Yeah, it´s better a dedicated team, but it´s also expensive.
When you are starting you just keep the cost low or you lose money.
How do you feel about outsourcing?
- Thread starter HostingKing
- Start date
Yeah, it´s better a dedicated team, but it´s also expensive.
When you are starting you just keep the cost low or you lose money.
I also prefer freelancers or hired employees rather then outsourcing, the work produced in terms of support replies and professionalism is much greater then outsourced companies who aim to answer most tickets with may be not so useful replies which will give your company a bad look
GCSolutions
New member
Outsourcing is OK. one just needs to be careful like anything else in what company you to chose to work with. We outsource our support desk just for non-business hours.
Alex - A2 Hosting
Active member
Who do you outsource to? How do they work for you? & What services do you outsource (just tickets or + phone / live chat?)
GCSolutions
New member
We just outsource support tickets via our support center.
Most businesses are looking for a balance between outstanding customer service and cost. Outsourcing support seems convenient and cost effective. But you also have to bear risk because they are not familiar with your products. And losses caused by this usually can't be estimated. Instead, with your own support team, customer' questions can be solved in a professional way.
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serveradmins
New member
You get what you pay for either way. If its just email and ticket support some overseas ones will be ok. Otherwise if phone support maybe not.
Alot will depend on the services you offer and what access you are prepared to give the company.
As we use a customised apache stack with NGINX and Varnish reverse proxies infront of apache, should something go wrong I wouldn't want a non employee poking around in the code, but they could perform minor changes in CPanel or DirectAdmin.
We don't outsource ourselves, as the control on quality is difficult enough without exposing yourselves to untold numbers of untrained staff, who don't know our equipment, offers or procedures.
As we use a customised apache stack with NGINX and Varnish reverse proxies infront of apache, should something go wrong I wouldn't want a non employee poking around in the code, but they could perform minor changes in CPanel or DirectAdmin.
We don't outsource ourselves, as the control on quality is difficult enough without exposing yourselves to untold numbers of untrained staff, who don't know our equipment, offers or procedures.
Irene Rogers
New member
There is a nice way to reduce your costs and still provide quality service by hiring an employee overseas. This is probably not outsourcing per se, but something very close to it.
What is good about it:
1. You reduce your costs, since you need to pay less to a person from a developing country.
2. You can still pay more than most of their local companies could offer, so the employee will be happy and motivated to work very hard to keep this job.
3. It will be your own employee, so you keep full control.
Possible problems:
1. Complex labor legislation in some countries.
While some developing countries give you an easy and perfectly legal way of working with an employee through a contract without officially hiring him/her and without paying enormous taxes, you still need to spend time studying their laws.
2. Training.
You will need to do everything remotely. Though communication is not a problem with all the technology we have (phone, e-mail, skype, social networks, specialized conference software), it may not fit your corporate culture or may be just too novel.
These problems may be too big for small companies today, but as technology (and society) goes forward, employers and employees in different countries have more and more freedom when working and communicating with each other.
What is good about it:
1. You reduce your costs, since you need to pay less to a person from a developing country.
2. You can still pay more than most of their local companies could offer, so the employee will be happy and motivated to work very hard to keep this job.
3. It will be your own employee, so you keep full control.
Possible problems:
1. Complex labor legislation in some countries.
While some developing countries give you an easy and perfectly legal way of working with an employee through a contract without officially hiring him/her and without paying enormous taxes, you still need to spend time studying their laws.
2. Training.
You will need to do everything remotely. Though communication is not a problem with all the technology we have (phone, e-mail, skype, social networks, specialized conference software), it may not fit your corporate culture or may be just too novel.
These problems may be too big for small companies today, but as technology (and society) goes forward, employers and employees in different countries have more and more freedom when working and communicating with each other.
WizzSolutions
New member
As long as you are confident in the person you outsource and capable of having certain amount of control towards his work, That's many times can be a good deal for a company.
I won't name names, but we cover some other hosting companies and vice versa if they/we have staff shortages or emergencies.
It keeps down costs and all parties know they are getting quality.
Thats the issue I would have. No matter how good your website says you are, quality is unknown until you have experienced it.
It keeps down costs and all parties know they are getting quality.
Thats the issue I would have. No matter how good your website says you are, quality is unknown until you have experienced it.
Shine Servers
Member
Outsource is good even it's good to hire professionals for your work but beware using unprofessional companies.
I personally am not against outsourcing for certain work, I agree it can be very efficient for a business. Niether my first hosting company or my current one have outsourced yet, but I have worked with my outsoruced employees in the past.
Just like normal employees they can be great or they may be inefficient. Certain tasks such as support emails/chats/phone they're beneficial for but it's conveniant to use outsourcing near your target audience at times.
Personal preference in the end, I know many freak out when they deal with anyone outside of their country and I know many who don't mind it at all. I personally am okay with outsourcing but currently I only utilize employees within the same country.
Just like normal employees they can be great or they may be inefficient. Certain tasks such as support emails/chats/phone they're beneficial for but it's conveniant to use outsourcing near your target audience at times.
Personal preference in the end, I know many freak out when they deal with anyone outside of their country and I know many who don't mind it at all. I personally am okay with outsourcing but currently I only utilize employees within the same country.
rfwilliams777
Account Disabled
I have subcontractors that I hand-picked and that works well for me and is cheaper with regards to IRS (yes, I do declare them). But I do not believe in outsourcing or mostly offshoring. You lose your credibility for a caring company to one that only wants to make money and doesn't care about the quality of service.
Outsourcing isn't inherently evil, but it can be a dirty word just because some people don't like it. It can also be a bad thing when you're outsourcing at the expensive of providing quality support. Many outsourced support companies provide awesome service.
One thing I've seen done by some hosting companies is to do a hybrid. They disliked the quality of English spoken by the outsourced support and felt as though the language barrier was affecting service. On the other hand, the ticket load meant hiring a lot more American techs, which would be expensive. Instead, they kept a basic shift of American techs whose sole job it was to manage the outsourced support and type the answers in native English. A hybrid model like this gets the best of both worlds.
One thing I've seen done by some hosting companies is to do a hybrid. They disliked the quality of English spoken by the outsourced support and felt as though the language barrier was affecting service. On the other hand, the ticket load meant hiring a lot more American techs, which would be expensive. Instead, they kept a basic shift of American techs whose sole job it was to manage the outsourced support and type the answers in native English. A hybrid model like this gets the best of both worlds.
hostinghouston
New member
It really depends on the situation and your target audience (as said lots of times before)!
For me, I will not outsource. Since I specialize in services in a specific geographical area and customized solutions, it would not really work. I need to train staff to deal with inquiries and to handle support based on the client.
For example, I have a client who runs a massive Forex trading system. Not many outsourcing companies would be able to help if something goes wrong here.
I also have a client how specializes in VoIP and PBX systems for businesses. Again, not an area where they would be able to help.
So yes, for sure they can be useful, but no, not for me.
For me, I will not outsource. Since I specialize in services in a specific geographical area and customized solutions, it would not really work. I need to train staff to deal with inquiries and to handle support based on the client.
For example, I have a client who runs a massive Forex trading system. Not many outsourcing companies would be able to help if something goes wrong here.
I also have a client how specializes in VoIP and PBX systems for businesses. Again, not an area where they would be able to help.
So yes, for sure they can be useful, but no, not for me.