Outsourcing Checklist: Stats and Questions To Ask To Your Prospective Provider

2016 meant the wheels of the “gig economy” are now churning and at an increasing rate. Most recruiters are divided to the fact that most jobs available now are temporary, quick and direct to the point. This may still be debatable but the fact such faction exists is a sign that many millennials may opt to choose to go that route. It provides work flexibility and time management but at the risk of not being secured financially - a risk many are willing to take. Freelancers are now growing and businesses have access to a plethora of people willing to take the job whether located onshore, nearshore, or offshore.

But with the attempt of getting the job done efficiently while minimizing costs, more and more companies now opt to outsource. With all the available freelancers and small companies out there, one can be easily fooled (with the risk being high and serious). Why? Because you’ll be sharing valuable information with them such as your processes and to some degree, even your company culture. Yes, third-party services go down the way that deep so it’s only important that a business stays vigilant to whom they decide to outsource their services to. So don’t be shy to ask the tough questions because you have every right to do so. But what are these tough questions? Check these important items below and see why you should demand answers.

Does Your Provider Allow Their Employees to Work On Weekends?

Though most outsourcing providers ask your preference whether you’ll want this setup or not, it still remains a fact that not being able to provide this option to you is a red flag to watch out for. This doesn’t mean that the provider runs the company like a sweatshop. This means the company is not flexible enough to cater to your needs. This also makes their foresight questionable as a problem might happen on a weekend. For example, you outsource your company’s web development needs and the website went down on a weekend. You certainly can’t wait for Monday to have it fixed, right? Question is, would your outsourcing provider be able to fix the problem right away? This is also a dig in their recruitment and whether or not they have enough talent under their roof.

Do They Provide Reference to Past Satisfied Clients?

Yeah, we understand that this might stir up privacy issues with previous clients. But you don’t need to know the whole intel, right? There is a way of disclosing much-needed information without sacrificing the other party’s privacy.  There would always be a way. This is important because you can have the first-hand experience of what’s it’s like working with your prospective provider and check for any loopholes that you can be aware of and go around them. Outsourcing, after all, is a collaborative effort and success and is not just about dumping extra work to a provider. It’s a two-way street. Now if they can’t provide it, then run away. Run fast. If it’s shady and smells fishy, never doubt your business instinct.

Do They Have a Transparent Contract With an Exit Plan?

Everything circles around this piece of document. We’ve seen lawsuits filed and people get arrested because of this. So you can see why this is important, but it doesn’t have to be complex, though. A simply written contract, with the terms both parties agreed on with the discussed pricing included plus an exit plan should things would not work. Trust us, we’ve seen fellow outsourcing providers go downhill because their clients run away and didn’t pay them and clients left to dust because work was not executed as instructed. It’s a norm actually so be careful out there.

What Did They Learn From the Last Client that Left Them?

Oh, don’t believe a provider that says their client hasn’t left them. There would always be that client that got away. And if your provider has trouble answering this question, then it’s a dig to their professional integrity. A good provider can own up to the mistakes of the past and from there make an analysis of what went wrong, draft a plan based on the data and execute the plan and measure for improvement. Look for real and raw answers on this one as it tells you the provider’s ability to assess within their organization and flexibility to change.

About Coefficients Co. Ltd.

Coefficients Co. Ltd. is an outsourcing company that offers business solutions beyond Virtual Assistance and Customer Support and has been helping businesses grow by offering Business Development, Consultancy and Design Solutions to its clientele.