Think of the word “partnership”. What makes it stand out from other relationships out there? Partners have mutual interests, common goals, and more importantly, shared success. The victory of one is also the victory of the other. If one profits, the other also gains. If one fails, the other also loses. That’s how it is when you work with a BPO provider. A partnership.
Some business leaders think that by hiring a Business Process Outsourcing company, you will have that service off of your plate. While working with a BPO makes your life easier, engaging the services of a BPO provider is not a set-and-forget deal. Your work as a ‘partner’ begins even before you sign the contract. It starts the moment you make a decision to work with the BPO provider you’ve chosen.
Here are the top tips on how to manage your BPO provider:
Understand Your BPO Contract
Before validating the contract with your signature, understand EVERYTHING written on those pages.
Surely, there must have been discussions prior to the final draft, but still, you should go over all points and stipulations first before signing. By doing so, both parties know what’s expected from each other right from the start and a smooth relationship flow is likely to follow.
Prepare Your In-House Team to Work with the BPO
Outsourcing will have an impact on your day-to-day operations and most especially, to your in-house team. As a business leader, the decision to outsource is yours. But, you will not be the only one working with your outsourced team once it’s up and running. Your in-house team will also have to make room and adjust to the new system.
Outsourcing will bring a positive change to your business. However, it is still change. So, work with your in-house people and make sure they’ll also embrace the change as you do and handle objections up front.
Communicate Regulary
As in every partnership, it’s success depends upon regular and two-way communication. Keep the communication channels between you and your outsourcing provider open. Be upfront about the challenges you encounter and issues you foresee, providing real time feedback along the way. Listen to their input and always strive for win-win solutions.
In addition, schedule meetings to touch base and chat about how things are going. Aside from helping you stay updated on what’s happening, regular catch ups will boost your working relationship with your BPO provider.
Let Your BPO Provider Do Their Job
Sometimes, situations may arise and you’d like it handled your way. And that’s alright. Everyone wants to do the best for everybody. However, there are cases where you’ll need to step back and let your BPO provider perform the service you hired them to do.
For instance, a member of your outsourced team needs to be performance managed. It’s important to remember that the team member is employed by your BPO, not by you. The best course of action is to sit back and let their leadership set their performance management protocols in motion.
Know when to let your BPO provider take the lead when dealing with internal issues. Just like you, they have rules and policies within their business to follow. They are the experts in their field, while you are the expert of your business. Together, you can create a lasting and productive relationship.
With Straightsource, you’ll have a partner you can trust. Contact us to get started.
