Consider Outsourced Engineering Services

We can’t deny that every business, no matter the industry, has been forced to work on digital transformation during this pandemic. Businesses that aren’t digitally focused are looking to digitize processes and add customer engagement points online wherever possible. Many businesses have been thrust into a remote work environment that they aren’t ready for. All the while, there are technology projects and software projects that still need to get delivered amid all this turmoil.

Business success today is more tied to agility and technical capabilities than it ever has been. Having the knowhow to take business requirements and translate them into engineering and technology projects takes a great deal of expertise to get it right so time and money aren’t wasted. Having the right team to translate business needs to projects, and to execute it seamlessly is critical.

By choosing a trusted outsourced engineering partner, businesses can enjoy many benefits such as reduced operating costs, improved technology capabilities, increased technical support, and more focus on core business drivers. Outsourcing doesn’t always mean overseas, low cost resources, which I’ll discuss in another blog in the future. A quality team can provide results, be cost effective, and be a partner that understands your business needs.

While this isn’t an exhaustive list, consider the following when considering how to best tackle your technology and engineering challenges.

Reduce overhead. By leveraging outsourced engineering services, it’s possible to see an overall reduction of up to 30% in total development team cost, all while increasing quality and productivity. The great part is that by reducing the team size and increasing output, other associated expenses like additional office space, equipment, benefits, and most importantly, training, are all greatly reduced. Working with a team seasoned at remote delivery also allows businesses to be more agile and adapt to the current health crisis while keeping their technology productivity high.

The latest technology. Outsourced engineering teams focus exclusively on technology projects and engineering services; not all the other business tasks an internal team can get bogged down with. A trusted engineering partner will have worked on many different applications of technology to solve hard problems in similar and adjacent industries. This allows them to train, practice, and solve for technology problems that are broader than what an internal team typically experiences. With this comes a deeper understanding of competition, innovations, and areas that might not be cost effective to engage in until solutions mature. Since engineering firms typically work with many clients, you are also getting the benefit of much more frequent learnings across project types.

Comprehensive engineering services. Clients need more complex engineering solutions that are many times beyond the scope of a small business with limited in-house technology resources. Outsourced providers are accustomed to executing projects with highly complex requirements and doing so cost effectively. In addition, outsourced teams have a higher level of technical expertise since they have broad experience solving many problems for diverse clients. The best outsourced partners have highly trained teams of engineers and architects who are well-versed on industry best practices, have robust training, and a workplace culture that makes tackling complex projects table stakes. Gaining highly technical resources and efficiency while reducing overall costs is a win-win.

Services on an as-needed basis. Maintaining a staff of engineers with the necessary skill sets is a constant effort and expense. Many times, projects and business requirements evolve as do technical requirements and needs. Paying for a full-time staff that may not allow for flexibility in the future may not make sense if building out technology isn’t core to your business. Fluctuations in demand for services can present a challenge to a company, especially if the business is smaller in size. Bottlenecks can arise in periods of high demand while engineering staff continue to receive full-time pay even during industry or initiative lulls. Outsourcing solves this problem as a you would only pay for services that are rendered. Furthermore, it is much easier to adapt to changing needs and skills requirements with a team that can be flexible. One of the greatest benefits of outsourcing is access to 24/7 support services. The best outsourced engineering partners not only offer development resources but also offer ongoing support to clients regardless of the time of day. This enables faster response to issues that arise that would usually have to wait until the next business day if in-house engineers are utilized.

Faster turnaround time. Speed and agility are critical concerns voiced by most all clients requiring engineering and technology services. The right engineering partner can greatly reduce the time it takes to get from a business requirement to a finished, quality-tested solution. With a broad array of expertise and resources, a strong outsourced engineering partner can meet demands much faster than they could with a limited number of in-house engineers. The key difference is a diverse skill set and experienced product managers to lead the way.

Focus on core business drivers. Rather than spending time learning how to build an in-house engineering team or scoping development projects, you can spend more time on key business functions. Focusing on sales, marketing, customer engagement, deeper understanding of customer need, and operations is typically a more worthwhile time investment. Gaining back the time required with building, training, retaining, and managing an engineering team can produce even greater business agility!

If you are leading a startup or established company and trying to get your first or next critical product into your customers’ hands, consider an outsourced extension of your engineering or technology team. While there are many firms that can provide outsourcing support, Uprise has a diverse team of talented engineers and developers ready to help. Don’t know where to get started? Contact us and we are happy to help find a way to work together that makes sense. Contact us at hello@uprisepartners.com.