Outsourcing - BPO
Successful Offshore Call Center Outsourcing
HOW TO MAKE OUTSOURCING WORK FOR YOU
There is much hype about the growth of outsourcing. There are
an increasing number of success stories but the number of failed
projects is also on the rise. This is particularly true of India
where weak management and poor infrastructure are damaging the
reputation of the whole offshore outsourcing industry even for
countries with greater attention to quality such as South Africa
and The Philippines.
How do you make offshore outsourcing work for you? I believe
that this 10-point plan is a key tool, which can be used to make
the difference between success and failure.
1 Right vendor
There are lots of vendors that have sprouted up in developing
counties but the difference between good vendors and weak vendors
immense. Even vendors that have a good reputation often fail to
deliver. The key to vendor selection is to deal directly with
the people who will be managing your business on a day-to-day
basis. You should be convinced by their experience and ability
rather than their technology, client list or offices.
2 Experience counts
Do the people managing the business know how to make your project
a success? It may seem like an obvious question but you will be
surprised by the poor level of middle management, particularly
in India. Experienced managers may be reluctant to move to India.
Remember, it is the quality of the operational management, which
makes the difference. An account manager sitting at a desk in
London has little influence over project delivery in Bangalore.
3 Don’t assume
Anyone who has worked in any developing country will tell you
this is the most important thing to remember. ‘Reasonable
assumptions’ don’t travel well- what seems logical in
London, may seem illogical in India. Remember that you’re
potentially dealing with a country culturally very different to
your own.
4 Use multiple vendors
If your project is of sufficient size, use more than one vendor.
The management of offshore operations generally requires more
intensive management. The use of two or more vendors is an effective
way of driving continued improvement from your vendors. It also
acts as a safety net in case one under-performs. Ensure that the
vendors are aware of the involvement of the other vendors. This
will motivate them, as they will know there is the opportunity
of additional work and having the work taken away from them depending
on their performance.
5 Count the cost
It is true that offshore outsourcing brings substantial cost
reductions but some vendors propose complex pricing structures
in order to hide costs. This is typical of business in many countries,
so be sure to always insist on a transparent pricing structure.
Vendors will often try to hide costs such as telecoms, account
management and other costs. Be careful and always ensure you are
aware of all the costs. Be careful and always ensure you are aware
of all of the costs before you start.
6 Exit strategy
Don’t start a project without knowing how to finish it.
Over the next few years, you will see vendors with weak business
models go out of business as their funding dries up. You must
know how to cope if you are no longer able to do business with
the vendor. This is far easier to control with tactical outbound
projects but always be prepared.
7 Continually evaluate
Set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and continually review
them. Without tight management, problems can occur quickly. It
will always be far easier to manage a project if the KPIs are
understood straight from the very beginning.
8 Own the strategy
The highest performing outsourcing companies in the United Kingdom
are able to define and deliver your call center strategy for you.
Whatever they might tell you, very few vendors in offshore locations
have this ability. You need to control the strategy and then clearly
define the execution plan for your vendor.
9 Sceptics succeed
Work from the assumption that your outsourcing will achieve limited
success and that everything can go wrong. Those of us who work
in Asia know that it’s often the answers you don’t get
which are the most important ones- and that answers should never
be taken at face value. Probe deeply in order to ensure you’re
not working with the wrong partner.
10 Two way benefit
It may sound like I am telling you to give your offshore vendors
a hard time-but you need more than that. Your account has to be
worthwhile for the vendor .If your account is unprofitable or
not worth the effort for the money, you will receive a sub-standard
level of service. Of course you need to ensure you receive your
money’s worth but there is a limit. Executed effectively,
offshore outsourcing can be a win-win for the client and the vendor.
Costs in many Asian countries are so low that everyone can benefit
and the quality can remain high and even improve.
About The Author
Rob O’Malley is one of the world’s leading experts
in business process outsourcing. He is a founder and The Chief
Operating Officer of Asian Call Centres, a vendor of offshore
call centre services based in Manila.
rob.omalley@asiancallcentres.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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