In any type of shipping or transport-oriented business, there two types of roles that the employees have to carry out for the company, which are front-line or customer facing roles and back-end tasks or back office duties. Back office roles include logistics, creative solutions services, web development, customer care, etc. These back-office duties are essential to ensure that the organization functions efficiently. Even though they are very important, most businesses opt to outsource these tasks to BPOs to save some money and also to be able to focus their energy on business operations.
There are some important and valid factors that every company must first consider in choosing a company that will help them solve their back-office needs. Here are some points you may need to consider.
Do your partners speak the language you and your clients use?
If you are thinking of outsourcing your back office work to a company based abroad, make sure that the staff of that company speak and comprehend the language you use to do business. It is not just about the language, however, but it should include their comprehension of the business jargon. If your company is focused on a specific field, your business partners should be able to understand and use the terminologies that you use. This ensures that the back-end processes and documentation are carried out smoothly without any miscommunication.
Do their operating hours adapt to yours?
One of the significant needs of most customers that outsource to another country are issues that correspond to time zones. Always choose a partner company that operates according to your operating schedule and promises to deliver the goods even on weekends and holidays. An ideal offshoring company will work according to your business requirements and even operate in a 24/7 environment if need be.
Are your data in safe hands?
Your business’ data is crucial and highly confidential. One of the most significant concerns that companies face while outsourcing their backend tasks is the safety of their data. While selecting which company to send your work to, make sure that they have a clean track record of safeguarding data and make sure that you have a written agreement between your company and theirs – ensuring confidentiality. Lastly, always make sure that they observe strict data protection policies.
How much do they understand your domain?
Whatever kind of business that you are into, there are a number of strict standards that exist in all processes. When you outsource, you cannot step back on quality. Always partner with an outsourcing company that has expertise in the particular sector that you are dealing with. When you outsource to an offshore BPO, make sure that the outsourcing company knows the standards and practices you have in your country.
Will they help you in cutting costs?
Being able to save money is the key advantage of outsourcing some of your business processes. Choose a company that offers you the most practical options in terms of costing. Usually, by offshoring, businesses can accomplish work at around half or a third of the cost of doing your back-end tasks in-house. Some bargaining and accounting must be done to agree with a conclusion where you and your outsource partner are in a win-win situation.
Take Away
A responsible offshore outsourcing partner can assist in streamlining your back-end tasks to give your business the benefits of efficiency and increased profits.