Outsourcing has increased in popularity over the last decade as businesses expand and their needs become so narrow that local talent reservoir falls flat to close the loopholes. Moreover, with the surge of the startup ecosystem, outsourcing has brought an opportunity for business owners to uncover global tech talent at a fraction of the price to run their companies or amplify the existing capacity.
Outsourcing has come on stage to satisfy the growing needs of the tech industry and is now reshaping almost all sectors, including web development. In the years of 2000-2019, the global outsourcing industry generated more than 88 billion U.S. dollars in revenue. However, outsource web development is a try-and-see game, that is why we’ve come up with a comprehensive guide to help you navigate your way. Let’s get into it.
What Is Outsourcing?
Before we delve into the nuts and bolts of outsource web development, let’s define the essence of outsourcing.
IT outsourcing is the practice of selecting a third-party company to hand over non-core functions instead of doing it internally. This practice combines experienced tech specialists with a high level of profile support for software solutions. Outsource web development presupposes that the project owner farms out the web development process to a software vendor. The vendor supplies web developers, designers, and other specialists if needed.
What Are The Benefits of Outsource Web Development?
Although the answer usually depends on a specific business and its needs, below is a list of the top five benefits that one reaps when outsourcing web development.
Cost savings
Outsourcing tasks and whole projects allows companies to save on expenditures connected with hiring, onboarding, training, and housing internal developers. Besides, business owners don’t have to equip software specialists with supplies that are needed to deliver software development services.
Moreover, companies can save even more by handing over their functions to Western Europe where the cost of high-quality labor may differ by up to 80% compared to other popular destinations.
Access to new resources
Hiring a new team member often requires cost-consuming recruiting and training. When you outsource the tasks, the vendor provides a knowledgeable and experienced developer with domain expertise, that you wouldn’t afford to hire internally.
Focus on core business processes
Outsourcing also allows you to keep your attention on the most important functions of your business. When you allocate more time and money to running secondary activities, you have fewer resources to deliver core functions. Outsourcing alleviates the pressure on your resources so that you can zoom in where it matters the most.
Flexibility
Outsourcing provides flexibility to the customer as the company can ramp up and down their teams on-demand without overhiring. In the case of cyclical projects, business owners can bring in additional resources when they’re necessary.
Increased speed to market
A company’s current resources are usually dedicated to ongoing projects, meaning there probably isn’t much time for new endeavors. Outsource web development gives you a head start in the development process, thus resulting in effective and quick delivery. Also, vendors often provide ready-to-go-teams that dive into the development process right off the bat, which significantly accelerates speed to market as well.
Steps To Outsource Web Development Services
Set tangible business goals
There is no point in contacting an outsourcing vendor if you are not well aware of your business target.
Imagine the situation: you came to an interior design firm and requested to bring your vision to life without going into details. Just like a design firm, providers don’t use telekinesis to collect clear requirements and project goals.
Among the main points you should consider before contacting an outsourcing provider are:
- Sketching the overall vision of your web project
- Outline the main objectives, tasks, and requirements
- Run the numbers on the development budget
Plan for outsourcing
The best thing about this hiring option is that it is multi-faceted. It means that you can use outsource web development to fill a whole range of gaps from the talent deficit to overhiring. However, in order to fully leverage this business practice, you have to realize the problem outsourcing is going to address.
Find a reliable outsourcing partner
Once you’ve realized your weak points and future results, it is about time to look for a few outsourcing vendors. However, it can become quite a hassle to find a reliable tech partner with a nice portfolio and specific tech stacks. Make sure you take into consideration the following points:
- type of outsourcing (offshore, nearshore, onshore)
- outsourcing destination
- outsourcing model (dedicated team, outsourcing, IT staffing, or staff augmentation)
Sign an agreement with the chosen outsourcing company
Vendor agreements clearly set forth the provisions and conditions of the work and protect against potential liability. Additionally, you should provide clarity around confidential information by having an NDA signed. This way, you will ensure that your intangible assets that keep your business unique stay discrete.
Manage effective communication with the outsource team
Constant communication fuels any development process and guarantees that you’re on the same page with your workers. This will be equally beneficial for clear requirements, effective performance, and a healthy working atmosphere.
The Bottom Line
Outsourcing has become one of the viable and tried-and-tested models for profitable business operations. Outsource web development, in particular, allows you to hire the best-in-class web developers, reduce business costs, and get unmatched flexibility for your internal processes. Among other things, when done properly, this business practice allows you to leverage combined knowledge, apply a broader skill set, and add more power during peak periods.
Also read about: 5 Free Resources to Level Up As a Website Designer
