5 Questions to Ask Before Teaming up With a Nearshore Partner
Today’s companies are facing significant changes as a result of recent technological advancements and globalization. Companies no longer have a monopoly on products or services. They must offer additional economic values or features in order to stabilize their positions in the market.
Consumers also have greater demands, so companies need to further improve customer satisfaction while offering the most competitive prices. Where can companies find top-notch services and products at affordable prices?
The answer relies on nearshore partnerships.
Teaming up with a nearshore partner means expanding to countries geographically and culturally close to your own to reduce costs. Shortening the distance gap between you and your service provider comes with several benefits. Some examples of ideal nearshore partners for the United States are countries within the Caribbean, like the Dominican Republic, or countries in South America, like Mexico.
Now, before initiating your research on which nearshore partner best fits your company, you should first ask yourself 5 questions.
1. Are they experienced nearshore partners?
Experience can’t be improvised. When it comes to choosing your nearshore partner, it’s always a good idea to investigate their background.
A company’s longevity is a good determinant of consistency and quality. The amount of customers they possess is another indicator of the company’s success. As such, you should consider their reviews or lack thereof. But longevity and prestige shouldn’t be your only deliberations. So keep reading to find out other factors that determine a nearshore partner’s success.
2. What does their onboarding process look like?
A proper and well-made onboarding process is as important as finding the right nearshore partner for your company.
First of all, your participation in the hiring process is essential. You should be able to pre-screen the candidates to find the perfect fit for your company. Secondly, the way your nearshore partner prepares your team is crucial. Do they make sure your vision and goals are effectively instilled in your team’s operations? Do they provide a detailed orientation and job-specific training that will ensure a proper adaptation?
Finally, your nearshore partner should invest a prudent amount of time and energy into their onboarding process. As in the words of Michael Watkins, author of the bestseller book in management skills, First 90 Days, “Employee orientation centers around and exists to help the individual employee, but it is the company that ultimately reaps the benefits of this practice.”
3. How will they enable your partnership transition?
Partnership transition is the process of moving procedures and technology from the customer’s main office to the outsourcing provider.
To ensure an effective transition, an experienced nearshore partner will carefully outline detailed outsourcing objectives backed up with management support. They’ll also program pre-planning sessions. These are meetings where the customer and the nearshore partner determine the activities and processes that can remain during the existing business model. They also consider which aspects need to be redesigned.
Your nearshore partner should also outline the risks of outsourcing. That way, they can create contingency plans that can mitigate possible upcoming issues while tracking risks during different stages of the transition phase.
Following a detailed transition process can determine a successful nearshore partnership.
4. Are they big enough to scale, but small enough to care?
It is commonly known that small businesses provide a level of care and involvement that most corporations can’t afford to provide. Large corporations, on the other hand, may have greater resources and prestigious years of expertise that can help them outperform smaller businesses.
When assessing these opposing premises, you should consider an ideal ratio where your nearshore partner is big enough to scale but small enough to care. Size, however, shouldn’t be the only determinant when browsing outsourcing opportunities. The ability to adapt is another important consideration. Your future nearshore partner should be able to grow with you without forgetting what makes your business successful.
All that said, it’s essential that your nearshore partner is experienced and flexible. They should also care about you, and they must provide fast and efficient support.
5. Is the nearshore partner stabilized and does not present a risk of disappearing?
Finally, working with a nearshore partner with experience may ensure stability and a strong sense of security. Many start-ups, however, can offer you advantageous benefits and costs. You can assess their stability by researching if they’re funded by well-known investors. Other telling signs of stability are if there are previous successful experiences from the executives and if the business has traction. Your main goal should be building a nearshore partnership that will last.
It’s essential to choose the perfect nearshore partner, as you are putting a valuable job in their hands. Because of the numerous benefits of nearshoring in the Dominican Republic, Sourcefit has recently established its nearshoring services in the country. We invite you to follow us on social media and to visit our website to learn more about our services.
About Us: Sourcefit is a widely recognized US-managed business process outsourcing company based in Manila, Philippines. We proudly serve over 100 clients with a workforce of more than 1,300 employees. Our global centers can serve multiple markets, and our staff is highly proficient in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Whether you need a few or many employees, we can help you achieve your business goals and build high-quality offshore teams.
Latest Awards
Sourcefit’s commitment to excellence has been recognized through numerous industry awards and certifications.
We recently received the Fortress Cyber Security Award from the Business Intelligence Group. Sourcefit was also honored with the prestigious recognition of Best Outsourcing Solutions Provider in the Philippines during the 2023 Business Excellence Awards.
Other awards include: FT ranking of 500 high-growth Asia-Pacific, The Marketing Excellence Awards, Inquirer Growth Champion, HR Asia Awards, among others.
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