10 questions to ask before choosing an outsourcing partner

Outsourcing works brilliantly when the partner is right and painfully when it isn’t. Most of the difference is visible before you sign — if you ask the right questions. Here are the ten we’d ask in your position.

1. Who exactly will be doing the work?

Ask whether you’ll have a dedicated person or a rotating pool, what their experience is in your kind of work, and whether you can speak to them before starting.

2. How do you vet the people you place?

Look for a real process: skills tests on relevant tasks, communication checks and references — not just a CV review.

3. Who is my point of contact when something goes wrong?

A named account manager who knows your business is worth a great deal. Ask how quickly issues are typically acknowledged and resolved.

4. How will our working hours overlap?

Time-zone differences can be an advantage, with work progressing overnight, but you still need a daily window for questions and handovers. Agree it upfront.

5. How do you protect our data and accounts?

You should hear about NDAs, password managers, least-privilege access and a clear process for removing access when the engagement ends.

6. What does the price include — and what doesn’t it?

Ask for a fixed quote for a defined scope. Clarify how extra hours, urgent requests and tool licences are charged so there are no surprises.

7. What happens if the person leaves or is on holiday?

Good partners arrange cover for leave and replace people quickly, with handover notes so you don’t start from scratch.

8. How will we measure success?

Agree a few simple measures at the start — tasks completed, response times, leads booked, books closed on time — and how often they’ll be reported.

9. Who owns the work you produce?

For anything you pay to have created — code, designs, content — ownership should transfer to you on payment. Check that it’s written into the terms.

10. How easy is it to change or end the arrangement?

Flexibility matters as your needs change. Look for reasonable notice periods rather than long lock-ins, and a clear process for scaling up or down.

Our answers

We’re happy to answer every one of these for your specific situation — in writing, before you commit to anything. Book a free consultation or explore our services.