Investment

Riding Herd: Ensuring Your Outsourced Team Delivers

There are times when your company can’t handle a job on its own. Despite your desire to keep things in-house, you may have to look outside. For example, you may need to hire an ad agency to come up with a marketing campaign for your business. The worry is that they won’t be able to meet the deadlines or even deliver high-quality products. But you can do something about that with proper management. Here’s how you can do so.

Manage Your Expectations

The first thing that you have to do is to clear up the expectations that you have of your outsourcing team. The best way to do this is to have an in-depth meeting with your outsourcing team. Bring along the materials that you want to discuss and prepare for it. The main idea for the meeting is to present what exactly you want from the partnership. This can range from a certain standard of quality you want to see in the deliverables to a schedule for regular discussions. It would be best if you also discussed what your company’s goal is and its ultimate vision. Convincing them to work for your vision can make it a lot easier.

Besides setting down the requirements you want from them, you should also take the time to understand better what your outsourcing team could do. It gives you an idea of what they can do for you. Discuss with them their capabilities and what they plan to do in the future, so you know what to demand from them.

Provide Enough Support

The problem with outsourcing is that it can get pretty expensive. This is especially notable in some companies that operate on a shoestring budget. This is where your operations come in. If you want your outsourcing to perform well, then you need to give them solid support. This includes sharing info with them and training them in the right way to do the job. With the proper education, they should be able to meet the standards you set for them. But mostly, you’ll want to give them monetary and material support. Give them the necessary equipment and data so that you can get the most from them.

Request Frequent Communication

While the project is underway, you need to be sure that everything is going smoothly. You do not want something to surprise you. The best way to do this is through regular updates from them. Don’t do it every day since it may seem invasive; however, requesting a weekly update is a reasonable move. This allows you to have an idea of where the project is currently. You might also want to schedule a meeting with them so that you can clear up some things that they may not know. To make this much easier, you should be using the latest technologies. For example, project management software can allow for easy updates while video calls allow for meetings no matter where you are.

Respect Your Team

It would be best if you treated your outsourced team with respect. They may not be full-time employees of your main company, but they are still doing work for you. This means that you shouldn’t waste their time on useless meetings or disturb them when they are in another time zone. If they are in another country and culture, try to understand their mindset so that you can better relate to them.

While outsourcing work may seem risky, it provides your business with the expertise it needs. The right approach reduces the risks and allows your company to punch above its weight, despite its current limitations. Keep the management tips above in mind to ensure that you get the best from your outsourcing experience.

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