| re and more businesses depend partially or fully on | | | | important. An Accenture survey of more than 800 |
| their online presence to sell their products and services, | | | | American and European executives show that there is |
| website design is gaining more and more importance. | | | | an improvement in business processes in as early as |
| A business’ website serves as its display | | | | the first day of outsourcing with the levels of control |
| window and, like a good or bad display window, can | | | | increasing over a period of time. Improvements were |
| automatically draw customers to take a closer look or | | | | most notable in the areas of ability to plan, operational |
| turn them off with one glance. Maximizing your | | | | reliability, and rapidity of implementation of new |
| website to look great, be user friendly, efficient and | | | | strategies. Outsourcing works because it brings with it |
| have a speedy loading time is therefore of utter | | | | a wider range of experience and more insights to get |
| importance. | | | | the job done efficiently and well. |
| As answer to businesses’ need for a good | | | | Many US companies choose to outsource their |
| website and other web services, IT companies | | | | business to India and other Asian countries as well as |
| providing custom web design services are cropping up. | | | | to some European countries. However, outsourcing to |
| Web development is however evolving in such a fast | | | | South American countries like Colombia and |
| pace with hundreds of technologies involved that | | | | Venezuela, though not yet as popular as India, are |
| many small web design companies in the US find that | | | | gaining popularity and are proving to be more |
| they cannot handle all the job orders. Because of this, | | | | advantageous for many businesses. |
| more and more web design companies in the US are | | | | The first benefit of outsourcing to Colombia and |
| actually relying on outsourcing to handle the load and | | | | Venezuela is the cost. Cost is the very reason why |
| cut their expenses at the same time. Without access | | | | businesses choose to outsource. Although it is already |
| to the manpower, skills and expertise provided by | | | | proven that outsourcing to India is way cheaper than |
| outsourcing, many web design companies will find | | | | hiring US based IT companies to do the job, it is |
| themselves unable to take on many projects and | | | | actually even cheaper to outsource in Colombia. |
| contracts resulting to a significant loss in revenue. | | | | According to David E. Gumper, a managed developer |
| Web design and development companies can handle | | | | in India costs as much as $3200 per month compared |
| outsourcing two ways. One way is to set up a | | | | to $1000 per month in Colombia. The large discrepancy |
| business with US manager but with all the other labor | | | | in cost for a managed developer is proof enough that |
| fully outsourced. Another way is to simply outsource | | | | outsourcing in Colombia and other South American |
| projects or specific parts of projects that might pose | | | | countries is more cost effective. Note however, that |
| as a problem for the company or that the company | | | | the rates quoted above were for 2004 and both are |
| couldn’t handle because of its present | | | | expected to have increased by this year. If Colombia |
| workload. However, much a company depends on | | | | is cheap compared to India then undoubtedly |
| outsourcing, one thing is for sure, it is that the company | | | | Colombian rates are almost incomparably cheap |
| gets to save money whenever they outsource. | | | | compared to that of US rates. Saving a few thousand |
| Web designers in the US cost around $75 to $125 per | | | | dollars is a big deal especially for start up businesses |
| hour. Outsourcing saves lots of money since the rates | | | | since the money saved can go to other capitalization |
| are usually on a per job or per page basis instead of | | | | needs. |
| an hourly basis. This per job and per page basis usually | | | | Another advantage of outsourcing to Colombia and |
| includes all the custom graphics design, animations, | | | | Venezuela are the countries' time zone. Of course, a |
| editing, enhancing, Java applets, and other features | | | | US based company will have a nearer, if not the same |
| needed. This is a big deal since specialized jobs in the | | | | time zone as your business. However, if you decide to |
| US will entail additional expense. For example, in the | | | | outsource to Asia, the time zone difference is very |
| US, paying a graphics expert can cost as much as | | | | pronounced with as much as a 13-hour difference. |
| $80 per hour. | | | | Though time zone difference does not affect the |
| Now, if a client wants to have some flash animation on | | | | quality of work, it can affect communication between |
| his website it could cost up to a few hundred dollars | | | | you and your web developers. Being on the same |
| just to create that one animation. This will increase the | | | | time zone makes it easier to contact each other during |
| project expense and thus be an additional cost to the | | | | business hours so that issues can be easily talked |
| company’s’ customer. On the other | | | | about, addressed, and solved before they turn into |
| hand, US based companies can save as much as | | | | problems. |
| 80% on labor costs when it is fully outsourced. This is | | | | It is advised to never ever outsource to a company |
| possible since salaries in the countries where jobs are | | | | that exhibits poor English skills – both spoken and |
| outsourced are usually dismally low compared to | | | | written. Remember that the Internet depends mostly |
| salaries in the US so that, even what is seen as cheap | | | | on written communication so it makes no sense to hire |
| labor to US businesses is seen as a good paying job | | | | a company to do your website and end up having to |
| by the designers. This is important since being satisfied | | | | edit everything in the content. Even if the project you |
| with the compensation affects the quality of work. Not | | | | outsource is only graphical, good English skills are still |
| only can businesses expect low costs in outsourcing | | | | necessary to ensure that they understood the |
| but quality work as well. | | | | instructions well to avoid the hassle of revisions in |
| Another advantage of outsourcing is the additional | | | | design. Since most Colombians and Venezuelans |
| business control it provides. Although cost is still the | | | | speak perfect English, this shouldn’t pose as a |
| main benefit of outsourcing, an increased control and a | | | | problem. |
| marked increase in business processes is very | | | | |