With seven in ten businesses in the UK outsourcing some business functions to third parties, it’s important to discuss how communication between the business and their offshore workforce can be made more effective.
This is even more crucial for companies outsourcing their IT support or software development function, which according to YouGov, is the most outsourced business function in the UK. In fact, the application outsourcing market is projected to reach $109bn this year.
Some common reasons for working with offshore development teams for UK businesses include access to skilled labour, better results, higher efficiency, and affordability. However, a crucial aspect of this partnership being a fruitful one is communication.
Here are some tips that businesses in the UK can follow for effective and streamlined communication with their offshore development teams:
1. Setting Clear Rules
Defining the rules clearly is crucial to effective and streamlined communication. The business and the offshore development team should have a clear agreement and a properly defined framework that describes how their cooperation will function on a day-to-day basis.
This should include defined means of communication, use of progress tracking tools, rules pertaining to invoicing and work management, and designated contact persons.
Offshore outsourcing poses certain challenges, such as cultural differences, which can make communication difficult. However, with a clear set of rules, the two parties can communicate effectively.
2. Ensuring Seamless Communication
Seamless communication requires the use of proper communication tools as well as setting rules regarding contact persons, availability, and expected response times. It can be very frustrating when the client is left waiting for a response as it can significantly hinder progress.
The two parties should also agree on set deadlines, regularly scheduled meetings between the relevant staff, as well as frequent updates for the higher-ups to keep track of the project progress.
3. Trust, Responsibility, and Reliability
Apart from setting clear rules and ensuring means of seamless communications, the two parties also need to build a relationship of trust as well as decide responsibilities for all members involved to ensure maximum reliability.
It’s important for businesses in the UK to treat their offshore development teams as an extension of their own operation. Strong communication is based upon trust and reliability, but it’s also important that all stakeholders take responsibility for their respective tasks.
Regular updates and positive feedback are key to building a solid relationship which in turn improves the communication process.
4. Transfer of Knowledge
Lack of knowledge sharing can have a negative impact on the team’s productivity. Your in-house team and remote development team should be on the same page when it comes to processes, tasks, and workflows.
Effective communication also requires a smooth, efficient, and timely transfer of knowledge through technical documentation, spreadsheets, presentations, and how-to guides. It’s important for you to support your offshore development team to get the best out of them.
Hire Offshore Software Development Services with Satya Infotech
At Satya Infotech, we help UK businesses connect with offshore software developers to help them achieve cost-effective, reliable, and expert IT solutions and meet their digital transformation goals.
We offer the best offshore development services and IT offshore services to clients from various industries in the UK. Contact us at +447876655432 or drop an email to learn more about us. Request a personalised assessment for your business to get started.
