Top 5 Strategies to Efficiently Manage Offshore Teams

12th April, 2019

According to a study by Deloitte, about 80% of the world’s 500 biggest companies have offshore teams for product development. An offshore development team is instrumental for a company in order to reduce costs and for better utilization of resources and time.

But managing such a team, thousands of miles away on the other side of the globe, ain’t a cakewalk; but with some clear-cut strategies, it can be done easily.

Let’s check out.

1. Talk About Your Goals

Sharing your product’s vision is the first step towards an offshore partnership. For successful product development, it’s imperative that your offshore team sees the big picture.

Hence, effectively communicate to them not just the product specifications, but also your organization’s vision, long-term goals and business objectives. This will motivate your remote team to come up with innovative solutions.

2. Communicate On A Regular Basis

According to a study, 1 in 3 projects fail due to improper communication. For teams to collaborate smoothly and build quality products, clear and regular communication is the key.

Apart from the common tools like emails and Skype, make use of Project Management softwares like Jira, Trello, Slack, etc. to effectively collaborate and communicate with your offshore team.

3. Treat Your Offshore Team As Your Own

Your offshore development team is not an isolated group; it’s an integral part of your company. When you acknowledge this fact, they will show utmost dedication to get your work done.

But, that doesn’t mean you have to micromanage your remote team. This will affect their performance; so, build an environment of mutual respect and trust.

4. Appoint Efficient Team Leaders

Your in-house team and offshore team should have efficient team  leaders who can oversee the daily operations and manage the staff well. 

They should possess the technical knowledge and expertise about software products and exhibit a sense of  responsibility towards both the teams.

5. Leverage Time-Zone Differences

The challenge of time-zone gaps of 8 to 15 hours can be eliminated by utilizing the overlapping hours. Chart out a flexible schedule for scrum calls and weekly meetings for these 2-3 hours time.

Another methodology is the “Follow the Sun” model where the remote and local teams take turns for product development and thus, reduce time-to-market.

Conclusion

Annually visiting your offshore development center is also a good option – you get to know more about your remote team. By adopting the above strategies, you can ensure a long-lasting relationship with your offshore partner and build high quality products that accelerate your business to new heights.