In our diselva Nearshore Excellence Framework , we have defined four central pillars that structure the nearshore process. After highlighting the first pillar – defining and sharpening the business model – in the first blog, we now focus on pillars 2 to 4, which concern the setup, scaling, collaboration mode and integration of the nearshore location.
The success of these steps depends not only on technical and logistical aspects, but also on how well you master the cultural challenges . And that’s not easy: Here, everything has to be considered in parallel and constantly adapted in order to be really successful.
Pillar 2: Building and scaling a nearshore location
The development and scaling of a nearshore location requires a good mix of technical, cultural and operational aspects. Success depends heavily on how well the location is integrated into the company and how flexibly it can react to changes.
Here are the key factors:
- Willingness to integrate: The company must accept the nearshore location as an integral part of the global strategy and build it into the corporate culture .
- Employer branding and attractiveness: The location needs a strong employer brand that attracts talent and retains it in the long term. Attractive working conditions are the key to attracting and retaining talent – this goes beyond a good salary today. These include private health insurance for the whole family, transport and meal allowances, team events, additional holidays and top office space in prime locations.
- Cultural adaptation & change management: Building only works if you live a culture of change . Fears must be addressed and resistance overcome, while at the same time a positive change culture must be established. The mindset of the employees has to be right – they have to work together as a global team .
- Establishment of its own culture: The location should develop its own culture, but adapted to the company’s values , which at the same time takes into account local conditions .
- Optimization of processes: The location must be integrated into global business processes , so regular communication and efficiency are important for cooperation between teams to run smoothly.
- Identify and manage risks: As you scale, the company needs to identify risks early on – be it financial, cultural, or legal. This is the only way to remain successful in the long term.
- Technical and social onboarding: Solid technical onboarding is a must to ensure that all employees are working with the same tools and technology and that collaboration runs smoothly. Social factors must not be neglected. Because in the end, it is important to work together as a team.
Only when the location is continuously adapted to the growing requirements of the company can it be successful in the long term and offer real added value for the organization.
Pillar 3: The collaboration mode: Acknowledging and acknowledging different team setups
Depending on the company’s strategy and project requirements , there are different models for working with nearshore teams. It’s not just about how close the teams are geographically, but also how best to deliver the services :
- Remote teams: These teams work completely remotely and offer a high degree of flexibility. This enables rapid scaling and access to a global talent pool.
- Balanced teams: Here, onshore and nearshore teams work together. Both teams are about the same size (balanced) and contribute their local strengths to work together on the goals and support each other.
- Satellite Teams: An onshore location serves as the main service delivery site and works closely with an individual or small team at the shoring site (satellite). This requires a strong integration of the satellite(s) and a lot of structured communication.
- Inverse Satellite Teams: In principle, the opposite of a satellite. The shoring site provides the bulk of the team, supported by an individual or a small team (often customer-facing).
Each of these setups has its justification. However, it is crucial for the success of the project to determine the setup in which you are on the road in order to then structure and manage the collaboration accordingly. Every setup has peculiarities that you have to be aware of. For example, in a satellite setup you are constantly in danger of losing the satellite (communicative, integrative, etc.), while in a setup with balanced teams you have to make sure that both more or less independently capable teams run in the same direction.
In all models, technical onboarding is critical to ensure that everyone is working with the same tools and platforms and that collaboration runs smoothly.
Pillar 4: Integration and successful collaboration
In addition to the technical and organizational aspects, the integration of nearshore teams depends on communication and the ability to overcome cultural differences . Strong integration is key for teams to truly function as a unit.
- Tools and technology: What tools and platforms ensure that collaboration is effective? It doesn’t work without the right tools.
- Cultural integration: How are cultural differences taken into account and effectively integrated into cooperation? A common culture ensures that everyone pulls together and misunderstandings are avoided.
- Best practices: As soon as there are good and successful examples, it must be talked about in order to inspire other parts of the organization (“walk the talk”)
In the upcoming blogs, we’ll take a closer look at what practical collaboration with nearshore teams looks like. The main focus is on communicative best practices, dealing with cultural differences and the decisive factors that make up a long-term successful cooperation .
If you need support in integrating, scaling or setting up a nearshore location , we are of course there for you with our expertise . We look forward to hearing from you!