2012 may be a rocky year for IT with financial and budgetary constraints looming large. IT vendors are getting ready to cut back on their on-site staff who help manage and operate day-to-day functions for your projects. (Reasons range from pressures on profit margins to visa issues.) But should that put a halt to your outsourcing processes? Not necessarily. But before your IT vendor starts his ‘right-sizing’, you need to follow these proactive tips to ensure your output and productivity is not affected.
REVIEW YOUR PROCESSES
Look at your work model, and see if it can be improved upon. Review the essential roles, the ones you cannot do without for seamless on-site functioning, and fill them up with the right (permanent) staff. The smaller stuff, which may not require intense scrutiny, can be left to contract workers, who can handle the short-term gaps.
GEAR UP FOR CHANGE
Start talking to your vendor to understand his plans for his IT staff in your company. Keep the entire team in the loop and brace them for the changes that lie ahead. Put in place a change management plan to address inquiries from customers, and potential adjustments in the delivery model. Communication and transparency is key.
RAMP UP ON-SITE TECHNOLOGY
As your IT service providers cut back on site staff, you will need to look at alternative methods to communicate and keep the business process going, like video conferencing and other high-end digital solutions. Make sure that both you and your service provider are equipped with the right tools and infrastructure to meet these demands.
It is your responsibility to make sure your IT vendor/partner is covering all bases as far as deliverables and productivity is concerned. In fact, by being proactive, you may end up with the same level of productivity, at a lesser operational cost!
At Suyati Technologies, our aim is to extend your IT team profitably. We are more focused on getting your work done through the right mix of experience and expertise and less concerned about our headcount, whether it is on-site or off-site. Our world-class infrastructure (conference rooms with video conferencing facilities) connects our team with yours, seamlessly and without interruptions. Interested in talking to us about outsourcing? We are waiting…
Sources
http://www.cio.com/article/698063/5_Tips_to_Keep_IT_Outsourcing_on_Track_as_Global_Providers_Cut_Staff?page=1&taxonomyId=3195
http://www.microsourcing.com/blog/outsourcing-tips-to-keep-it-projects-moving.asp
http://www.computerworlduk.com/how-to/outsourcing/3330249/how-keep-it-projects-moving-as-providers-cut-on-site-staff/
