Be sure to fully vet a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) or Offshoring firm by asking questions about cost savings, businesses they’ve worked with like yours before, and their workflows.
Key takeaways:
It’s crucial to vet a potential BPO company before hiring them.
Ask the right questions to ensure a good working relationship.
Make sure the company will protect your data.
Find out the contract and financial terms.
Be sure to understand how the BPO company recruits talent and optimizes worker performance.
Calculate the cost savings.
Ask how the company will service your account over the long term.
If you’re thinking about outsourcing business processes, a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) company can help you achieve your goals. But, before you hire a BPO company, make sure you ask the right questions to ensure a good working relationship. Conducting your due diligence before signing a contract can help you prevent misunderstandings and conflicts down the road. You should align on goals and values with the BPO company you hire.
Here are some questions to ask to help determine if a BPO company will be a good fit.
1. Will my data be safe?
An outsourcing company should have measures in place to protect your business data while also making specific information accessible to relevant third parties. What steps will the BPO company take to protect your private information? What technologies do they use to ensure a collaborative yet protected work environment? Do they provide monitor security ongoing?
2. What are the contract terms?
It’s important to make sure the contract terms are fair and reasonable. Most contracts are written to protect the firm however some do their best to ensure there is accountability on both sides. Some points to consider are:
What is the length of the contract?
Are there any minimums to be aware of?
Is there a way to opt out, buy out, or cancel the contract?
3. What are the financial terms?
Outsourcing and offshoring can help businesses with their bottom line, but of course, there are still fees involved. It’s important to understand how much you’ll be paying for outsourcing/offshoring services and when payments are due. These terms should be outlined ahead of time and included in the contract.
4. What is your outsourcing or offshoring process?
A BPO company can easily explain its outsourcing and/or offshoring process. Look for a company with a proven track record of finding the right talent, tracking efficiency, and delivering cost-effective results. More than hiring processes, the BPO firm should share how they determine who the right candidates are and how they’re hired, onboarded, developed, and retained.
5. How do you recruit talent and optimize worker performance?
You’ll want to know about the recruiting practices of a BPO company. Do they conduct background checks? Do they assess skill sets through testing or other methods? Are workers fairly compensated? Do they have sufficient benefits? What are their work conditions like? Aside from recruiting, it’s also a good idea to ask about performance optimization. For example, does the BPO company track workers’ time? What technology tools do they use to streamline workflow?
6. What are the cost savings?
Outsourcing can be a way for a business to save money. A good company will present you with a transparent cost breakdown. The cost breakdown should allow you to determine how much you could save through outsourcing specific projects and processes.
7. How will you service my account going forward?
Once the initial set-up is complete, you’ll still have ongoing outsourcing needs. Find out how a BPO company will service your account over the long term. Will they have a team of experts or just one contact person? How will requests be communicated and how quickly will you receive a response? You’ll want to feel confident in the company’s ability to meet your needs.
Asking the right questions before hiring a BPO company is an essential step in forming a beneficial long-term partnership. A good company will have a streamlined outsourcing and/or offshoring process, as well as proven optimization methods. They should take the time to understand your needs and develop a thorough plan to address them.
If you’re interested in learning more about how you can grow your business and profits through business process outsourcing, the team at DOXA can help. Contact us today to find out how we can help you achieve your goals and reduce your costs.
