How Two-Way Team Exchanges & Visits Drive Offshoring Excellence

Though technology has brought many options for two-person interactions, options like virtual collaboration are often underestimated in offshore operations. No doubt technology bridges geographical gaps, but it’s the personal connections forged through in-person visits that truly elevate offshore partnerships to new heights. In the blog, we have discussed the advantages of in-person interactions in detail. Explore it further. 

The Power of Face-to-Face Interaction

Even though digital communication has come a long way, face-to-face interaction is still the best way to build relationships, build trust, and work together better. It is impossible to overstate the significance of in-person visits when it comes to offshore operations. Let's take a closer look at how these exchanges can help your company achieve offshoring excellence. 

1. Strengthening Relationships and Building Trust

The opportunity to strengthen relationships between onshore and offshore team members is one of the most significant benefits of in-person visits. Face-to-face interactions make it possible:  

• Personal connections: Team members can get to know each other on a more personal level, which helps them bond in a way that digital communication alone can't. 

• Non-verbal communication: The tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language all help to improve communication and rapport among team members. 

• Interactions off the cuff: During meals or coffee breaks, casual conversations can lead to valuable insights and stronger bonds. 

Firms can create a more cohesive global team by investing in these relationships, thereby enhancing cross-border collaboration and output. 

2. Enhanced Understanding of Cultural Nuances

Working with teams from different cultural backgrounds is frequently part of offshoring. Visits in person are a valuable opportunity to: 

Misunderstandings can be significantly reduced, and team dynamics can be improved as a result of this enhanced cultural understanding. 

3. Improved  Communication and Collaboration

While digital tools are necessary for day-to-day operations, in-person visits can significantly improve communication and collaboration:   

• Clarify complex issues: Some subjects are better explained and comprehended in person, particularly when dealing with intricate projects or procedures.
  

• Change management methods: The offshore team's cultural context can be better accommodated by onshore leaders' management strategies. 

• Team-building activities: Organizing team-building activities during visits can improve collaboration and bonding long after the visit is over. 

Better project outcomes and more effective processes may result from these enhancements in communication. 

4. On-site Training and Skill Development  

Visits in person are excellent opportunities for skill and training development:  

• Hands-on training: To ensure proper skill transfer, members of the onshore team can offer offshore coworkers direct, hands-on training. 

• Customized learning: Based on the responses and requirements of the students, trainers can modify their methods immediately. 

• Cross-pollination of ideas: Best practices and novel approaches can be shared by both teams, resulting in process and skill enhancement as a whole.  

The offshore team's capabilities may be enhanced by this focus on skill development, resulting in higher-quality work and increased productivity. 

5. Direct Oversight and Quality Control

More effective oversight and quality control are possible with regular visits:   

• In-person evaluations: Leaders have direct access to observing work processes and determining areas for growth. 

• Immediate feedback: Problems can be fixed right away, resulting in quicker resolution and process improvement. 

• Understanding of local challenges: Members of the visiting team can get firsthand information about any local issues that affect work quality or efficiency. 

The efficiency and quality of one's work can both be significantly enhanced by this simple oversight. 

6. Talent Acquisition and Retention  

In-person visits can play a crucial role in talent management: 

• Face-to-face interviews: Better hiring decisions can be made through in-person interviews. 

• Employee engagement: The engagement and morale of offshore employees can be improved by regular visits from members of the onshore team. 

• Career development discussions: Meetings in person give people a chance to have meaningful conversations about career development and growth. 

Better talent acquisition and higher rates of employee retention may be the outcomes of these efforts. 

7. Strategic Planning and Alignment  

The ideal setting for strategic discussions and alignment is provided by visits:  

• Long-term planning: Meetings in person are ideal for discussing and agreeing on long-term strategies and goals. 

• Cross-functional collaboration: Visits make it easier for departments and functions to work together. 

• Change management: In-person interactions can be used to communicate and implement major changes or new initiatives more effectively.  

Offshore operations are kept closely connected to the company's overall strategic direction thanks to this alignment. 

8. Innovation and Knowledge Sharing  

Knowledge sharing and innovation can be aided by two-way communication:  

• Diverse perspectives: Team members from different locations can come up with creative solutions and new ideas by coming together. 

• Knowledge transfer: Unique insights and best practices can be shared by both onshore and offshore teams. 

• Collaborative problem-solving: When teams collaborate face-to-face, it is easier to tackle difficult problems.  

This exchange of ideas can drive innovation and continuous improvement across the firm. 

Implementing Effective Visit Programs 

The following strategies should be taken into consideration to get the most out of two-way team exchanges and visits: 

1. Regular Schedule: Establish a regular visitation schedule for each direction. For instance, you should try to have at least one leadership or key team member visit the offshore team every year.  

2. Dedicated Facilities: Make sure that visitors to the team can work and hold meetings in designated areas. For example, captives at MYCPE ONE have dedicated conference rooms for training and focused work sessions.  

3. Varied Durations: Encourage visits of varying durations, including one-day outings for specific projects and extended stays of several weeks or months. Different kinds of interactions and collaborations are made possible by this. 

4. Structured Agendas: To ensure efficient use of time, plan visits with definite goals and organized schedules.  

5. Cultural Immersion: Include activities that give visitors to the team a chance to learn about the culture and form relationships outside of work.  

6. Follow-up Actions: Set up clear follow-up procedures to put into action the insights and enhancements discovered during visits.  

7. Feedback Mechanism: To continuously enhance the visit program's effectiveness, develop a method for gathering feedback. 

Overcoming Challenges  

Despite the obvious advantages of two-way team exchanges, there are some challenges to consider:  

1. Cost: Costs associated with lodging and travel can be substantial. However, the advantages frequently outweigh these costs in the long run. 

2. Time Management: Time-consuming and occasionally disruptive to regular work schedules, visits can be necessary. To keep things running smoothly, careful planning is required.  

3. Visa and Travel Regulations: International travel regulations can be difficult to understand. It is essential to have a dedicated team or partner who can assist with these logistics.  

4. Cultural Sensitivity: Visitors must be trained and prepared to respectfully navigate cultural differences. 

5. Maintaining Momentum: Visits can have a negative effect over time. It is essential to have plans in place to keep the momentum going between visits. 

Client Case Study - Accelerated Offshore Expansion after the India Visit   

Background & Offshoring Journey: Client is a full-service regional firm with over 100+ staff members Onshore based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Their offshoring journey commenced in January 2019, gradually and slowly expanding to a team of six members by September 2022. Initially, there was limited buy-in from onshore staff members and partners regarding the offshoring process.  

First India Visit: The first visit to India in October 2022, although a little unplanned, proved highly impactful, particularly in terms of building connections and understanding team dynamics. As indicated in the subsequent table, the team expanded to over 20 members post the in-person visit. This meeting was instrumental in revealing key insights about the capabilities of teams. It took them 3.5 years to build a team of 6 staff members, and from 6 to 20 staff members, it happened in less than a year.  

Promotion & New Hire: The firm's offshore expansion included hiring two experienced professionals and promoting 3 existing staff members to Sr. Consultant positions and 1 staff as a manager. This formation of a senior offshore team significantly contributed to their ability to undertake additional offshore work and facilitate team expansion.  

Expansion: Initially, the firm exclusively assigned audit & assurance tasks for offshoring. However, as the process progressed, even partners and managers from the tax, accounting, and advisory departments of the firm began to explore and expand their respective offshore teams.  

Establishing Hierarchy: Establish clear processes and a team hierarchy onshore and offshore, streamlining collaboration. An onshore anchor (the person responsible for offshoring on the firm’s side) played a pivotal role, acting as a central point for effective communication and coordination.  

Road Map: Post India visit, clients were compelled to strategize their roadmap. In fact, if they had to define their roadmap in one line, it would have been “Move 40% of the billable hours to the offshore team by the year 2025”. This further solidifies their second visit to India.   

2nd India Visit: The second visit to India was done in December 2023. This time, they were better prepared, with a detailed training agenda, individual meetings with team members, and a well-thought-out plan to ensure a productive and purposeful visit.  

Final Thoughts 

Two-way team exchanges and visits are not just nice to have in the world of offshore operations; rather, they are a strategic necessity. Firms can strengthen relationships, increase cultural understanding, enhance communication, and stimulate innovation by encouraging face-to-face interactions between onshore and offshore teams. These visits ensure that offshore operations are not only an extension of the firm but also an essential component of it by acting as a bridge between various parts of the firm. 

Digital tools and remote collaboration will always be important for offshore operations, but in-person interactions can't replace the human element. Improved productivity, higher-quality work, increased employee retention, and more innovative solutions are all potential outcomes for firms that make regular investments in two-way exchanges. 

The ability to successfully combine remote work with strategic in-person interactions will be a key differentiator for successful offshore operations as we progress in an increasingly globalized business environment. Firms can ensure that their offshore teams are not only cost-effective resources but also true partners in driving success and innovation by giving these exchanges priority. 

People are ultimately what determine the success of offshore operations—their abilities, relationships, and capacity to collaborate effectively across cultures and borders. Team exchanges and visits between teams are a powerful way to build these human connections and encourage excellence in offshoring. Consider the transformative power of face-to-face interactions when planning your offshore strategy. Your global operations' long-term success and viability depend on your investment in these visits.

About the Author

Shawn Parikh

Co-Founder & CEO

Shawn Parikh is the CEO and Co-Founder of MYCPE ONE. A Chartered Accountant by qualification, he has over 15 years of experience of being a problem solver for small to mid-size firms and over time he has given consultation to thousands of CPAs, accountants and tax pros. Shawn has always been a big believer and advocate of social enterprises and small accounting firms & businesses. He consults and speaks on several topics ranging from Building Remote Team - Remote Working, Offshore Staffing, strategic planning, Scalability of Accounting Practice, cloud accounting, practice management, LinkedIn marketing, etc.