Once a business has decided to take advantage of the benefits of outsourcing, an important decision needs to be made: should you outsource to a team or individual?

Individual outsourcing means that the work is delegated to an individual freelancer or virtual assistant, usually with the help of an agency or web matching service. By contrast, a business can take advantage of team outsourcing, which combines the talent of a team of skilled professionals. The Philippines, in particular, has been a tremendously popular option for team outsourcing.  However, there are benefits to both options, depending on what your specific outsourcing needs are.

Benefits of Individual Outsourcing

For those looking to outsource one specific project, individual outsourcing may be a good option.  Through a freelance website or agency, you can find an individual to work on a piecemeal project basis. Other benefits of individual outsourcing can include:

• Rating systems provided by the freelance websites that allow you to compare individual assistants or freelancers
• Project-based results
• Ability to match the project with individuals with compatible skills

Drawbacks to Individual Outsourcing

However, there are a number of disadvantages associated with individual outsourcing.  Placing your entire project in the hands of one individual can be risky.  If there are personality conflicts, or if the individual is reliable, then the success of the outsourced project is jeopardized.

In addition, freelancers are often limited in their skill set.  They may be an expert in only one task, which means that you may need to hire several individuals in order to complete a complex outsourcing project.  In this scenario, you would also bear the time-consuming burden of managing multiple freelancers and coordinating their efforts together.

Benefits of Team Outsourcing in the Philippines

If your business is looking for a longer-term working relationship, then team outsourcing is a better option.  There are a number of benefits to working with a small team, including the following:

• Small groups have been shown by research to be more productive than individuals
• You can take advantage of multiple skill sets and backgrounds, streamlining the entire outsourcing process
• Team leaders manage the team on a day-to-day basis, freeing you of the responsibility of human resources management
• The personnel in a small team are screened carefully by human resources experts, ensuring high quality results
• Small teams in the Philippines are college-educated, with a high level of English
• There is a greater variety of communication channels, allowing you to fully convey your needs and messages

Disadvantages of Team Outsourcing in the Philippines

Of course, team outsourcing may not be ideal for every project. For smaller, one-time piecemeal projects, it may be unnecessary to involve the efforts of an entire team.  However, for continuous outsourcing efforts that help streamline a company’s productivity and reduce operating expenses, there are few drawbacks to the team outsourcing option.

Please consider TryBPO.com the next time you’re looking for team outsourcing to the Philippines.