5 traits of a reliable IT outsourcing service provider

Vlad DeRamos

The global IT outsourcing industry has seen developments and increases in their numbers during the second quarter and first half of 2015, according to the Information Services Group (ISG) Index—a leading technology insights, market intelligence and advisory services company.

This growth comes from the persistence among buyers in negotiating deals that come at much lower costs, as well as avoidance from being restricted to long-term contracts.

Furthermore, concentration on revenue-generating activities would overpower the cost management aspect and the capability of your trusted IT outsourcing provider to generate results from the modern services (eg cloud, automation, digital).

I am listing below 5 traits that your outsourcing service provider should have.

Tailored solutions: Of course, you would want your outsourcing service provider be able to address your concerns by providing efficient and results-driven solutions.

These solutions should be tailored to your concerns, should consider other factors and challenges included in the issue, and the steps to be executed are appropriate in meeting desired solutions, among others.

If the outsourcing provider omits any of these things, then choosing them might just be your biggest business mistake.

Problem management: The manner with which your outsourcing provider handles problems and deals with your requests is something to evaluate too, as this will define how well they are efficient in the business landscape and how your professional relationship would go as well.

An ideal outsourcing provider must be progressive, responsive, and can handle pressure despite the business’ demands.

Data security: As mentioned, confidentiality is crucial in outsourcing. Hence, your chosen provider must be able to protect all information shared through certain processes such as having records that can only be accessed by the company and the outsourcer.

The business, on the other hand, should take measures to know if their data are well-kept to avoid hacking or any other inopportuneness that would affect the company.

Tools knowhow: Most businesses outsource their needs due to varying reasons, and one could be because of their knowledge and expertise in using the newest tools and technological systems.

While this can be highly beneficial, it is important to know the specific tools and systems they’ll be using and integrating into your business. Its costs, processes, and significance, to name a few should be identified as a means of protecting your business’ valuable information too.

Supplementary services: Aside from the services that outsourcers offer, it’s also advantageous if they have further services that would contribute to your company’s growth.

Are they capable of providing your business greater access to the newest industry trends? What steps can they take to earn your business an advantage in the marketplace?

Essentially, services that can give you more results are things that should be taken into consideration too.

While these are just 5 of the must-have traits of an outsourcing service provider, these shouldn’t be taken lightly, as choosing the wrong outsourcer can result in massive problems.

Bear in mind that thorough evaluation and meticulously scrutinizing potential providers, although may be time-consuming, plays a significant role in your decision-making.

The article is authored by Vlad de Ramos, a certified information security professional, a certified ethical hacker and forensics investigator and a certified information systems auditor