Since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, technology has allowed companies to operate “business-as-usual” (or almost). Today, most companies need offshore IT outsourcing services and solutions to stay competitive. You wonder what it is like to outsource IT services and solutions to an IT specialist company in Mauritius. Here is all you need to know to start the right way.

 

What is offshore IT outsourcing, and why it matters

IT offshore outsourcing involves the delegation of a business process to an IT expert company. It happens when businesses outsource work to an IT company in a region or country with a different time zone than the company’s headquarters. For instance, a European company contracting IT services and solutions from an IT company in Mauritius.

An Eurostat study found that 55% of European companies experienced difficulties finding and recruiting IT specialists in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic has only increased the demand for IT specialists, as more and more companies have either initiated or accelerated their transition to an IT infrastructure that allow them to work remotely and securely.

In today’s world, digitization is inherent to growth opportunities and offshore IT outsourcing is a growth accelerator for many companies. To remain competitive in an increasingly challenging business environment, companies need to remain abreast of model changes, and to readjust and optimize their growth strategies accordingly.

According to Eurostat, while SMEs had more difficulties in finding appropriate IT specialists, both large enterprises and SMEs struggled with the lack of applications, lack of relevant qualifications and/or experience, and higher salary expectations. These are a few reasons why over 60% of European companies turn to offshore IT outsourcing, instead of having in-house IT specialists.

With the democratization of education and professional qualifications, it is possible – for both SMEs and larger companies – to obtain a quality of service on a par with western providers while ensuring cost-effectiveness by choosing Mauritius.

 

Advantages of outsourcing your IT offshore, to Mauritius

Mauritius has one of the richest technology ecosystems in Africa. A number of international players have set up in Mauritius are working with Mauritian IT outsourcing companies due to their ability to serve global clients with high-quality, innovative solutions. Here are the main reasons why to outsource your IT to specialist companies in Mauritius.

Skills and expertise: IT specialist companies are expert in their fields and focus on the professional growth of their teams. They already have the equipment they need, and their skilled workforce is what allows them to provide quality offshore IT outsourcing services.

Timeliness and agility: With an internal pool of qualified and trained talents, offshore IT outsourcing companies can start your IT project(s) as soon as it is defined and agreed (almost instantly), and scale their teams up or down depending on the project requirements and priority. Planning and implementing the same project(s) in-house might take you months to find the right talent, the necessary funds for the IT hardware and software.

Budget flexibility and control: IT outsourcing allows companies to pay for the services they need, when they need them. Similarly to employing a full-time employee, they can hire an IT specialist company to drive and implement their IT projects.

Risk sharing: Offshore IT outsourcing companies being specialists in their field of activity, they are aware of IT-related risks and are able to plan risk-mitigating factors better. Therefore, outsourcing certain components of the project or business process allows companies to shift certain responsibilities to the IT outsourcing company.

Time and focus: Outsourcing gives you more time to focus on and strengthen your core process (e.g. planning and implementing the company’s business strategies) rather than the supporting ones.

Time zone: Offshore IT companies, located on a different time zone like Mauritius (GMT+4), start working while you may still be in bed. This gives you the advantage of making full use of the extra hours available, increasing your overall productivity with more work being done in a day.

Cost-effectiveness: Offshore IT outsourcing to countries like Mauritius allows European businesses to save 40% or more on their costs.

• Operational expenditures: By hiring an IT outsourcing company, you do not need to budget for neither recruitment nor administrative expenses (e.g., computers and other tools & equipment, rent, salary, etc.).
• Training costs: Training and upskilling in the IT industry is essential to take advantage of the digital transformation, a major challenge for SMEs who have limited capabilities compared to large companies. IT outsourcing allows companies to benefit from an adequately skilled team that is able to provide quality service in a cost-effective way.

 

How to choose an offshore IT outsourcing services company

Outsourcing IT services – such as software development, building work-from-home capacity, or web development – can be done remotely from Mauritius. Companies such as Business Data Integrator are an effective example of this, through the development of tailored IT solutions for companies of all sizes operating in various industries, including finance, human resources, consulting, real estate and health care services.

With a skilled and cost-efficient workforce, a reliable internet connectivity (amongst one of the fastest in Africa) to provide seamless online services, and a convenient time zone, Mauritius offers a distinctive value proposition in offshore IT outsourcing services.

The following factors are important to consider before choosing the right offshore IT company:

• Fluent communication and work process: For many European companies, Mauritius is ideal for outsourcing a variety of services, especially IT. While English is widely used across the country, most of the population is bilingual (English and French), while a number of professionals are fluent in many other languages including German, Spanish, Italian and Chinese. Mauritian IT services providers have a proven work process, and provide their experience in project management and provide services according to your requirements and processes to ensure deadline are met.
• Advisory and consulting: In addition to its qualified and skilled workforce, IT outsourcing companies should also be composed of experts able to advise you on the best solutions based on your business needs and objectives, as well as suggesting improvements on your current IT infrastructure.
• Clarify your objectives and criteria for selection: It is important for a company to understand its own business objectives and determine how outsourcing its IT can help in reaching them. Drafting a Request for Proposal (RFP) stating your objectives, requirements, and the criteria you are looking for from the offshore IT outsourcing services company (i.e. company size, experience, technological expertise, price, etc.).
• Credentials: To understand whether a company has the necessary experience and expertise, it is a good practice to request for credentials such as software developed and client portfolio. This will provide information about the technologies the IT outsourcing services company specializes in, as well as the business sectors they serve.