Outsourcing is a phase that most small business owners eventually face. If you’re in the position to ask yourself whether to outsource or not, congratulations! It’s a natural part of a company’s growth. For the business to expand, one might need personnel with more varied expertise, or simply more personnel to handle a greater volume of work.
Few big companies are strangers to outsourcing. The biggest, household names like Facebook and Google have done it. Amazon, for instance, saves itself time and space on inventory by allowing outside vendors to sell through their website.
Though an incredibly common practice among successful companies, the risks that come with outsourcing make business owners shudder. Consider working with a trusted IT firm for your first venture into outsourcing. They understand the growing pains associated with this practice and are eager to help. Plavno is a firm that provides a wide range of IT solutions via outsourcing. Such companies offer more security and protection than freelancers, and are the safest options to foster healthy growth within your company. By setting the right expectations and doing your homework, outsourcing IT can bring incredible change to your business.
What is outsourcing and who does it?
Outsourcing is what businesses do when they wish to expand but their current staff lacks the know-how to make those expansions a reality. It’s especially common in online businesses that require assistance in IT development.
One way of bringing your vision of growth to fruition is by adding people with these abilities to your team. By hiring new employees, you can bring fresh perspectives and skill sets to your company. However, doing so also adds more names to your payroll. You have to consider whether the workload justifies hiring more people.
If your project doesn’t require a new, in-house developer, consider outsourcing! Onboarding a new employee can run you thousands in logistical costs such as processing paperwork, paying benefits, and providing workspaces. That’s not to mention their subsequent salaries. Outsourcing is almost always cheaper than hiring since you simply pay for the service and it can usually be done remotely. You can hire an expert’s services without committing to hiring new workers onboard.
What’s more, you can have access to people who are experts in their line of work. There are firms of such experts already vetted by their own management system, so you don’t have to sift through thousands of freelancers with no reviews.
Plavno is an outsourcing firm that does just this. They have an entire team whose knowledge covers app development, web development, software development, and more. When you hire Plavno, you don’t just get an IT guy– you get a whole team.
Your favorite companies outsource, too
Many of the world’s most successful companies experienced exponential growth thanks to outsourcing development. As previously mentioned, Amazon outsources by giving third-party sellers a slice of the action. Tech startups, moreover, are a goldmine for outsourcing success stories!
Wise, now a popular worldwide money transfer company, utilizes a remote staff of Ukrainian and Estonian developers and recently went public, valued at $11 billion.
Popular photo social media site Snapchat started outsourcing to programmers and other aspects of its organization and grew from a $58 million business to $404 million in the span of just one year.
Skype has one of the greatest outsourcing victories. The calling and messenger application outsourced development to Estonia, later sold for $8.5 billion, and still maintains over 300 million active users and one billion downloads worldwide.
Why you’re afraid of outsourcing- How to do it right
We get it. Hiring an outsider to assist your company for the first time can be an uncomfortable situation shrouded in uncertainty. Getting top-quality work and expertise simply sounds too good to be true! There are certain pitfalls that businesses can encounter when tackling the outsourcing question. However, most of these stem from poor outsourcing decisions and can easily be avoided with a bit of diligence.
“Nightmare” outsourcing stories
Outsourcing isn’t a make-or-break risk that can ruin your business. However, things can go sour if you make some beginner mistakes with outsourcing. Sure, there are real risks associated with almost any collaboration with outside firms or individuals.
Data security leaks
It’s becoming easier for sensitive data of companies and customers to fall into the wrong hands. Outsourcing to the wrong people can lead to major leaks. In fact, 63% of data breaches stem from poor outsourcing choices. This leads to a loss in sales, but moreover a loss in trust in your company that can prove impossible to repair.
You should never let your guard down when deciding who to share sensitive data with. Plavno is a trusted name in this respect– the IT experts representing them are full-time employees and the company takes full responsibility for them. Managers rigorously vet every new employee at the company, and they’re always willing to sign NDAs to put the client’s mind at ease.
Sub-par output
It’s often listed as the top outsourcing risk. Sometimes, the outsourced work simply isn’t up to your company’s standards. Several issues can cause this, the first being incompetence or a lack of experience on the part of the individual you outsource to. Is that their fault? It usually comes from a business owner’s desire to cut costs, which proves detrimental to the service’s quality.
Business owners can avoid damage by conducting some risk assessment from the beginning. First, remember that you’re outsourcing to expand your business, not cut costs. Don’t simply look at the price tag. Take the cheapest option, and you’re sure to be disappointed!
Second, find reviews of prospective clients and ask them for previous examples of work. Plavno proudly shows off their past work! When scheduling a consultation, ask for examples of previous related projects and they’ll happily oblige.
No control over remote workers
You might worry about giving power over your company to outside help. You can’t watch over them as closely as regular employees, and you may never meet them face-to-face. The lack of visibility over your own business is probably nothing worth worrying about, but it can make you feel vulnerable.
Plavno is dedicated to putting your outsourcing fears to rest. They approach each project according to SAFe methodologies. Transparency is key here, so clients will see every stage of development.
Ease into the world of outsourcing with Plavno
Plavno is a trusted name in IT outsourcing. They pride themselves on their ability to find solutions for any client, big or small. The company’s team is comprised of a full-time staff of experts from all across the IT sector. These are seasoned professionals who passed rigorous assessments and have years of experience and references to show for it. Whatever IT solution ails you, simply contact Plavno and they’ll have the answer for you within 24 hours of the first contact.
Considering outsourcing? Look for these three things in any potential outsourcing client: reputation, transparency, and expertise. IT companies are just a google search away. Look them up and see what previous clients have to say about them. Moreover, find their official channels and learn as much about them as you can. Don’t be afraid to contact them and ask questions– they don’t bite! Finally, expertise is everything. You need to make sure a company has the know-how to find a solution that works for your company. Any potential outsourcing partner worth your consideration will have a portfolio of past projects that you can see.
You get all of the above when partnering with Plavno. The company has an impressive list of satisfied, high-profile clients whose ranks include Amazon, Mercedes-Benz, and many more.
Plavno provides solutions for companies in nearly every scenario imaginable. The company offers a variety of services; you can outstaff a single developer (have a highly skilled IT expert join your team) within 24 hours, or outsource a software development project for Web3, FinTech, eCommerce… the list goes on and on. Every situation is unique but no matter what you need, Plavno has a top-notch team on standby ready to help you find a solution. Visit www.plavno.io to learn more and contact the company for a consultation.
