Preparation

Here are key preparation steps and considerations:

1. Prepare Team: With outsourcing team need to be mentally prepared about the mutual benefits of the plan and how it should not be considered as a threat
2. Communication: Working with colleague is different when teams are geographical distanced. Teams need to be orientated towards more and different communication methods. They need to be coached in “more is less when it comes to communication”. The working method and communication method also needs to be adapted. Additional methods of communications are added like:
• Chat: MSN or Skype
• E-mails
• Telephony
3. Visibility: When a person is sitting next to us there is visibility and comfort level on progress being made. With the distance, accessibility to information is critical:
• Scanning required hardcopy/papers documents
• The documents must be in the correct folders in the used system
• For existing customers the documents of last year must be accessible
4. Local Contact: There must be a contact within the organization which can assist the team in India on questions, feedback etc. In the pilot stage the need for this is high and becomes less over time.
5. Infrastructure: Software must be available in English on the servers of customer
6. Security: Login from India must be well regulated.