Welcome to Outsourcing Readiness

Welcome to the Outsourcing Readiness Blog.

In the same way that the telephone became a necessity in business in the 1950s and 1960s, outsourcing is now a necessity. The question is not "Are you outsourcing?". Instead, it is, "How well do you use outsourcing to remain globally competitive?".

If you own or manage a business, non-profit, or government organization, you already know how hard it is to find and retain good people. A really good illustration of how the world is changing can be found on the following YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9Wu2kWwSY

What I found particularly relevant was about a minute into the video. It talks about how today's learner (18 years old) will have 10-14 jobs by their 38th birthday, and 1 in 4 workers have been with their current employer for less than one year. This is a clear indication of what we are facing in world today.

Also, the way people look for and use information is changing at blinding speeds. This means that you have more and more ways to reach your target market. You also have more and more competitors coming at you from all over the globe.

Do you have the time and knowledge to keep up? I do this for a living and it is really difficult to stay abreast of the changes.


In terms of day-to-day operations, are you aware of what others in your market are doing?

From Delta Airlines and the IRS to your local accountant, organizations are increasingly outsourcing their finance and accounting functions. Compare an American bookkeeper who charges $10-$15/hour to a team of bookkeepers in India or Hungary that charge $5. You get the same quality of work and instead of depending on one person, you have an entire team.

Not only that, if you choose the right vendor, this bookkeeping work can turn into financial analysis, annual report preparation, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, and more. Each new outsourced service gives you a bigger competitive advantage.

Plus, you get a bonus benefit from your outsourcing success: Your organization becomes more flexible, leaner, and better able to do joint ventures with global partners. So, cost savings aside, you build the ability to take your products and services to more people in more places.

Instead of globalization being a difficult, oppressive reality, you can turn it into a vehicle to build greater prosperity and stability in your own organization. On a personal level, in a market where globalization is king, you build a profile that says you are desirable in different industries and different countries. Anyone that is good at managing outsourcing relationships is worth their weight in gold now.

The purpose of this blog is to share your outsourcing experiences with others so that we can all learn and grow. I will share examples of outsourcing. I will analyze the success or failure using various measures (there are over 84 measures that I look at).

If you share your experiences as well, we will have a richer and more valuable resource for all. I look forward to your participation.

If you need to get in touch with me directly, please send an e-mail to pawan@outsourcingreadiness.com