Role of Effective-Communication in Offshore Engagement

Proliferation of Virtual world has minimized the gap among businesses in the Global village. But, the appealing factor of virtual development that is implemented in Offshore Model of “High quality, low cost endeavor” is often wrapped up with the complexity of being able to understand the other side.

A weak Communication between the Offshore Client and the Vendor can lead to problems such as

Productivity Loss
Mismatch of deliverables and expectations
Loss of valuable time
Redundancy of tasks

There is more to communication than merely conveying the content. Besides the semantics, which is the key to being at the same wavelength, Attitude and Diction with which the information is shared are equally important. Software development outsourcing is the main field which mainly depends on the communication. Apart from the problems that arise from differences in culture, language and time zone, the communication could be fudged if there are multiple people communicating from the offshore vendor side to the client. Such ambiguities can be alleviated by implementing appropriate Strategies for communication, as mentioned below:

A. Using Communication Tools:
Email
Instant Messenger
Phone calls
VOIP ]Extranets ]
Web Meetings
Virtual Office Cabinets
Ticket Management System
Customized communication applications

B. Guidelines, Practices and Discipline

The two shores should communicate by following certain guidelines and practices

Design the Discusson Document that takes into account the perspective from the both the offshore client and the vendor. The Document should outline the following:

Tasks
Roles assigned for the tasks
Mode of communication between the client and the vendor
Mode of intra-communication between the Software Teams and the Business Teams
How to tackle or mitigate any unexpected Issues or Risks
Status Reports [Daily, Weekly]
To avoid any communication gap, the correspondence should take place with discipline according to the defined schedule.

Risk of information loss is eliminated if both the client and the offshore vendor delegate their tasks through the Project Managers from either side, which enables smooth information relay among the client and the vendor employees.

C. Techniques
Clarity of goals before any meeting or phone conversation
Concise to-the-point discussion
Documents with bullets and points
Send summary of discussion

Though E-Business communication tools such as e-mail, tele-conferencing, fax, chat, video–conferencing all serve as a conduit to effective and efficient means of information transfer, their usage can be more productive if used with a planned approach. An effective communication does not end with a healthy initiation, but is sustained keeping the momentum by maintaining agile response loop. Hence, a proactive approach from both the client and the Offshore Vendor is mandatory to further the business goals.

Mobile Phones And Satellite Phones

Mobile Phones And Satellite Phones - Two Tools Of A Globetrotter
There are cellular phones and then there are cellular phones. All these varieties of tele-communicating devices coming into the service of mankind, appears in a cluster of different shape, size and functionalities. If the ones in the name of mobile phones are the best friends to one's mobility, there are some in the name of satellite phones, fulfilling communication need of a maverick, globe tottering soul. Both the telecommunication devices earn maximum attraction for being wireless and portable.

If mobile phones have gathered the maximum amount of interest from the millions world over, the rapid up-gradation in the form of feature and technology augmentation has changed the outlook of this device from a bulky communication tool to a sleek and trendy gadget. Developments in terms of telecommunication science and microelectronics have not only miniaturized the mobile phones to fit the size of a fist, but also have made many of them turn into some al-rounder devices. Other than performing the roles of a communication device, mobile phones today function as a digital camera, hi-fi music system, internet browser and many more.

A satellite phone or a satphone on the other hand, is a mobile phone that is free from any mobile network to follow and works in direct communication with an orbiting communication satellite. Based on the architecture of the device, a satphone phone may be even used to communicate from any corner of the earth. The total weight of the entire device, which comprises a base or 'earth station' and a handset, comes to be similar to the one mobile phones of 1980s. The installation of a satphone comprises a rugged, rack-mounted electronics and a steerable microwave antenna tracking the movements of the satellite to which it is linked. This device though requires to be operated under an open sky, works as a communication device for the ones in expedition to any remote corner of the earth where terrestrial cellular service is unavailable.

Now be it price, network supportability, size or any other factor marking the differences between these two tools of communication, in the different stages of journey, they are the two most important devices for a globetrotter to stay connected to the world.