How do I find the right outsourcing team?

"I'm not an expert in what I need done? What do I look for in an outsourcing team?"

The answer to your question, Christine, can be really complicated as not all outsourcing teams are created equal.

When I started working with Janine, we had a team from the Philippines.

I loved working with them, but they were more of a Filipino work placement company than an outsourcing company.

They claimed that they could do everything, but in the end, they only placed people and assumed that we could train them.

And we did!

I loved those agents and when we parted ways to start our own team, we brought one with us.

Not every team can do everything.

I’m going to go through a few things each Thursday that you should do if you are looking for a team...

• Know exactly what you are looking for.

This first point is important. Know which tasks that you want the team to accomplish and which tasks would be beneficial if they could accomplish.

Have them in order of importance.

When you hire your team, place all tasks on the job posting, but when you interview, know that you are looking for a people person.

Somebody who will create a rapport with anybody they speak to.

If you want to hire a customer service team. Then keep that front and center.

If you are also looking for people to do administrative work, then communicate that, but know that you are getting somebody who is a people person, not somebody who excels at administration tasks.

In the same regard, don't hire an administration person and then assume that they can do an amazing job answering the phones and representing you well.

If you find somebody who can do both, this is a benefit! But this is not likely, as personalities are generally different.

Know what you are looking for.

Look for that and whatever else you get is simply a bonus.