Focus on your core business processes

Can I see any moms here?

Or at least some guys who know what’s on the plate of a regular mom?

Let’s image a situation – there is a mother with her three kids. The oldest one is whining all the time that he wants to play his console instead of doing the homework. So she has to patiently explain, while frying her pancakes that work first play later and reminds that he has to hurry up with the homework if he wants to go to the football activities. The pancakes will be delicious – with maple syrup. The younger one starts crying that he wants to use the toilet and it has to be right now otherwise he will pee on the carpet. So, the mom leaves everything behind and rushes to the toilet. While she is not there, the youngest one gets to see something awesome on the shelf and starts climbing. The mom manages to rescue the little one and she suddenly smells the burnt pancakes. She runs to the kitchen but the pancake is black so she has to wash the pan and start everything again…. While she is frying the pancakes she’s planning when to do the ironing: “It shouldn’t take too long, half an hour and it’s done while the kids watch a TV cartoon” --> It sounds like a good plan, but wait a second..... --> why is this ironing so sticky and smells like......OMG maple syrup….? “Moooom, I’m hungry, where are my pancakes? I’ve got to be going to my football now. Why didn’t you check my math yet?”

And now let’s imagine one of the mom’s friend comes by and when she sees what is going on there she offers her help. But our mom is so brave and so self-sufficient that she surely says

‘No thank you, I’m doing just fine’.

These are moms - skilled multi-taskers who never need any help. It’s usually the matter of honor to deal with the entire world around you independently. Who else is going to do it better than yourself? I am a mom myself and I can understand that. However, what I cannot understand is why this is situation starts happening in business.

It wasn’t a long time ago that I spoke to a person who runs an international digital project. She’s responsible for several applications, widespread marketing activities and sales in different time zones. And what was supposed to be a nice chat over a cup of coffee turned into a long moaning session. She was complaining about deadlines, delays, constant lack of good programmers and generally huge problems with HR. I asked her why she was not doing outsourcing. There are so many IT companies on the market. I even recommended her my colleagues from Silksoftwarehouse.com to handle her project. But then I heard:

“Outsourcing? Never! I can do it all by myself! I have to do that! Maybe what they need is perks. Yes, more benefits will keep them longer with me! What do you think about giving them free of charge massage sessions during working hours? Just to keep them relaxed and blow of steam. I won’t let them go to competition!”

O M G

Perks? Massages?

Srsly?

Come on! You’ll be doing your massages for IT instead of focusing on conquering the world with your business, building your super brand, establishing contacts with new companies, dealing with the media? I cannot believe what you are saying!

Everything seems to be upside down now. I know there has always been the struggle between outsourcing and in-house resources but it is not the point now.

From my experinence, I’ve been using both, in-house and external developers. It all depends on the project you are running. Of course, the market is full of piteous software houses with one senior and a bunch of freshmen or those who have two developers and hire random programmers if a new project pops up. What you get from them is nothing but problems and poor quality.

I do understand that companies may be sceptical about outsourcing, that they painstakingly check anyone before cotracting. Checking on the outsourcers is not a bad idea, even on the well known brands as the quality offered should be analysed properly.   

But when I hear that you cannot move on with your business because you have no programmers, or your team rotation is high, or that your main problem is lazy developers watching Netflix during working hours and your main cost is the headhunter agency then I just ask why you are doing this to yourself?

Isn’t it better to focus on the business and let the others do the work for you? There are so many professionals on the market and once you cooperate with them you can expect top quality and promptness to gain competitive advantage. Of course, never forget to check on them…

Take care all you Guys,

K.