Challenges In Managing An Offshore Web Development Partner

The successful completion and delivery of an offshore web development project depends on many things. It is by no means an easy task and is something that can be quite challenging/intimidating to newbies or novices who have never don’t it before. The benefits of working with an offshore web development company in India or really any developing nation are many such as money that you can save, ability to scale up or down your team as per your business needs without any issues, HR/operational headaches that occur when you hire internally along with many more. The above benefits are just some of the reasons why so many individuals, small businesses and even large multi-national brands go the offshore web development route. However, it’s not all green pastures when you work with an offshore company, it can be quite challenging and below we will discuss some of the challenges that occur when working with, managing and hiring an offshore web company.

✓ Lack of Face Time – In this case, we are not referring to Facetime on an iPhone but rather the lack of face to face meetings that occur when you work with an offshore web development company. More than likely, the company you hire will be in a developing nation that is halfway across the world such as India, Ukraine, the Philippines to name a few and unless you fly out to work/meet with them, you will not have face to face meetings as you would when you work with a local web development partner. The comfort level that you get, your body language and overall feel you get will always be better when you meet face to face versus through email or telephone calls. To overcome this challenge or address it, you can have Skype video calls, use Google hangouts with the entire team that you are working with so that you are able to express your needs, concerns and overall project objectives. Ask to have a weekly or bi-weekly call with the whole team so you can feel comfortable and speak to all the people involved. Granted, it’s much better when you sit face to face with someone but by using some technology, you can pretty close to the same thing as a face to face meeting.

✓ Cultural Differences – The working culture, the attitude, the demeanor and many other things are much different when you work with an offshore web development company in India for example when compared to a web development partner in the US if that is your country for example. For example, the way business is done and the way people think are much different in a developing country versus a developed country. Granted, they will try their best to adapt to your needs but it can always be challenging to explain the local lingo or acronyms that you are used to as the offshore web development company you work will in most cases not really get what you mean. To overcome or address this challenge, don’t take anything for granted and make sure all directions, goals, deliverables and deadlines are completely transparent so that no matter who looks at them, there is no confusion at all with what you expect. The more clearer you are, the more transparent you are and the better you communicate your goals, the easier it will be for all parties involved. Don’t take anything for granted and it will really minimize many of the most common issues that occur.

✓ Time Difference – Another challenge that many people face when working with an offshore web development company is the time difference. For example, if you are a company in the US and are working with an offshore company in India, there is a significant time zone difference. To overcome this, schedule meetings early in the day or late as possible so you are able to minimize the time difference challenge. In addition, ask to see whether the offshore web development company you are working with can adjust the timings of the employees that are working on your project. You would be surprised in some cases how flexible a company can be only if you ask! Lastly, use the time difference to your advantage so that while you are sleeping, work is getting done which means things can delivered more efficiently in many cases. With some planning, this challenge can actually turn into an advantage for your company and development project.

Summary
Working with an offshore web development company can be quite challenging if you don’t know what you are doing. However, by setting clear goals and objectives, it can be a very rewarding experience as you can really save time, money and other headaches that happen when you hire internally such as HR/operational expenditures. Due diligence, reference checks and speaking to the offshore company you are looking to work with will make a huge difference in your project. By selecting an experienced and capable offshore partner, it will really make all the difference so take your time and choose wisely. If you are looking for a reliable, experienced, reputable and trusted offshore web development company that knows what they are doing, please feel free to reach out to the team at Mind Digital for any of your web development or digital marketing needs you have.