Essential criteria for a successful outsourcing project

As with everything, as a company, the proper functioning of your organisation, the increase of your turnover and your ability to innovate is dependent on choosing the right providers. The same applies if you plan to outsource one or more services. By choosing the right specialist, you will get a team that will be turned into an added value, into competitive advantage. As a result, your company, brand, product or service stands out and gains positioning in a market that leaves no room for improvisation and lack of preparation. Outsourcing is the most suitable solution to allow your company to gain power. To achieve such results, it is essential to properly prepare for this step. Here is a compilation of the essential criteria to meet to succeed in your outsourcing project.

The importance of research as from the beginning of your outsourcing project

Often, companies tend to relegate research to the background by focusing on profitability or even unreliable valuations. If the economic factor is essential, it is vital to do thorough research on the following criteria:

The prices offered by each potential provider

Do not hesitate to dissect the lowest rates to avoid the risk of discovering hidden fees which are capable of doubling the bill at the end of the year!

Experience and know-how

Both of these criteria are important, even if you plan to outsource time-consuming, low-value tasks. If potential candidates offer a long list of benefits, take the time to find out his specialty, which may be far from the one you need. Do not hesitate to ask for a trial period so that you can determine his expertise.

Ask them to present their portfolio, read feedbacks and reviews of customers and former customers of each provider. Study how it operates in the market, its understanding of your vision, how it presents information, etc. You must also study their past performance to understand how they have met the needs of their customers.

What is methodology?

Each outsourcing specialist has his own methodology. The goal is to find a service provider whose work processes are in line with that of your company. If it differs, why not propose your method and find a middle ground?

Are the selected providers following trends?

There is nothing more compromising for an outsourcing project than providers who refuse or are not able to track and apply trends, even if they can quickly take control of your project. By being able to be the best while remaining at the forefront of developments, these providers will deliver a fluid result, serving the user experience. Go beyond their technical capabilities, work ethic, legal compliance, productivity, cultural environment, etc. If you are short on time, assign this task to an in-house project manager, who will take on an advisory approach with your project while having the necessary technical knowledge.

What do quality tests say?

The quality test should not be performed once and for all at the beginning of the project. It’s a long-term strategy that delivers solid results that meet your goals. It is impossible to achieve concrete results that satisfy your customers if the performance and quality of your products or service are not being constantly tested by trained people.

Do not hesitate to ask for a model of the solution proposed by each provider. By clearly understanding the course of his actions, you will manage to visualise the result.

What are the providers’ means and channels of communication?

The key to successful outsourcing is also clear and transparent communication between the two parties. In the absence of detailed instructions and objectives, an outsourcing provider is not able to provide quality work that meets the expectations of its client.

Set up a production schedule with deadlines, as well as delay margins if possible. The ideal provider should be able to assign you a dedicated contact to avoid confusion. It must also be able to provide you with regular reports as well as a channel on which you can make your own feedback.

Proper planning and strategy

Your internal and external teams cannot function smoothly without planning and strategy. This information will allow them to understand things better. Thus, they will respect the objectives and actions that will enable their achievement. With a structured strategy, your company paves the way for success, thus eliminating risks.

A good exit clause

If the selected provider does not deliver a service that meets your expectations, you must have an exit plan already in place. This strategy must be clear, cordial, streamlined and transparent. Provide for a contract that evokes the possibility of changing service providers, in a framework in which the customer, that is your company, remains the legal and legitimate owner of all data. For this, the contract must inform the provider of its obligation to make every effort to provide all this information in a format requested by the customer, without forgetting to specify the cost of such an operation.

ProContact, your ideal provider for successful outsourcing!

ProContact is more than a contact center. Thanks to trained, qualified, handpicked and multilingual agents, we enable companies that choose us to gain credibility and above all to satisfy their customers. To learn more about our services and for a quality partnership, click on our contact form, send us an e-mail or call us on (+33) 1 77 75 04 50.