When outsourcing is the better option
We are frequently challenged by the question ‘why should we outsource’? Our answer is ‘you shouldn’t – not always’.
Given a large part of our business is outsourcing or co-sourcing, this may seem a strange response, but we do firmly believe there are occasions when outsourcing really is the better option. In a technology industry that is rapidly becoming more competitive, and with varying factors such as employment budgets, availability of talent along with supply and demand, outsourcing/co-sourcing is becoming more common and provides a robust and reliable option for many organisations and projects, at whatever stage they may be.
So, what are the benefits?
Talent pool
When we established Applicita in 2012, we had a very clear vision that we were not going to allow ourselves to be geographically limited. We wanted to be able to access talent anywhere in the world and so we employed technology and process to ensure all our remote workers remain connected to each other and our customers.
The result is that our clients benefit from access to capabilities and skills otherwise not easily accessible or affordable in a local marketplace.
Increases in efficiency
Choosing an outsourcing company that specialises in the process or service you want them to carry out for you can help you achieve a more productive, efficient service, often of greater quality.
A competitive advantage
Outsourcing can help you leverage knowledge and skills along with your complete supply chain, giving a competitive advantage over those using solely local marketplace knowledge and skills.
Reduced labour costs
Cost-savings achieved by outsourcing can help you release capital for investment in other areas of your business. At Applicita, we find that there is a significant difference between labour costs when outsourcing versus traditional ‘in-house’ labour costs. This allows us to invest wisely in other areas of our business such as training, product development and marketing.
Improved focus on your core business
Outsourcing can free up your business to focus on its strengths, allowing your staff to concentrate on their main tasks and the future strategy.
Flexibility
Outsourcing provides greater flexibility to your teams to deliver project milestones and key business goals. If Outsourcing to teams outside of the UK, you also have greater flexibility in working hours. At Applicita, we can offer clients greater flexibility to respond to any situation, whilst still being able to achieve key deliverables and milestones.
Scalability
Scalability is key for our industry, and outsourcing allows for the scalability of teams when the need or requirement arises. Outsourced teams can be scaled up or down at greater efficiency than traditional team setups.
How do we manage our Teams?
We have 8 years’ of experience of managing outsourced and globally remote teams. Through various communication channels, we operate daily team calls, sprint planning and review sessions and demonstrations of completed work to our clients and wider teams. Our management team also perform regular 1:1 sessions with our team members to provide performance feedback, and agree actions.
All successful teams need to be able to communicate, cooperate and innovate in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect. That’s why we ensure our team members are happy, healthy and continuously learning. An open-door policy, allocated days per year for learning/training/conferences, regular line manager updates and company-wide meetings are just some of the methods we use at Applicita to engender a positive and inclusive culture. A happy team is a productive team – good for them and good for our clients! We are fortunate to have an extensive talent pool who are technically able to overcome any challenges through communication with each other, peer reviews, continuous improvement and a passion for their craft
If you’d like to find out more about how we manage outsourced teams and projects, or to grab a coffee and a chat, please contact hello@applicita.com, or call 01908470023.