Outsourcing has become a rising trend in the realm of business. You could be the head of an organization or had weaved an idea for your start-up, you have to know about outsourcing in order to compete with others. Nowadays, most companies are opting for sourcing so that they can reduce their production cost. Their sole motto remains is to produce the best at minimum cost. However, no matter as much as they turn to third-world countries for outsourcing, they never compromise on the quality. Outsourcing helps business firms to decrease the prices of the products and services. Needless to say that this naturally intrigues potential customers. Establishing good relations, as per procurement consultants, across geo-political boundaries is maintained by outsourcing by most western countries.
However, trying to source from another country is not as easy as it sounds. There are potential problems that you have to overcome. You have to keep quite a few factors in mind before you reach out to the other country for outsourcing. You can have problems with language barriers, different time zones and unreliable political conditions of the country in question. For a solution to everything, first, you need to select a good sourcing agent. He is the one to take entire responsibility for the production and has to report you on a daily basis. To combat the adverse forces, you need to rely on the sourcing agent since you will sit helplessly in your distant country.
Different types of sourcing agents are available in the market. Are all of them good for your project? The answer is no. Before choosing anyone, you have to go deep into their work history and know in detail about their domain. From this, you will get an idea about if your chosen one is fit to carry out the task with expertise.
Apart from maintaining cordial relationships with both the supplier and the buyers, reliable sourcing agents need to have the following qualities to be the chosen one:
Trustworthiness
The first quality for any sourcing agent to possess is being trustworthy enough. Being in another country, you cannot monitor the proceedings all the time. You have no other option but to trust the agent with closed eyes. As you approach an agent in the first step and he asks you for a hidden commission, back out then and there! That is the first sign of a dishonest agent who will be harmful to your business. Besides this, you have to take note of the fact if your agent is misinforming you about the suppliers. If he is a professional and reputed agent, he will surely have tie-ups with suppliers all across the globe. In the initial few days, check if he is rightly informing you about the market performance, employee strength or registration information.
Quality-Focused
A good agent must take the initiative to get in touch with suppliers, as well as, procurement consultants, for the benefit of the business firms. You will not be aware of the condition of the supplier from your country, and hence, it is the work of the agent to try his best and get the best deal. However, before selecting the agent and the country, do not forget to check the political and economic conditions of the country so that your product does not get stuck in the middle. From production capacity to official registration details, take everything into account to get the bigger picture. A good agent must put forth written reports for the client’s evaluation.
Accountability
The role of the agents does not end right after the transfer. It is his responsibility to see to it if the production and the shipment have been done effectively. If you face any problem with trouble-shooting, report immediately to him. A good agent will wait until you are completely satisfied with his production and will resolve any issue reported as soon as possible. In this regard, they have to get in touch with the supplier and fix any glitch that is bothering you. A sourcing agent also arranges the documents and the procedure needed to be done for any return or refund adhered by the terms of the agreement. It is critical for him to ensure that the merchandise meets your expectations.
For any organization aiming for success in their outsourcing, it is a must-have to get good sourcing agents. A reputed agent will even discuss strategies with you to make the operation a sure success and provide valuable inputs to your plan. In order to make prominent footprints in the global arena, assistance from the sourcing agent is mandatory. As the world is rising to outsource steadily, you also have to become a part of this in order to beat the competitors in the market.
