What are the benefits of Outsourcing?

1. Take advantage of the cost-advantages! Outsourcing to countries such as India and the Far East can give you access to cost-effective IT and Business Process services. The same services with the same level of quality are offered onshore and offshore for a much lower cost! This cost-advantage has increased the number of services that are now available. Services such as call center services, BPO services, Data Entry Services, Software Development, etc can help you save up to 60% of your total costs when outsourced! Getting access to high-quality services at a cost-effective price is the biggest benefit that you can get while outsourcing.

2. Another benefit of outsourcing is seeing a big increase in your profits, productivity, level of quality, business value, business performance and much more. Outsourcing can help you see an increase in almost every aspect of your business.

3. When you outsource, you can save on time, effort, infrastructure and manpower. Since you don't have to invest in infrastructure, you can also save on making unnecessary fixed investments. Outsourcing removes the burden of changing or maintaining infrastructure. You can also save on capital expenditure. Outsourcing can also help you save on training costs, because you do not have to invest in manpower. These savings will help bring about an increase in your revenue. Your organization can also save on investing in expensive software and technologies.

4. Access to specialized services by outsourcing you can get expert and skilled services that you would not necessarily employ yourself. This benefit of outsourcing has been the key reason why several outsourcers opt for outsourcing. The function that you outsource may not be your core competency but you can find an outsourcing partner who is specialized in that particular business process. Your outsourcing partner will be able to provide more proficient services.

5. Concentrate more on your core business one of the benefits of outsourcing is that your organization will be free to concentrate on your core business. By outsourcing all your non-core functions, your employees can be put to better use and you will be able to see a huge growth in your core business.

6. Improved customer satisfaction with timely deliveries and high-quality services you can impress your customers. Outsourcing can help you benefit from increased customer satisfaction and your customers will remain loyal to your organization.

7. Benefit from time zone advantages Offshoring to countries such as India has a time zone advantage. Your night will be India's day. With this advantage, your outsourcing partner can complete critical work and send it to you the next day. Thus, your work is continued by your outsourcing partner even after your employees go home.

What is BPO?

Business process outsourcing (BPO) is the practice of using a third party, contracted to perform specific, specialized processes on a company's behalf. Although "outsourcing" in its most basic form has been used for decades, such as when a business uses an outside accountant to balance the books, it has become a practice used by the majority of businesses and large companies, on a much larger scale. By outsourcing certain aspects of "doing business", the company can focus on its primary purpose, whatever that may be.

There are two primary types of BPO: back office and front office. Typical back office processes that may be outsourced include payroll, billing, logistics and human resources. Other outsourcing providers offer their services in collections, credit analysis and job recruitment. More than ever, processes that one would never think would be outsourced, such as claims processing at an insurance company, are being outsourced. Examples of front office outsourcing include technical support, customer service, marketing and advertising.

A company may utilize BPO due to cost considerations, or simply because they do not have the expertise to deal with certain aspects of business. Many companies have come under criticism for using BPO to cut costs, especially in regards to call centers. Companies in western countries, particularly the United States, are finding that countries like India offer the services they need at an excellent price. This is due to the fact that many of these countries have a well educated labor pool, high unemployment rates and a low cost of living. In India which had approximately 63% of the offshore BPO market in 2006, labor is cheap, and employees are sometimes better educated than higher-paid workers in the US.

How to Choose the Right Outsourcing Partner?

Choosing the right outsourcing partner can be one of the most difficult tasks that organizations face today. When your organization has to select a sourcing partner for IT or BPO services, first define the final result and your expectations of the outsourcing relationship. Clearly defining what you want can go a long way in helping you choose the right outsourcing partner.

Before choosing an outsource partner, ask the following questions. Does the selected onshore or offshore partner have experience in the particular service that you want to outsource? Has your selected outsourcing service provider been able to provide quality services to other companies like yours? Does your chosen business partner use the best in technology, software and infrastructure? Does your outsourcing provider have experienced trained and qualified professionals that can efficiently handle your projects? Asking yourself some of these questions can help you choose the right outsourcing partner.

The following are some tips on choosing the right outsourcing partner. These tips can help you ensure that you find the best offshore partner for your business.

1. Check for proven track records Find out more about the experience of your outsource partner, the different kinds of customers that they have provided services for and the number of projects that they have completed. Find out if your offshore partner has experience in delivering the required services at the scale of your business needs. This can help you analyze if the particular outsourcing service provider is best suited for your business.
2. Ask for references before finalizing on an outsource partner ask for references from your outsourcing partner. From references you can find out more about the quality of service, timely deliveries and customer support services. By contacting the customers of your outsourcing partner, you can find out more about the abilities of your outsourcing partner. You will also be able to get more information about issues such as, responsibility and turnaround time. Talking to the customers of your outsourcing provider can give you first hand information about whether the outsourcing relationship between you and the selected outsourcing partner would work.
3. Check for financial stability and good credentials Make sure that your outsource partner is financially secure, as this is a critical factor in outsourcing. You could also find out more about the outsourcing service provider's directors and managers, their experience and their qualification. Geared with such detailed information, you will be able to analyze if a particular outsourcing service provider can match up to your expectations.
4. Ensure cultural compatibility When choosing the right outsourcing partner make certain that you and your outsource partner are culturally compatible. Make sure that your business partner understands your organization and your employees.
5. Ask your outsourcing partner for samples of documentation, procedures, etc. Getting access to your outsourcing partners samples can help you better understand if the selected outsource partner matches up to your expectations. Samples would also give you a good idea about your IT partner's capabilities, technical expertise and level of quality.
6. Communicate with your outsourcing partner Ensure that the outsource partner that you choose speaks your language. Finding an outsource partner who can understand your language and communicate with you efficiently can help you understand their business objectives. Good communication can assure you about the outsourcing relationship. Before stepping into outsourcing, ensure that your outsourcing partner is accessible on a 24x7x365 days basis on instant messenger, phone and email amongst others.
7. Find out if your outsourcing partner provides post development support before finalizing on an outsourcing partner, find out if your partner would provide your organization with support service after the completion of a project. Post development support from your partner can help you resolve any issues that you might be having after your project has been implemented.
8. Check your outsourcing partner's infrastructure and technology. Visit your outsourcing partner's workplace and find out if your outsourcing partner uses best-of-breed infrastructure and high-end technology. Visiting your outsourcing service provider can help you analyze if your offshore partner has the right equipment to handle your project. Visiting your outsource partner can also help you to better understand their processes, methodologies and team amongst others.

Can you explain the following terms "Outsourcing Provider" and "Buyer"?

The Outsourcing Provider is the company providing outsourcing services.
The buyer is the person who is looking to outsource his work and so is posting his project on this site.

Do you have a limit on the size of contract posted on your site?

There is no size restriction or total contract value limitation on the site. However, Outsourcermarketplace's target markets are single and multi-year IT and BPO service contracts and not individual website development projects.

Don't worryPosting a project is a simple process and is free, just follow the instructions below:

• Create a Buyers ID & Password
• Submit Your Project Requirements
• Wait for Outsourcers to Bid on Your Project
• Shortlist & Review Potential Outsourcers
• Select Your Outsourcing Partner

How much your website charge for submitting the projects?

At OutsourcerMarketplace.com we do not charge you for posting your project on our site, the services we provide to buyers are ABSOLUTELY FREE of charge.

You may however wish to make your project more noticeable to potential outsourcers by paying a small additional fee to have your project featured in our 'Featured Projects' category. This will ensure your project gets maximum exposure.

What services can be outsourced?

Generally any kind of service which can be executed from a remote place can be considered for outsourcing. Use of Internet, Telephones system and other modern means of communication play an important part in transfer of information as well as secured data in outsourcing. Some of the major services that are commonly outsourced nowadays include:

• IT Services & Support
• Server Hosting
• IT Infrastructure and Database Management
• Software Development & Support
• Application Support
• Data Entry, Data Capture/Scanning
• Data Processing and Database Management
• Data Conversion
• e-CRM
• SCM
• Forms and Claims Processing
• Order Processing
• Indexing and Archiving
• Web site design, development
• CallCenter Activities
• Web Research and Data Mining
• Conducting market surveys or any other surveys
• Legal Services
• Engineering and Design
• Multimedia and Animation
• Transcription (medical, legal and others)
• Medical Billing and Coding
• HR Services
• Internet Marketing, Search Engine Ranking and optimization
• Training
• Writing and Translation
• Proof-reading and editing
• CAD/CAM Services
• Bookkeeping and Finance
• Or any other service that can be executed from a remote location

What key aspects are to be considered while deciding on choosing an Offshore Outsourcing Partner?

Some of the major points to be considered are:

• Taking into consideration the cost difference between onshore and offshore markets.
• Expertise available with the outsourcing providers who are executing the project.
• Facilities and Technological advancements available.
• Analyses of total benefits, like the benefits available are more or less?
• Are there some limitations and analyze how critical they are?
• Check how fast the service is available in addition to quality.

How do you come up with very effective ways to strategize outsourcing?

There is no defined path for strategizing outsourcing. It basically depends on the higher management goals, investing capabilities of the company, the resources available along with the policies laid down by the company etc. The most important thing in outsourcing is both the buyer and outsourcer should work with mutual understanding and accept each other business policies and ideologies. More importance should be given to the performance and quality of the work that is being executed.

Are there any risk factors involved in outsourcing?

There are some risk factors involved in outsourcing some of them are listed below:

• Stabilities of the resources and infrastructure being used.
• Time difference factor
• Cultural Differences
• Political difference between the two countries
• Issues related to laws etc

What level of control I have on the project execution with the other outsourcing provider? Will I lose the control on project if I outsource it?

This will totally depend on the terms and conditions that are laid between outsourcing provider and buyer. As the project is been outsourced you will not have a total control on the project execution. More over for the proper execution of the project both the sides need to adopt flexible approach. So you will not lose the total control of the project that you outsource.

What care should be taken to avoid communications issues?

Systematic communication policy is most important part of outsourcing. Both the parties should make sure that every issue is taken care and solved properly. Each part of the project should be assigned to particular person only. For example Mr. Jones for reporting, Mr. Smith for technology related matters, Mr. Casey for administrative and financial purposes, etc. The Buyer should be in proper contact with the person of each department which is related to the outsourced project.

What things should be included in the outsourcing contracts?

Some of the important things to be include in the outsourcing contracts are:

• Agreement and terms for the project
• Warranty period of project
• Disclaimers
• Control Factors to be considered
• Minimum Service levels
• Compensation and Incentives, penalties and rewards for the project
• Responsibilities of risk
• Ownership of data and its confidentiality
• Guidelines of Performance measures
• Measures to be taken for Emergency and Crisis

The contract should be flexible so that both the parties are satisfied and business is profitable to each of them.

Will the Outsourcer bill me One-Time Charges?

That is totally negotiable with your outsourcer and the final contract you agree between yourselves. Most outsourcers have the flexibility to amortize certain one-time costs over the life of the contract. When this happens they normally build in early termination charges to the contract.

OUTSOURCERS

Why Do You Charge an Annual Membership Fee?

We charge a membership fee to ensure that we receive the right caliber of Outsourcing organizations. Our clients are a mix of small & medium business and multi billion dollar organizations and we must ensure that our buyers are introduced to the right outsourcing providers.

What is the difference between the various Membership Levels?

The only difference between the various membership levels is the dollar value estimated by the buyer. As an example if you register for the Bronze Membership you will only receive, and be able to bid on, projects up to a total contract value of $750,000, For Silver membership the total contract value is up to $2 million. Gold members receive all bids.

Are there any other fees?

Yes, the winning bidder on the project pays a commission charge based on the overall final bid price. This is paid immediately on notification of the project being awarded by the outsourcing provider in to Escrow. OutsourcerMarketplace takes 50% of this escrow amount immediately and the remaining 50% on completion of contract between the buyer and outsourcer.

Commission Charges:

What if we have been awarded the project, contracts cannot be agreed between the two parties and the project does not happen?

OutsourcerMarketplace will return any monies held in escrow to the Outsourcing provider.

Are any payments made on your site?

Other than the Outsourcers commission fee no payments are made on OutsourcerMarketplace.com. Once the project has been awarded to the winning Outsourcing provider contracts, legal notices, payments, etc. take place directly between the Outsourcer and buyer.

Who does the buyer contract with?

Once the project has been awarded to the winning Outsourcing provider; contracts, legal notices, payments, etc. take place directly between the Outsource provider and buyer.

What is the Outsourcer Directory?

When outsourcers become members of the site we encourage them to detail their background, services, offer them the ability to upload marketing material, company brochures, provide links to their website, etc. As our site will be heavily indexed and referenced by all the major search engines it provides another low cost marketing opportunity. Anyone browsing our site will be able to search the directory and view your information.

How Do I get notified of projects?

During registration you are asked to identify service categories in which you are experienced or wish to receive projects. When a new project is posted, and based on the project budget and your membership level, you will receive automatic notification via your registered email address. In addition we will send a weekly summary of new project in case you missed any.

Can I get project information sent to multiple email addresses?

If you wish multiple people in your organization to be notified of new projects we suggest you set up a general mailbox or distribution list locally and register the mailbox or distribution list email address as your primary address on the site. Remember people will be browsing the outsourcer directory and may contact you directly and we would suggest these go to a general mailbox or distribution list to ensure the correct people receive the alerts.

Are the projects confirmed once we get them from your site?

We don't sell project or customer contact information we just provide you with the genuine contact details of the service buyer who has posted their project on the site. After that you have to contact them and make a regular follow up with them. You winning the project totally depend on your skills, your price and your ability to fulfill the buyer's requirements etc.

The project fromUS buyer. How can I be sure that client wants an US company only, or he is willing to outsource work in other countries like India, China, Philippines etc?

Every time when the buyer submits a project they are asked for their preferred service location i.e. onshore, offshore or both. You will be notified of this in your alerts. If in doubt contact the buyer directly via the Private Message Board (PMB).

Are all projects genuine?

OutsourcerMarketplace reviews all project before and we do our upmost to ensure that all projects are valid, budgets are reasonable and timescales achievable. We take great care in validating the projects before they go live on our site. It should be noted however, that buyers post the project with the purpose to outsource the work, so they are under no compulsion to award the project unless all the requirements are satisfied by provider.

What is the role of OutsourcerMarketplace?

OutsourcerMarketplace works as a facilitator between the out Outsourcer and service buyer. Our role is to post genuine projects and make available the contact details to the interested service providers. As a service provider it's totally your responsibility to answer the buyer's requirements and convince them with your company proposal and competitive quotations.

How do we contact potential buyers?

Once alerted of a project you will need to register your intent to bid on the project, you may decide at a later date not to bid, but in order to receive the full information you must indicate your intention to bid. All communications with the buyer should be via the Private Message Board (PMB) until the final shortlist has been chosen. We encourage all our buyers to hold a question and answer session to answer any questions. We suggest these questions are asked via the PMB. Normally general updates and answers will be answered via the Global Message Board (GMB)

What is the shortlist?

We recommend to our buyers to review all bids and then shortlist the potential Outsourcers to a maximum of three providers. This will allow the buyer to review the shortlisted outsourcers bid in more detail, ask further questions, interview the outsourcer and make site visits for final presentations, etc. Once a shortlist has been selected Outsourcers receive full contact information for the buyer.

Does your site contain only Indian service providers?
We are aUS based organization, headquartered inNew Jersey, and have outsourcing providers registered from all parts of the globe.

What are the types of Credit Cards do you support?

On our site we accept all major Credit and Debits cards and PayPal.

When is the commission fee paid?

Once the project has been awarded to the winning bidder the commission fee is paid by the outsourcing provider in to Escrow. OutsourcerMarketplace takes 50% of this escrow amount immediately and the remaining 50% on completion of contract between the buyer and outsourcer.