Why choose Sri Lanka for software and IT outsourcing?

With a thriving industry in IT, web and software outsourcing, Sri Lanka has made a name for itself in the global landscape. Offering services that go beyond core software and web development, the country’s IT workforce is known for its expertise in AI, cloud infrastructure management and even cybersecurity.

Add to this the fact that Sri Lankan IT outsourcing companies aren’t afraid to work shift timings that coincide with the time zones of their clientele – and you have a powerhouse of a team that never shies away from putting your business’s goals first.

In this article, we’ll discuss the advantages of outsourcing your IT needs to Sri Lanka, as well as some evergreen tips to build and maintain a partnership that is mutually beneficial, as it is long-standing.

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The advantages of outsourcing software and web development operations to Sri Lanka

Highly skilled expertise

Having a talent pool that is highly competent as it is dynamic is hands-down the biggest selling point for Sri Lanka’s entire industry of software, web and IT outsourcing. Web development outsourcing, for example, also comes supplemented with other services such as SEO and digital marketing, thereby helping promote the websites, web applications and mobile apps that have been built.

Other trending areas include AI model training, and intelligent analytics. The IT workforce in Sri Lanka is constantly innovating, by staying on top of what is trending, why so, and how it can all be adopted for real life use cases that involve their own clients’ projects. All of this combined makes software and IT outsourcing in Sri Lanka a prospect that’s highly worthy of consideration.

Openness towards flexible schedules

Sri Lanka’s IT workforce is highly adaptive towards schedules that fall outside of local time zones, by creating shifts that enable them to liaise with their clientele, based on their preferred timings. Their focus is to provide the best working environment and access to one-on-one collaboration – even if it all happens via virtual meetings and task management tools. Being available at the same time as your client goes a long way, after all.

Favourable exchange rates and cost savings

While businesses benefit from not having to hire, train and pay in-house software development teams, they also benefit cost-wise through favourable exchange rates. Currencies like the US dollar, British pound and Euro fetch significantly when exchanged into the Sri Lankan rupee, thereby giving companies the leverage to still pay above-average salaries to their Sri Lankan software development teams – while never compromising on value.

How to make your web and software outsourcing partnership a success

When you hire web developers for your software project, it is most likely that they will be working remotely. As distributed work environments have now become the norm, your business teams need to ensure pacing, alignment and transparency, so distance doesn’t end up being a hindrance.

Some key tips to follow to build a successful partnership with your web and software outsourcing provider include:

Establish a structure and expectations around collaboration and communication: This may mean letting your team know that you need to be immediately informed, if there is a bug or malfunction in your software. Or, it could simply involve the way new tasks are created and assigned, so accountability is maintained across the team.
Meet regularly (even if it feels like there is nothing to discuss): One-on-one communication, even in the form of virtual meetings can make a world of difference, as every team member has the freedom to express the nitty-gritties. Many minor yet substantive details are missed in emails and task boards, so this gives every team member the chance to express themselves beyond just what’s rudimentary.
Check in with your team members, through regular one-on-one sessions and reviews: Direct line supervisors can check in with their associates at least once a week, so all parties are informed about what is pending in the immediate pipeline. This extends beyond the formal performance evaluation, which is typically done on a semi-annual or annual basis.
Always assess risk quotients for bugs: How damaging is a certain error? Is it going to cost your business a loss in revenue? Risk assessments may often be sidelined, but they can direct your team towards making the right decisions and prioritising fixes with customers in mind, to ensure overall business viability.
Continue to feed insights from customers: Your consumers have the final say over how your web presence, software and mobile apps are shaped for the market. Establish customer-centric measurements in place such as CSAT and feedback generation systems, so that customers can share their voice on what they like and what they don’t, to build a product that meets their needs.

To wrap up…

Software and web development companies in Sri Lanka have long since been frontrunners for destinations that businesses can outsource their software and web development operations to, for several notable reasons. With significant cost savings and a workforce that is highly skilled yet adaptive at the same time, Sri Lankan IT outsourcing companies have made a positive impression on businesses and markets the world over.

What’s more, IT outsourcing companies in Sri Lanka go beyond software and web development; they are also hubs for other allied services, such as cloud management, cyber security and AI model training. However, the right foundations still need to be in place, in order to ensure a successful and long-standing partnership.

Communication is the most important, and this may entail the setup of real-time workspaces and task management tools, or daily/weekly standups so all team members can get a chance to share their updates. KPI monitoring, regular reviews and risk assessments are other initiatives to implement, so business teams have sufficient and ongoing clarity on what’s working, and what needs to be fixed.

FAQs

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Q1: Can you hire remote developers only from a Sri Lankan software outsourcing company?

A: Of course, only remote developers can also be hired from a software outsourcing company in Sri Lanka - if that’s all your business needs. Remote developers can supplement an existing team, be it one that’s in-house or within another software outsourcing company, especially if certain skills are lacking. This is because many senior remote developers possess skills that may be specific to a certain technology, or industry.

Alternatively, more junior developers can also be hired to simply assist senior developers and other team members, especially in the presence of a bottleneck or a surge in workload.

Q2: Do software companies in Sri Lanka offer services in addition to web development?

A: Yes, many software companies in Sri Lanka (including smaller, boutique ones) supplement their web development services with capabilities such as SEO, digital PR and social media marketing. As clients continue to work with their outsourcing partner on updating their websites and mobile apps, optimising and promoting these online mediums becomes important in due course of time.

With SEO involving many technical aspects such as site structuring, page indexing and fixing broken links, working with your existing web development team is the best course of action here, as they are already familiar with the technical intricacies of your website. Other services such as social media marketing can further help promote your site, app and the range of products and/or services displayed, thereby creating a holistic approach towards having an online presence, as well as marketing it.

Q3: Can Sri Lankan IT outsourcing companies replace entire IT teams?

A: IT outsourcing companies may be able to replace in-house IT teams, but to what extent and how, depends on a few factors:

● The level of skills needed for your company, based on the industry and region you operate in,

● The exact job functions that your IT team needs to fulfil,

● Whether your company needs an IT team to work odd hours, or be on standby in case of an emergency.

Failure to meet what your organisation specifically requires (as well as the extent to which it requires the same) in relation to the above pointers may render IT outsourcing to not be the most viable option - especially if you intend to fully delegate your IT needs over to an outsourcing company.

Should this be the case, discuss what can be outsourced, and what needs to remain in-house. For example, you can keep user provisioning and deprovisioning an in-house IT activity, as it may require round-the-clock support that an IT outsourcing company may not always be able to fulfil. On the other hand, cloud infrastructure and cost management could be handed over to your IT outsourcing partner, especially as they may have better experience in this particular area, in comparison to your in-house IT teams.

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