vendor to fix its core issues. Do not outsource your information technology department just because the department is not keeping up with deadlines, you may not achieve sustainable result by choosing to outsource the IT task. In fact, choosing to outsource may increase frustration and cost.

Strategy 2: Profound Vendor Selection Process

An outsourcing report in 2008 showed that over 20% of executives interviewed expressed regret for not being thorough in vendor selection process before entering into a contract agreement with outsourcing vendors. The final outcome could be catastrophic when proper selection process is not undertaken before choosing a vendor. So, adequate selection process is a vital outsourcing strategy for any company considering outsourcing.

Strategy 3: Performance Measurement

Also, there is need to spell out realistic service levels which would be in line with the goals and objectives of the company. In essence, proper analysis and definition of service levels and quality measurement is necessary for measuring the vendor’s performance as the project progresses, and also for the final outcome.

Strategy 4: Set Up a Follow-up System

A follow-up system is also helpful for performance measurement. It is natural for complacency to set in when there is no monitoring or follow-up system. The system could possibly be in the form of a committee that would monitor the project throughout its lifespan.

Finally, there should be proper legal backing and documentation put in place, this would provide grounds to prosecute breach of contract.

Daven Michaels is an award-winning outsourcer and author of the book, ‘Outsource This!’ Daven has been honored more than any other individual or outsourcing organization. You can get more information on outsourcing by visiting www.123Employee.com

A company that embarks on outsourcing of IT (Information Technology) is simply entrusting its computer and/or internet-related task to an external company. The outsourcing vendor is usually an expert in IT. Some of the aspects of a company’s IT tasks that may be outsourced include programming, data processing as well as technical support. Information Technology Outsourcing is also known as ITO for short, it is also called ITES (IT Enabled Services).

The Driving Force Behind IT Outsourcing

Just like any other business function outsourcing, the driving force for outsourcing a company’s IT tasks is insufficient resources and cost-saving. The cost of obtaining quality IT services offshore is comparatively low – in terms of weighing the cost in-house or within the country. Luckily, there are IT specialized offshore destinations that companies can focus on to ensure the best IT practices and services. Philippines, India and China are the leading locations for information technology outsourcing.

Typically, the American and European companies depend massively on Philippines and India for quality IT outsourcing services, while Japanese companies focus on China for IT services. These offshore destinations are renowned for the best quality IT-related services at amazingly affordable rates. Thus, outsourcing of IT to these locations provides huge cost-saving for businesses and companies.

Other advantages of IT outsourcing include;

Access to world-class IT experts; as mentioned earlier, Information Technology experts from renowned offshore locations have global recognition. So, the degree of IT expertise that a company could not have possibly afforded in-house or within the country is accessed with ease and cheaper through outsourcing. Access to the best IT intellectuals and wider knowledge is one of the excellent incentives for outsourcing IT.

The core activities of the company are re-visited; when the complex aspects of a business are entrusted in the hands of an external company, it helps to re-focus on the core values or activities of a company. Such core activities are usually associated with the fame or growth of any organization.

Enhanced Quality: Outsourcing of IT is also a great way to enhance quality, since the task is entrusted into the hands of experts.

Improved capacity for innovation; organizations employ external knowledge as a strategy for supplementing limited in-house capacity. Ultimately, companies achieve improved capacity for innovation by taking advantage of external knowledge (outsourcing). This is particularly very beneficial in the area of information technology.

Liability Transfer; when a company outsources its IT tasks, some of the potential risks associated with such tasks are indirectly transferred to the outsourcing vendor as well. Even if the company has to share the risk, the percentage that would accrue to them is usually lower.

Indeed, outsourcing of IT is one of the meaningful operational decisions that a company can take, especially when it is done for the right reasons.

Daven Michaels is an award-winning outsourcer and author of the book, ‘Outsource This!’ Daven has been honored more than any other individual or outsourcing organization. You can get more information on outsourcing by visiting www.123Employee.com

The small and medium-sized businesses are the number one beneficiaries of call center outsourcing. Also, a large organization can embark on outsourcing call center, especially when there are fund issues. Generally, saving cost and maximizing profit is the core of outsourcing – however, other benefits exist side-by-side.

Taking advantage of call center outsourcing is a cost-effective and efficient way to handle customers’ queries. As mentioned earlier, several advantages exist side-by-side cost savings when it comes to contact center outsourcing. These advantages include improved performance and access to world class call center experts.

What Should A Company Consider When Embarking on Call Center Outsourcing?

In trying to take decision on outsourcing call center, some factors should come into play. These factors include;

Analyzing Your Goals and Objectives

What do you want to achieve by outsourcing your company’s call center? If you intend to save costs through this option, ensure that you analyze the cost of establishing in-house call center versus outsourcing. If the savings are significant, then call center outsourcing is the best option. Usually, there is always substantial cost-benefit that comes with call center outsourcing, especially for small and medium-scale businesses.

The Extent of Call Center Benefit to Your Company

You also need to assess your company’s requirements and needs, to determine if it is really necessary to run a call center. In fact, this should be the first consideration. If the company would achieve increase sales as well as strong customer relationship with a call center, then it is worth all the effort to put up a call center in-house, and more beneficial to outsource the services.

Does the Call Center Outsourcing Company Have Enough Facilities for the Task?

Call center requires standard facilities for effectiveness. Ensure that the potential vendor has the right facilities in place for manning your call center. Inadequate facilities can affect the optimum customer support service, with the end result of tampering the integrity you’ve built with your customers over time.

Put a Structure in Place for Measuring Performance

You would not want to leave the fate of your customer support service completely in the hands of a call center vendor. You need to put a structure in place in-house, this structure will help you evaluate call center outsourcing performance. It is necessary to entrust call center services in the hands of a professional for enhanced performance.

Finally, it would help to carry out periodic customer survey to find out if your objective for putting a call center in place is being achieved. The outcome of each survey will reveal the extent of progress you are making with the call center service.

Generally, outsourcing is worth embracing by businesses of various kinds and sizes, whether call center outsourcing or other business functions.

Daven Michaels is an award-winning outsourcer and author of the book, ‘Outsource This!’ Daven has been honored more than any other individual or outsourcing organization. You can get more information on outsourcing by visiting www.123Employee.com

Outsourcing has helped in reshaping several businesses as they migrate from cost-intensive to cost-effective business operation. Recent research has shown that outsourcing services provide one of the best ways to minimize a company’s operation costs and maximize profits. However, a company needs to embark on outsourcing for the right reasons, this is the best way to maximize benefits with this business operation strategy.

Let’s look at the top 6 benefits of outsourcing services;

1. Cost/Efficiency Saving

Outsourcing provides a cost effective way of performing complex back-office functions, which a company could not perform at reasonable and consistent cost due to its size. This is a great advantage to any company.

2. A Company’s Attention is Redirected to Its Core Activities

A company’s back-office operations tend to expand along with general organization growth during peak periods. Consequently, both the human and material resources of an organization are channeled to foster the expansion, while the core activities that brought the company fame are neglected. Therefore, when some of the expansion activities are outsourced, a company can refocus on its core activities.

3. Improved Operation Control

Outsourcing services provide improved operation control. It is a wise decision for a company to consider outsourcing its cost-intensive functions, especially the costs that tend to be running out of control. More importantly, an outsourcing vendor will introduce enhanced management skills to an organization.
For instance, an information technology section that is under-handled and run in cost-inflated manner should be considered for outsourcing. This will significantly reduce cost and also bring in the best IT practices that would resuscitate such department.

4. Risk Management and Continuity

Outsourcing is a great way to manage a company’s potential risks by sharing those risk with an independent company through outsourcing. Also, it is a strategy that helps in operation continuity in an organization.

5. Access to World Class Pros

A good number of outsourcing destinations, especially offshore destinations are renowned for world class outsourcing expertise in various aspects of business. Such offshore destinations include Philippine, India, China and other locations. By choosing to outsource its business functions, a company is able to access internationally reputable experts. Possibly, the company may not have been able to assess such expertise in-country due to budgetary constraints.

6.Tax Benefits

There are also certain tax incentives that come with outsourcing. This helps to also reduce an organization’s total running cost significantly.

The list of outsourcing services benefits is a long one, and each benefit fosters the growth of any organization. However, careful selection of an outsourcing vendor is the only way to guarantee optimum success with business functions outsourcing. An extensive research is needful while trying to make the right choice of an outsourcing vendor.

Daven Michaels is an award-winning outsourcer and author of the book, ‘Outsource This!’ Daven has been honored more than any other individual or outsourcing organization. You can get more information on outsourcing by visiting www.123Employee.com

Offshoring Philippines are renowned for expertise in various business aspects such as Information Technology, call center services, project management and more. There are several desirable business rationales for outsourcing functions and task. This post will reveal some of the rationales in-dept.

Operational Efficiency

Companies can achieve operational efficiencies plus competitive advantages by embarking on offshore outsourcing. The operational efficiency advantage does not only come from cost reduction, it is also a product of performance improvement of both existing people and resources. In-depth study has shown that up to 50 percent cost savings is possible through outsourcing, and this huge savings go directly to operating profit.

Increased Focus

As the operational efficiency improves through the expertise of the outsourcing vendor, the existing personnel tend to increase focus on business management and development. This re-focusing or increased focus on business management and development can bring about more than 5 percent increase in the organization’s revenue.

Also, the increased focus enhances communication between the business and the technical sections – the end-outcome would be a proactive company that responds and takes action swiftly in line with the marketplace dynamics. Increased focus is one of the top benefits of employing offshoring vendors, either offshoring Philippines vendors or providers from other offshore destinations.

Operating at Higher Level of Revenue without a Corresponding Increase in Operating Costs

This is very crucial, and an incentive worth embracing by choosing to outsource business functions. A company that opts for outsourcing would ultimately operate at an increased revenue level, yet the operating costs do not record a corresponding increase.

Maintaining Perspective Between Time and Budget

It is possible to reduce both time and budget via offshore outsourcing, this is particularly true about offshoring Philippines vendors or offshore providers from India. Also, time differential is another major factor in such scenarios, in addition to cost differential. For instance, a company manager in America can assess an offshore project and advocate for changes while it is still daylight. The offshore team (perhaps in India) receives the request at the close of the day American Time (which would be the beginning of the day in India) and makes the necessary adjustments. So, the following morning, the manager of the XX company in America would discover the changes have been implemented as he or she resumes duty. In other words, time zone difference is well-exploited, resulting in a 24/7 development cycle.

Competitive Advantage

Competitive advantage is also a big rationale behind outsourcing. When a company embarks on outsourcing, it is able to deliver products or services to the market faster. Also, development costs are kept within the budget.

Obviously, embarking on offshoring Philippines outsourcing or any form of offshoring comes with a lot of benefits.

Daven Michaels is an award-winning outsourcer and author of the book, ‘Outsource This!’ Daven has been honored more than any other individual or outsourcing organization. You can get more information on outsourcing by visiting www.123Employee.com

If you are considering offshore outsourcing services, it is one of the most brilliant decisions for your organization. There are several benefits for contracting out some of your business processes to professionals offshore. Topmost among the benefits are cost saving incentive, access to larger talent pool, time-saving, risk sharing, tax benefits and more. Whatever your company has in mind by outsourcing its functions does not matter, the most important factor is to ensure successful outsourcing. Well, you also need to know that outsourcing can backfire when a company did not choose a vendor carefully.

Therefore, you need to pay attention to certain essential factors to successful outsourcing;

1. First, you must employ the right offshore outsourcing service provider. Don’t just do a surface research. Delve deeper into the provider’s profile. Find out the company’s experience regarding the task you wish to outsource. Check the portfolio for satisfactory feedbacks on previous projects. Membership to a relevant international or local body would be a plus, including license to practice in the chosen outsourcing field.

2. The company itself must put a system of performance measurement in place. Therefore, proper plan and vision should be initiated to guide the entire outsourcing contract.

3. The terms of contract should be clearly spelt out and legally binding on both parties. You certainly want to recoup any loss or damage in the event of shabby performance by the vendor. So, do not take any legal work or documentation for granted when you set out to contract offshore outsourcing services. You can only bring legal charges against the vendor based on a well-written and legally binding contractual agreement.

4. Sometimes, professional advice may be necessary when considering business outsourcing. You can gain intense insight on how to carry on a contractual outsourcing project by consulting an expert. So, don’t let ignorance rub you of your rights and benefits as an outsourcing service recipient.

5. Also, there may be need to set up a well-trained team that would assess and monitor the entire contract from the beginning, through the execution process and to the completion of the project. This is not compulsory, but it may be necessary.

6. Ensure there is open line of communication between your organization and the offshore vendor. This way, your organization would be fully involved and informed from start to finish.

No doubts, offshore outsourcing services are rewarding. However, you have a role to play in order to maximize the inherent opportunities through offshoring. You need to get involved substantially by following the useful guide provided above. At the end, your efforts will reward you significantly when the project is completed to your satisfaction. Stay tuned to subsequent posts on outsourcing.

Daven Michaels is an award-winning outsourcer and author of the book, ‘Outsource This!’ Daven has been honored more than any other individual or outsourcing organization. You can get more information on outsourcing by visiting www.123Employee.com

Some small business owners wrongly assume that offshore outsourcing services are for the fortune 500 companies alone. Also, the mere thought of entrusting their business functions to an offshore vendor disturbs small business owners. Yet, small businesses are one of the greatest beneficiaries of outsourcing, especially when it is done for the right reasons and in the right way.

Typically, the small business owners handle virtually every aspect of their business alone. They feel more comfortable to do so, having the notion that nothing would go wrong, when they take complete charge of their business functions. On the contrary, a recent report from US Business Association reveals that most tasks carried out by small business owners (spending quality time to do so) are not usually profit-oriented.

While a small business owner is considering fund-intensity as the requirement for offshore outsourcing services, it is indeed cost-effective to hire an offshore vendor for business functions, especially the functions that are complex in nature. Then, you can refocus on the core activities of your small business.

When Is it Necessary for a Small Business to Outsource?

As a small business owner, your business will keep growing and would thrive to a point when you will suddenly notice how difficult it has become to handle the tasks alone. Topmost in the list of such tasks is customer service. If your business has reached that growth level, it is the right time to seek for external help. Compared to the cost of getting the external help in-country, it is usually cheaper to outsource tasks such as customer service or help desk to an offshore contractor. Thanks to the internet, in a couple of minutes, you can scan through the profiles of top-notch offshore providers and make the perfect selection after further investigations and research.

To clear the doubt that may be in your heart regarding the cost of contracting offshore outsourcing services versus in-country provider, you can interview 5 people in-country and 5 people offshore to compare wages. Subsequently, you can settle for the option that promises the best cost advantage. Going by global analysis, offshore outsourcing option will always win the contest.

Here are some costs you will by-pass by hiring an offshore employee;

• Monthly wages plus government-imposed health/welfare benefits
• Office equipment costs
• Utilities
• Cost of training and re-training staff
• Employment insurance
• …and others

Obviously, a small business is not capable of footing the recurrent bills associated with in-house or in-country staffing. It is far way cheaper to embark on offshore outsourcing services. It helps to maximize cost savings advantage, hence increasing profits significantly. However, profound selection process is necessary for successful outcome with outsource offshoring. We’ve written a couple of useful guides on how to select the right offshore partner.

Daven Michaels is an award-winning outsourcer and author of the book, ‘Outsource This!’ Daven has been honored more than any other individual or outsourcing organization. You can get more information on outsourcing by visiting www.123Employee.com

One of the best ways to fully enjoy the benefits of outsourcing is to do it the right way. Outsourcing best practices involve the right selection process among other factors. So, if you are considering hiring offshore outsourcing Philippines, you need to follow the best practices in order to do it right.

Selecting an Offshore Partner

The success of outsourcing efforts is largely hinged on choosing a vendor that would offer cost saving, plus the quality of service required. A company that sets out to outsource should bear in mind that the contract is usually a long-term project. Therefore, choosing the wrong partner (vendor) may end up increasing costs – this is the cost associated with failure to deliver and poor response time.

Factors that Drive a Company’s Choice of Outsourcing Partner

Sometimes, some companies may be solely driven by cost factors in selecting an offshore vendor for its business functions. On the long run, the company may discover that the job quality and the vendor’s level of responsiveness are not up to standard. Therefore, since it would cost the company more to switch to another vendor, the organization would be forced to accept the sub-standard service from the current vendor throughout the life of the contract. Ultimately, the company will not achieve efficiency benefits that were intended by choosing to outsource.

So, adequate selection process is necessary while trying to hire offshore outsourcing Philippines vendor or providers from other locations. Ultimately, cost reduction shouldn’t be the sole driving force, other factors should be placed side by side. One of the great ways to monitor offshore projects is to set up an in-house or in-country liaison between the outsourced company and the offshore vendor. Hence, a line of communication should stay open 24/7.

Operational Analysis

A great outsourcing strategy is to carry out detailed operational analysis. The company planning to outsource should embark on a study to find out the business functions or processes that are best suited for outsourcing. The study should also review the phases that may necessarily require responsibilities transfer. The study can be set up in-house. Alternatively, a potential outsourcing vendor may be involved in the study.

Typically, business functions that are purely technical and repetitive in nature (e.g. systems/ database administration and help desk management) should be subjected to preliminary transition. Following closely are maintenance and application development; these require technical skills as well as domain knowledge.

Finally, successful effort with offshore outsourcing Philippines or vendors from other locations involves putting a performance measurement system in place. This is the only way a company can determine if the outcome is desirable or not. Once you follow the best practices, your company will enjoy the full benefits of outsourcing.

Daven Michaels is an award-winning outsourcer and author of the book, ‘Outsource This!’ Daven has been honored more than any other individual or outsourcing organization. You can get more information on outsourcing by visiting www.123Employee.com

4. Follow Up

After the novelty of the outsourcing relationship finally wears off, it is only natural for one to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride for some time. Sadly, this usually leads to complacency and of course most times attention to performance will be totally forgotten. So, in order to avoid these issues, you will need to set up a time table or schedule to review your outsourcing company’s performance. You will also need to appoint an executive or manager that will be held responsible for the periodical follow up of the outsourcing vendor. If the need arises, you can send your employee to be well trained in vendor management techniques and skills – you can start by checking with your local universities and colleges. This tactic will also yield the ability to handle unforeseen circumstances (which are bound to occur) in a timely fashion and mitigate the risk that is associated with outsourcing.

5.  Know When You are going Way In Over Your Head

You will need to seek a very well experienced consultant or advisor if your outsourcing job involves any one of the following situations:

• The task is big enough that it will expose the organization to significant risks – that is, if it is not well handled.
• Organization politics are totally jeopardizing the achievement of the task
• Management most certainly do not have the experience in vendor selection and vendor evaluation.

Important Note

When choosing a vendor one of the most important things to do is to analyze your business requirements. Before you start to gather information or perform interviews, you will need to put together a team of individuals who have a vested interest in the specific vendor selection process. The first assignment that the vendor selection team will need to accomplish is to clearly define (in writing) the product, service or material that they looking for in a vendor. Then go on ahead to define the business and technical requirements, and also clearly define the vendor requirements as well. Lastly, publish your document to the specific areas that are relevant to this particular vendor selection process and then seek their input. You will need the team to analyze the comments and then create a final document.

In a nutshell:

a. Gather an evaluation team
b. Clearly define the material, service or product
c. Clearly define the business and technical requirements
d. Clearly define the vendor requirements
e. Lastly, publish a requirements document for approval.

Daven Michaels is an award-winning outsourcer and author of the book, ‘Outsource This!’ Daven has been honored more than any other individual or outsourcing organization. You can get more information on outsourcing by visiting www.123Employee.com