Offshore outsourcing continues to play an increasing and large role in IT strategies for all types of business. However, the concept of having an overseas team has continued to evolve to the point that, in many cases, Overseas and local team feel part of the same team and contiguous.

The typical stereotype that people associate with an offshore relationship is one of odd hours and remote teams that work and correspond when you are asleep. However, this concept has continued to evolve, with technology and ease of travel being the leading factors.

Let’s take a look at a few ways that the more traditional offshore outsourced relationship has evolved.

Your Outsourced Resources May Be Closer than You Think

Wouldn’t it be great to have the opportunity to meet your outsourced team member(s) without having to jump on a plane? It isn’t uncommon for dedicated offshore staff to make trips to the US, they are no longer a name on an email but a core part of the IT team. Once you have met a person face-to-face it is easier to communicate and work together to achieve your project’s goals.

With Technology They Might As Well Be in the Office Next Door

 
Years ago, communicating with your outsourced engineers was much more challenging Today, there are a variety of tools that make you feel like your outsourced team is sitting in the office next door. You can immediately video conference with them using Skype, GoToMeeting, or any other number of solutions for instant communication. In addition, Dropbox, Google Drive and other file sharing networks make it simple to share documents. Also, enterprise social networks like Slack, Jive, and Atlassian bring it all together with live chat and collaboration solutions.

There are no barriers within work teams anymore as communication is done at any time, on any device, while working anywhere in the world.

There is No Dropoff in the Quality of Work

 
Last, but certainly not least, it is imperative to address the fact that offshore IT engineers exhibit the same quality of work as their American counterparts, if you work with a quality IT vendor/partner. The level of scientific education is prevalent in many parts of the world, in addition to standard IT best practices making quality consistent globally.

The best fit offshore teams are also highly engaged in projects and tasks with the vast majority looking for creative ways to improve their product by contributing new and innovative ideas. Mindsets such as these tend to fly in the face of the traditional perception of an outsourced relationship.

The world has become a much smaller place, and the traditional offshore IT relationship is much more integrated than it has been in the past, it is a natural extension of your local team. When you factor in the cost savings, in addition to access to a variety of specialized resources, it becomes obvious why so many companies, large and small alike, are making offshore outsourcing an essential and permanent part of their current and future plans.