Don't Choose An Offshore Team Until You've Read This

Before you chose a partner, you should learn everything you can about the details of offshoring.

Luckily, your education on this site doesn't cost you anything. But an ineffective partnership could cost you your business. Your goal should be to approach a vendor as an educated business partner.

In general, there are six main trouble spots in managing an offshore team

1. Strategy - How do you find enough good people to grow at the rate you require?
2. Project Management - How do you manage time zones, work schedules, and work ethics in a different country?
3. Communication - What tools and techniques are available for you to keep up good communication?
4. Culture - What are the cultural differences?  How do you work with them?
5. Technical - What are the different data formats and standards you need to be aware of?
6. Security - How do you protect your valuable IP?
   

We've uncovered some other common problems as well. We believe that we've solved most of them, and you can read how . If you choose a different partner, we want you to have all of the data that you need to make an informed and rational decision.

Offshore Communication Is Unclear And Inconsistent

"My offshore vendor said they understood me. They disappeared for a week and brought back something that was nothing like my requirements. I could never get a straight answer from them."

Does that sound familiar to you? We've heard it from disgruntled executives and QA Managers alike who have experienced failed projects.

The fact of the matter is that you're dealing with a different culture, whose native language isn't English. You're going to get indirect responses and misused terms. Be prepared for a steep learning curve on your side as well as theirs. That's your first hurdle.

How do you get clear communication?

Offshore Turnover Destroys Momentum And Knowledge Transfer

Why is turnover so bad in the offshore business?

The story is really no different across the world as it is in the United States-exceptional people don't grow on trees. With a booming job market overseas, talented people gravitate towards money and benefits.

As a rule, every good offshore company has a system for managing turnover. The key thing for you to understand from your partner is how they do it.

But be careful. There are ways of hiding turnover. Find out how you prevent the effects of turnover.

Time Zones Make Management Impossible

There are several factors that make managing an offshore team difficult. Some people have trouble with language and culture. Others stumble over the constant replacement of team members.

But the earth spins on its access at 1038 miles an hour and your team is still on the other side of the planet. You can lose a full day just by answering general questions. If you want to talk with your coworkers, someone is going to be up late at night-either you or them.

That is, of course if you don't have a QA Manager that can take care of all the management. Quite a few companies have started using "on-site" employees to manage the gap. We were one of the first to use a local QA Manager, and we think there's a difference.

Learn more about how local QA Managers eliminate the back and forth.

There's No Time To Build Trust

If you understand the benefits and the pitfalls of offshore services, you've taken the first step in trusting yourself with the right decision. Once you've chosen a reputable partner, you should be confident that you've made a responsible and measured choice.

But there's another way to build trust with your team-experience. It takes time do develop a good working relationship with someone. When you make the final choice make sure it's for the long haul. Choose right and you'll reap the rewards of an unfair advantage. Choose wrong and you'll be looking again in 6 months or a year.

Find out how you can make the right choice the first and only time.