Q&A
If there was a cost-benefit
analysis, that implies that there
were costs or drawbacks to doing
this.
Of course, beyond the basic economics,
there is the simple challenge of making it
happen. There can be linguistic challenges,
training time takes longer, and staffing turnover can be an issue. Even if these factors
were something we expected, they still had
to be managed properly.
Can you give us some examples?
Naturally, we have had some bumps along the
way, mostly involving staffing and training.
For instance, when I was in India training
the employees who would be doing the work,
I quickly discovered how our non-verbal cues
were different. Avoiding slang and jargon in
our communications is a big one to watch
out for. Also, turnover can be an issue. One
of the advantages of using our partner is that
they align their services to North American
time zones. This is great because you can
communicate more easily during our workday, but it also means that the employee in
India is working at night, which makes it a
less desirable position, so recruitment and
retention for them can be more difficult.
How are the communications with
your “staff” in India?
I would estimate that 99% of it takes place by
email or instant messaging. This is really
how we can be most effective, and it’s working
very well.
What else concerns you about
outsourcing?
Well, I think there is merit in considering
every company’s social responsibility, and
any discussion about outsourcing’s impact on
our local, provincial, and national economy
is important.
It’s interesting that you raise that issue. After all, there are repercussions
if more and more of our economy is moving to places like Bangalore or
Chennai. What’s your personal opinion on the issue in general?
I look at it from three viewpoints. As an accountant, I can see the business case for it.
Obviously it varies for each company, but anyone who competes in a tough market is operating
under the same imperative: Deliver better products at lower costs. As an employee, my view is
mostly focused on how to make it happen and to make the process as efficient and problem-free
as possible. The more contentious viewpoint is the third one. As a Canadian, my first reaction is
that I don’t want to see jobs leave our community, our province, or our country. Of course, that’s
a little too simple. I think there is value in also weighing the impact of greater global trade and
the benefits this can bring back home—it’s easy to just focus on local impacts while ignoring the
benefits of global impacts. I also think outsourcing can allow us to remain focused on higher-skill
jobs that can contribute to higher productivity growth.
Now that you’re more than five years into this arrangement, how would
you characterize your experience?
At times it has been challenging, but it has also always been interesting. I mean, I never expected
to join a beer company in Canada only to find myself going to India for accounting!
Want to share your thoughts on outsourcing?
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