More countries are leveraging the benefits of outsourcing web development, which is not surprising. According to Statista, the value of the global IT outsourcing market can exceed $413 billion by the end of 2021. Compared to its $92.8 billion market value in 2019, the outsourcing market has increased by more than four times its value.
Another market where offshore outsourcing is being seriously harnessed is the MarTech services. And the reason is simple: more and more companies worldwide are increasingly looking to outsource jobs to third parties, mainly to save costs and make their companies more efficient and effective by streamlining.Â
In this era, the demand for offshore web development is rising as many top companies and startups find it cost-effective. For example, a web developer living in countries like India and the Philippines is likely to charge less per hour because these countries are relatively cheaper to live in. However, outsourcing web development jobs needs to be managed appropriately to ensure smooth running.
Challenges of Collaborating with an Offshore Web Development Team
There are a few challenges employers encounter when working with offshore web development teams. They include but are not limited to:
- Time Zone Difference
One of the biggest problems of outsourcing web development jobs is the timezone. India is one of the best and top choices for companies who want low costs and excellent results. But the time difference between India and the western world is between eight to sixteen hours. This might create a problem in communication as employers will always have to schedule video conferences and job briefs very early in the morning or just at the start of the day’s work.
- Language Difficulty
A barrier in the language is another issue employers face when outsourcing web development jobs. As an employer, you have to speak very slowly and clearly when giving the job details. You also have to focus on passing your message across rather than using complex and hard-to-understand phrases.
- Standard of Quality
There are tens of thousands of offshore web development teams in Asia alone. Finding the right one that will meet your expectations can be very challenging. When outsourcing offshore web development jobs, research must be done extensively.
Once you can deal with the challenges mentioned above, working with and managing offshore teams will be easy for you.
Tips to Effectively Manage Offshore Development Teams
To enhance workflow and communication with your offshore web development team, you need to know how to manage them effectively. Here are some tips that work.
- Communicate Frequently
Communication is vital when managing offshore teams. While language barriers can make communication difficult, finding a way to communicate with your offshore teams will determine the working performance.
Use recommended software like Skype, Zoom, and Gmail for clear communication. Using these apps will provide your offshore team with the opportunity to seek clarity where you were not clear. Using these mediums will also allow you to track your offshore team’s progress when working on a project.
- Always have a Scope of Work
Scope of work is simply a database where a project that needs to be done is described. Scope of work contains milestones to be reached when to make a report, when to deliver and when the project will end. Having a scope of work is essential for managing offshore development teams. The team you are working with will know what the project entails and the deadline attached to the project.
Milestones make the work more structured and less overwhelming. After every milestone is reached, the team will meet to discuss the previous milestone before proceeding.
- Concentrate on Improving Working Conditions
To build a solid offshore web development team, you have to improve their working conditions. Provide your team with training, reasonable charges, professional growth, etc. A motivated team will always give their best when working. Also, build a healthy working relationship with them throughout the duration and beyond to ensure a smooth partnership.
- Always Give Full Product Vision
Do not mistake giving your offshore web development team a project without sharing the full vision of the product. This is an error that most companies make because they probably don’t want to divulge too much information due to knowledge theft.
You can sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) with your offshore web development team to protect your work. Always give your developers the details and the project’s goal to make intelligent choices when working on the project.
- Give Feedback Instantly
If any problem is encountered during the project or you are not satisfied with the result, you don’t need to lay off or cut all ties with your offshore web development team. Instead, give instant feedback on any part of the job you are unsatisfied with and leave room for improvement.
You don’t need to wait until the mistakes accumulate before exploding in anger. This will destroy or lead to irreparable damage to the relationship between you and your offshore team.
- Trust Your Team
Lastly, trust is a critical factor when working with an offshore web development team. The relationship between you and your team is more of a partnership than an “employer-employee” relationship. After you have made the rules guiding the project clear and seamless communication has been established, you also need to trust your team. There is no point in working with a team if you cannot trust them.
Working with offshore development teams can be difficult, but you will do very well in managing offshore development teams if you apply the above tips. Outsourcing work to the right source will not only make your business scale faster but will also help you to save costs. Currently, India is the best country to outsource IT and web development work as they are relatively cheap and give the optimal result. Moreover, they now hold about 44% of the market value.
Final Thoughts
Amura Marketing Technologies is a leading offshore web development company. They are experts at handling all aspects of offshore website design, including branding and outsourcing web development. Amura can help you create a strategy that will scale your business by outsourcing your work to India. Contact them today for the best offshore web development services.