Types of Customers in IT Outsourcing

Creating an Outsourcing Approach that’s Ideal for the Client

As a client looking to outsource a project, you have a unique set of needs, values and objectives, as well as a unique approach to project management and reporting. Sometimes these requirements are dictated by the industry in which you operate, and other times it comes down to how your specific department (and/or your company as a whole) is most comfortable operating. Also, each client uses different criteria to aid in their decision-making process. From educational information and industry best-practices to demos, estimates, references and trial projects, each client desires different resources for approving and implementing a project. The more information you accrue, the easier your decision becomes; and the more peace of mind you’ll gain knowing that an important part of your business is being handled by real outsourcing professionals.

Flexibility, customer relations and customization are perhaps the most important ingredients to any successful client/outsourcing company relationship. Whether you’re an established business looking to launch a new website or a start-up IT provider looking for some additional manpower to get you up and running, the criteria remains the same — because every business thrives on partnerships that value the aforementioned ingredients. When you begin your search for an outsourcing provider and you engage your candidates in discussions about preferred software development methodology (agile, scrum, prototyping, waterfall, iterative), payment scheme, report type/frequency (daily, weekly, task-by-task tracking), versions update schedule and source code access, make sure that flexibility, customer relations and customization are common threads that run through all of these different criteria. If they are, then you’ve found yourself the ideal outsourcing partner!

Of course, you’ll also want to focus on outsourcing companies that have an established track record of designing successful outsourcing solutions for their customers’ needs, using a variety of different platforms. Targeting an outsourcing company that only specializes or has experience with one or two platforms is ok if your project plan is rigid, but in most cases you’ll get more bang-for-your-buck by partnering with a company that is adept at a variety of platforms, and can make suggestions as to which one might work better than another for your project.