Offshore services can deliver significant benefits for your business, from cost savings to access to a global talent pool. However, it’s also a complex decision with potential challenges. In this article, we’ll address six questions you might be hesitant to ask, but are crucial for a successful offshoring strategy. We’ll also share solutions to help you make the right calls.

1. Can my team handle the cultural differences?
This is an important question, as cultural variations can influence collaboration, productivity, and task coordination when offshoring. Thus, it’s essential to consider your team’s willingness and openness to understanding about other cultures.
Cultural adaptability is key to effective outsourcing. While early changes are inevitable, companies that offshore often realize that cross-cultural collaboration can encourage innovative solutions and a more dynamic team.
At iSupport, we offer extensive cultural training for our clients’ offshore teams and provide continuous resources to ease communication barriers.

2. How will offshoring affect the quality of my services?
Understandably, questions about maintaining standards and customer satisfaction are frequent. A well-planned offshoring strategy can minimize these risks by selecting the right partners and building a strong QA system.
Select your offshore teams based on their proven track record, field knowledge, and rigorous QA processes.
At iSupport, our highly-developed quality assurance processes ensure that our clients’ quality expectations are achieved or exceeded. In many cases, clients find enhanced quality due to the expertise and focus of our offshore teams.

3. What happens if my offshoring partner goes out of business?
Operational risks, such as financial instability or government turmoil, can impact offshoring arrangements. Developing backup plans in place can help mitigate disruptions.
Operational stability is here critical. Carefully evaluating the economic health and business history of your offshore partners is vital.
iSupport has prepared transition plans in place, including backup resources and transition strategies. Our goal is to ensure minimal downtime and provide uninterrupted service for our clients.

4. How can I protect my intellectual property?
Theft of IP is a major worry when working with external providers. Strong legal agreements and robust protections are critical to protect valuable assets.
Keeping IP secure is paramount. Seek an offshore partner that employs strong safeguards, including secure data handling, restricted access systems, and NDAs.
iSupport’s dedicated legal department works in collaboration with our clients to design effective intellectual property protection strategies. We also conduct regular security audits to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.

5. Will my employees feel threatened by offshoring?
Offshoring can lead to job insecurity and morale issues. Open communication and transparent planning can help address employee concerns and maintain a positive work environment.
Managing change is important. Offshore companies should coordinate with their clients to prepare messaging that tackle internal anxieties and showcase the advantages of offshoring.
iSupport clients have found that offshoring enables their local teams to focus on higher-value activities, leading to internal growth.