Outsourcing Salesforce is a strategic choice for many companies seeking to optimize their operations. Salesforce is a robust platform that can improve your efficiency. Leveraging the expertise of external partners can lead to cost savings. Like any business decision, it comes with its own set of advantages and challenges. We will explore the pros and cons of Salesforce outsourcing services. This can provide insights into choosing the right outsourcing model.
Different outsourcing options available for Salesforce development
Before diving into the pros and cons, it is essential to understand the various Salesforce outsourcing options.
Offshore Model – Partnering with remote teams located in different countries for offshore Salesforce development. They often offer cost-effective solutions. This model can be advantageous with efficient project management to bridge geographical gaps.
Onshore Model - Hiring Salesforce experts within your country. While it may be more expensive, it offers better time zone alignment and ease of communication.
Nearshore Model – Partnering with companies located in neighboring countries. This model offers a balance between cost and geographical proximity.
Pros of outsourcing Salesforce development
Cost Efficiency - Cost is one of the important reasons to outsource. Outsourcing partner offers competitive price compared to maintaining an in-house team. The overheads such as salaries, benefits, and real estate can be expensive.
Access to Specialized Expertise – Salesforce partners will have a large pool of certified Salesforce experts with diverse skills. You can bridge gaps in your technical skill set by accessing these resources.
Scalable According to Needs – You will have the option to scale your Salesforce resources as needed. You can expand or reduce your team based on project requirements. Flexibility is an added advantage when you hire an outsourcing Salesforce partner.
Focus on Your Core Offers – Developing and maintaining a Salesforce application is not every business core service. You do not have to worry after hiring an outsourcing partner. Outsourced partners will take care of Salesforce-related tasks. You can have your in-house team focus on your core products.
Faster Project Delivery – Salesforce projects progress more swiftly with a dedicated development team. The Salesforce partner will work round-the-clock to ensure to meet deadlines with the right quality standards.
Cons of outsourcing Salesforce development
Communication Challenges – You may face challenges in communicating with remote teams. These issues could be because of time zones, language, cultural variations, or technical.
You can address these challenges by establishing a robust communication framework. You must make use of advanced communication tools and schedule regular meetings with the outsourced team members. With the right effort, you can bridge geographical and cultural gaps for seamless collaboration.
Security Concerns - Sharing customer data with an external partner may raise security and privacy concerns. Ensuring data protection is crucial for any business.
You can mitigate security risks by establishing standard security protocols with the outsourced partner. Choosing a reliable Salesforce partner with a proven track record of data security and compliance is important. You should ensure all the necessary steps are taken to protect your data.
How to choose the right outsourcing model?
Factor |
Onshore |
Nearshore |
Offshore |
Proximity |
Close to your location |
Neighboring country |
Distant |
Cost |
Higher cost |
Moderate cost |
Lower cost |
Communication |
Easy |
May face challenges |
May face challenges |
Time Zone Difference |
Minimal or none |
Moderate |
Significant |
However, with resources willing to work on same time zone, the difference can be avoided completely. |
Cultural Compatibility |
Same |
Similar |
Potential differences |
Data Security |
You should ensure precautions irrespective of the outsourcing model |
Project Complexity |
Suitable for any kind of Salesforce projects |
Control |
High control |
Right development approach and project managers can give you the necessary control |
Collaboration |
Easy |
Requires coordination |
Requires coordination |
-
Proximity-
Onshore - Close to your location
Nearshore - Neighboring country
Offshore - Distant
-
Cost+
Onshore - Higher cost
Nearshore - Moderate cost
Offshore - Lower cost
-
Communication+
Onshore - Easy
Nearshore - May face challenges
Offshore - May face challenges
-
Time Zone Difference+
Onshore - Minimal or none
Nearshore - Moderate
Offshore - Significant
* However, with resources willing to work on same time zone, the difference can be avoided completely.
-
Cultural Compatibility+
Onshore - Same
Nearshore - Similar
Offshore - Potential differences
-
Data Security+
You should ensure precautions irrespective of the outsourcing model
-
Project Complexity+
Suitable for any kind of Salesforce projects
-
Control+
Onshore - High control
Nearshore & Offshore - Right development approach and project managers can give you the necessary control
-
Collaboration+
Onshore - Easy
Nearshore - Requires coordination
Offshore - Requires coordination
When to consider outsourcing your Salesforce development?
Lack of In-House Expertise - When you lack the necessary skilled resources for your Salesforce project needs.
Cost Optimization – When you have budget constraints, and you want to reduce development costs. Outsourcing partners can deliver the same quality of work at a much-reduced cost.
Seasonal Workload – By outsourcing your Salesforce needs you do not have to maintain an in-house team. Instead, you can hire an outsourcing partner whenever the need arises.
To Share the Workload – Hire outsourcing partners to free up your internal resources. Your in-house team will have more time to focus on core business functions.
Conclusion
Here you have it, a complete overview of the pros and cons of outsourcing Salesforce development needs. Outsourcing to Salesforce partners can offer substantial benefits, including cost savings, access to specialized expertise, and scalability. Choosing the right outsourcing model and Salesforce partner is important to the success of any Salesforce project.
Schedule a call with Congruent to discuss your outsourcing needs. We are a Salesforce consulting partner with over 15+ years of experience in this domain. We have specialized resources like Developers, Administrators, Architects, Consultants, and Cloud Experts ready for hire.