Outsourcing Architectural Services: Complete Guide
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Architectural firms have plenty to gain from outsourcing, but some still refuse to take the plunge. At WorldTeams, we know that intelligently outsourcing architectural services can bring you tremendous benefits.
When you do it right, you get:
But, weโve emphasized doing things the right way, because not all architectural outsourcing services are created equal. So, if you want to succeed, youโll need to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Otherwise, you risk:
So, in this guide, weโll show you how to overcome these obstacles and make the most out of outsourcing. By helping you avoid these common pitfalls, we can help you boost your productivity and profits threefold in as little as 90 days.
Letโs get started!
What is Outsourcing, Anyway?
Outsourcing is when a company hires a third-party contractor to perform tasks. This can include anything from simple jobs right up to high-level operations or services.
Some of the most common types of outsourcing practices are:
While many companies outsource locally, our globalized world and the increased ease of communication bring new opportunities to the table. As a result, more and more companies (and even governments!) are hiring professionals from all over the world. This is known as offshoring or the relocation of business processes to another area of the world.
And yes, while primarily the reason is cutting costs, itโs also because the international market can offer an equivalent level of talent โ or better!
Offshoring comes in two different โflavors,โ so to speak. Youโve got.
So, what do you stand to gain from outsourcing architectural services, exactly? Letโs take a look.
Why Should You Outsource Architectural Services
There are many reasons to outsource architectural work, especially to nearshore professionals.
Here are some ways we can help you gain an edge over your competitors.
Yes, Youโll Save Plenty of Money
One of the main benefits of outsourcing is cost-cutting. How, exactly? Because, first of all, professionals abroad tend to charge less for equivalent services. Second, you donโt have to pay taxes, vacation time, sick days, insurance, or social contributions anymore. Third, thereโs no infrastructure cost; each professional brings their own gear, know-how, and connections to the table. So, you can say goodbye to costly offices and maintenance costs.
But there are also additional advantages to keep in mind. For instance, even the best workers have plenty of downtime โ which you actually pay for! With outsourcing, you only pay for the real hours worked, not the idle moments that usually happen during office hours.
In addition, if things are slower, then you donโt have to pay for your workers if theyโre not active at the moment. You can call them when you need them, and theyโll only charge you for real, valuable work.
Or what happens if you suddenly have an influx of new projects? It can take time, effort, and valuable human hours to fill in those new positions. In the best-case scenario, it can take weeks or months. With the right architecture services outsourcing agency, though, you could potentially fill all of those positions in under a week.
When you tally all of these up, you can grow at half the cost, but triple the rate โ if you play your cards right.
You Can Save Time Too
Yes, the old adage is still true: time is money. When you hire remote professionals, you can delegate all types of tasks, from the most mundane to the highly complex. That frees you up to take care of the mission-critical, time-sensitive things on your to-do list.
But the time-saving benefits go even beyond even that. For instance, renders and visualizations can strain your resources, especially when you start getting more projects than you can handle. In addition, if you couple that with the fact that most studios donโt have in-house render specialists, costs can skyrocket fast. If a project catches you unprepared and you have to go on a hiring spree, your pockets are going to feel it.
High-quality architecture outsourcing services can help with that. For instance, we make sure our Worldies have the necessary skills to create professional-quality renders and visualizations. The end result is that you get top-shelf professional services that you pay for only when you need to.
This removes any unnecessary idle time, so you know that youโre only paying your outsourced workers for the time they are actually working.
No Time Zone Juggling
Sure, youโve probably done your fair share of Google searches; things like โCAD drafting services Indiaโ or โoutsource drafting Philippinesโ are probably par for the course. But one thing you need to take into account is that working in different time zones can make your life a living hell.
Just think about it. The average time difference between the US and India is 11 hours and 30 minutes. That means that somebody on that Zoom call is not going to be looking fresh-faced. Itโs either going to be them or you.
But whatโs worse, is that it slows down communication to a crawl. Since theyโre working while youโre sleeping, and vice versa, thereโs very little time overlap, if any. And in truth, thatโs going to mean plenty of late nights and stress for you.
The good news is that an architectural outsourcing service like WorldTeams can make all the difference here – we work in compatible time zones. So, less juggling time zones, and more getting to collaborate with each other in real-time.
And even not having the time zones match perfectly can bring you additional benefits. How? Letโs say, for example, that youโre a Miami-based architecture studio working 9-5 EDT. A Worldie in Buenos Aires will be GMT -03, so just one hour ahead.
Now, letโs imagine a situation where you need a project finished by the next day. By the time you close up shop at 5, your BA-based Worldie will be working on your project for at least one more hour, full-steam ahead. Or, in other words, youโll have effectively extended your office hours.
Pre-Vetted Professionals
Now, one of the issues with outsourcing is that many people are not what they seem. While youโll find plenty of so-called professionals offering their services on online marketplaces, you really donโt know whether theyโve got the goods. Some can even have impressive portfolios and references. But unless you perform a thorough background check, you could run into someone whoโs a better salesperson than architect.
At WorldTeams, we take the guesswork out of the equation. We screen our professionals thoroughly so you donโt have to. We make sure theyโve got:
We believe in putting you in touch with excellent, best-in-class professionals. When outsourcing, you donโt have to lower your standards or risk losing face with clients. You shouldnโt have to sacrifice quality for rates, and you donโt really need to. WorldTeams can give you access to the top 3% of professionals that you wouldnโt have found if youโd narrowed your search to the United States alone.
Also, we put you in touch with professionals with vastly different skill sets, depending on your requirements. This opens up the playing field, allowing you to take on projects that you wouldnโt have dreamed of before!
No Language or Culture Barriers
If thereโs one thing we put special emphasis on when it comes to architecture services outsourcing, itโs language. Communication is key, and when it comes to the precision and importance of architecture, there can be absolutely no second-guessing.
Most of our Worldies speak English so fluently you wonโt believe itโs their second language. So, you would be able to communicate with them as if they were any other team member. Plus, theyโll be available to talk via whichever app or text messaging service you choose.
This is of vital importance, so we make sure that to make the cut, a Worldie has to really know their stuff in English. If they canโt communicate with you, no matter how good of an architect they are, then itโs a no-go.
With farshore outsourcing, sometimes the cultural gap is too strong to bridge.
Some of the Projects We Can Help With
WorldTeams can help you with every part of the production ecosystem. You can source drafting services, full-time staff architects, all the way up to project managers, and team leaders. Whatever you need, we can help make it happen.
We have Worldies who can help with:
Also, we know that there are enough types of architectural projects to make your head spin. But donโt worry, because weโve got your back!
Here are the Residential projects we cover:
Got something Big-Scale lined up?
Building something Commercial? Not a problem. Weโll help with:
In the Landscape business? Hereโs where we can help you succeed.
What Types of Software Do We Use?
Software plays a huge role in an architectโs work. And, since we make sure our Worldies are accredited by the best global universities, theyโre up-to-date with the latest and greatest technologies. Plus, we provide regular webinars and seminars to get them to expand their software repertoire and knowledge.
Some of the technologies we use are:
But donโt be shy about asking if you donโt see your chosen software on the list. Our WorldTeams are always ready to go the extra mile.
Ready to get more projects, boost your profits, and halve your labor costs?
Outsourcing Architectural Services: What to Avoid
Grow your team and reduce costs with WorldTeams.
Now that weโve covered what high-quality architectural services can do for you, itโs time to dive deep into the bad and the ugly. What happens to those poor architectural studios that try their hand at outsourcing to Asia, or hiring off of LinkedIn?
We know you donโt like spoilers, but weโll go ahead anyway: typically, they tend to face disastrous results.
Now, this isnโt to say that farshore freelancing will always be a losing proposition. But, you face clear risks that you have to know about.
To give you a hand, we thought weโd compile a list of the reasons why farshore outsourcing can lead to the worst outcomes imaginable. Then, itโs going to be up to you to make an informed decision between โmaybe itโs worth the riskโ and โhey, Iโm gonna bet on quality.โ
You know which side of the street weโre on! So, without any more preambles, hereโs why farshore outsourcing can lead to some ugly issues down the line.
You Save Money, But at What Cost?
Sure, professionals in India or the Philippines typically have some of the lowest rates imaginable. And you may be thinking to yourself โhow bad can things be?โ while thinking about saving an extra buck or two.
But the reality is that you may be looking at bottom-of-the-barrel โtalentโ instead of the high-quality professionals you need and deserve. Unprepared and untrained professionals may be able to sell themselves well, but you may not be able to tell the difference until itโs too late.
The result is that you lose time and money while trying to make up for their mistakes. In fact, you may have to end up hiring another, more qualified professional altogether. And you can chalk that up as a reprocessing expenditure, where they have to come in at a late date to take care of a do-over.
Trust us: cheap can be extremely expensive in the long run.
You can Damage Your Reputation
Itโs not all about losing money. Sometimes, looking cheap can be one of the worst slaps in the face your business can suffer. At some point, your clients will be able to tell youโre not offering the same quality theyโre used to, and theyโll start asking questions.
It will be up to you whether you want to be upfront and say โYeah, Iโve been outsourcing to somebody in the Philippines and they didnโt even have proof that theyโre a real architect.โ But, as they say, results speak for themselves, and you canโt fool somebody who knows their stuff.
In the end, word gets out that your studio is cutting corners, and suddenly you start getting fewer projects. And the ones you do are lower quality and on a smaller scale than before. You definitely donโt want this to happen to you. Losing your reputation is more than just saving face; itโs your businessโs whole potential for growth and success.
How do we help you prevent this? By giving you access to pre-vetted, accredited architecture professionals from all around the world. We make sure theyโve got the goods before you even talk to them. In a way, we act as your external HR department; you tell us what you need, and we make sure to connect you with the right talents.
We end second-guessing, put you in good hands, and protect your reputation by helping you continue to deliver the quality results your clients expect.
โProfessionalsโ Who Canโt Back It Up
One of the main issues weโve seen when outsourcing architectural services is that many people are just good at self-promotion. But that doesnโt mean that theyโve actually got the goods!
Sometimes, you may see people on online marketplaces or social media hyping themselves up and talking big game. You may look at their rates and think โHey, whereโs the harm in that?โ and give them a shot.
And, occasionally, these professionals may even know how to use rendering programs or other software. They may offer things like CAD outsourcing services or Revit drafting services. Yet, they may not necessarily be architects or accredited professionals.
But if they donโt have the proper background, itโs hard for them to follow your directions; they may be OK at producing renders but may fall short in other areas. And this is what brings us to what amounts to โtaking their word for itโ when they show you a portfolio of their previous work.
How do you know, if you donโt have somebody to double-check for you, that what they pass off as their portfolio is really their work? While some professionals may be honest, one of the most frequent issues with outsourcing to Asia or other parts of the world is a lack of proven credentials.
Sadly, weโve lost count of how many architectural firms and studios have fallen victim to this. The worst part is that these things are very hard to catch at first glance. In the end, you realize whatโs going on too late, which leads to disappointed clients, missed deadlines, and a domino effect of negative consequences.
How do we make sure this wonโt happen to you? By vouching for our professionals and their work. We go through a lengthy process of multiple interviews before we consider our Worldies eligible for our talent pool. Then, when itโs time for you to choose, we pick the best possible candidates and help you choose the one that fits the bill.
Language and Culture Matter
Now, many professionals claim to be able to speak English fluently. And sure, they may be able to convince you, in a written exchange, that they can communicate competently.
But all that falls away when you try to have your first video meeting. Suddenly, they can hardly keep up with you during a normal conversation. They stammer, struggling to find words, and have to look up anything from measurements to simple words.
The result is that you lose time trying to communicate, and you also risk misunderstandings. And, in architecture, misunderstandings often mean costlyโand potentially dangerousโmistakes. You donโt want to find your project has some structural mistake because the person you hired doesnโt know the difference between inches and centimeters.
Moreover, difficulties in communication can also cause a lack of team cohesion. Many times, youโre going to need somebody to fill a full-time position that requires a constant back-and-forth with your other team members. If the person is not fluent in English, youโre going to find that theyโre the odd one out every single time. When you all have to pull in the same direction, that can cause significant setbacks.
And then thereโs the matter of cultural differences. If youโre all observing different holidays, and have differing views, itโs harder to feel like the whole team is on the same page. This can compound the language differences until thereโs a huge gap between your local and farshore team members.
The solution is simple. At WorldTeams, weโll connect you with professionals that speak excellent English. Aside from being outstanding architects, our Worldies feel comfortable enough speaking English that youโll swear they live in the US.
We understand that there can be no half-measures here, so we thoroughly screen our candidates to make sure that, no matter their portfolio, they can communicate well with you. Forget about suffering culture shock or missed opportunities, and let us handle the outsourcing of architectural services.
Leave it to WorldTeams
In the end, what you want from an architectural outsourcing service is reliability. And by reliability, we mean:
WorldTeams will be there for you every step of the way. We take care of the talent scouting and recruiting part. Then, you just have to interview a viable candidate or set of candidates from our talent pool, and youโve got yourself one of the worldโs top 3% architecture talents!
If youโre ready to start outsourcing architectural services the right way, cut your spending by 50% in less than a week, and triple your profits, then weโre your ideal partner.