Many businesses across the globe choose the offshoring avenue without a second thought – logic says that it is economical and very good for business. However, this is not always the case. Like everything else in the business world, the good is almost always followed by some bad.

PeopleToGo has much experience in the world of IT business staffing and recruiting. Our team of experts offers you a little insight into the pros and cons of offshoring IT jobs:

The Good

• Overheads: When running a business, one always has to keep budgets in mind. Overhead costs are a significant item in your balance sheet and offshoring IT work can mean higher profits and fewer budget cuts.
• Efficiency: With better finances, you can run your business more efficiently. Taking care of your employees and investing in quality equipment will contribute in a huge way.

The Bad

• Domestic Jobs: While offshore IT outsourcing does help a company grow financially, it can negatively impact the nation’s economy. Offshoring eliminates certain domestic IT job opportunities and, therefore, the locals have to look elsewhere.
• Knowledge Transfer: Sometimes there are cultural barriers and transportation problems that interfere with the quality of work. The poor transfer of knowledge, communication issues, distance and time differences don’t help either.

A telephonic interview can be a strange experience. However, there are ways and means to be a positively memorable interviewee. PeopleToGo offers you the best tips for success with your upcoming phone interview. Here’s what you need to know:

• Be prepared: The biggest advantage that a telephonic interview has over a face-to-face one is you can check your notes. Make sure you have in front of you, a copy of your CV, job description and any other material relevant to your application. Pick a quiet spot with good cell phone network coverage if that is the number you will receive the call at.
• What to say: Unfortunately, the interviewer and interview cannot see each other, so everything depends on your speech.
  • Make sure you speak slowly, clearly and intonate well.
  • As you can’t read body language, you have to be extra alert.
  • Avoid colloquialisms just like in a regular, in-person interview. Avoid sounds like ‘um’ or ‘uh’.
  • If you need time to think of an answer, ask for a ‘moment to collect your thoughts.’ Interviewers never have a problem with that.
• Dress up: Even though your interviewer can’t see you, dress up as if you are going out for one. It changes your attitude and boosts your confidence.
• Hydrate, some: Sip some water every once in a while as your throat might get dry. Don’t overdo it because there’s no bathroom break during a telephone interview!
• Follow up: When wrapping up, you may ask about the next step in the hiring process. Use questions like, ‘when can I expect to hear from you?’ to sound polite.

You are never guaranteed an interview when you apply for a job. The key to get through to that interview stage is creating the perfect resume. Not only must it have substance, but it has to be designed so that very busy recruiters don’t waste time reading irrelevant details. Remember, your resume doesn’t get you the job – it merely gets you an interview.

PeopleToGo has been in the placement industry for years and we know the subtle details that help you write that perfect resume. Here is a list of tips to guide you through the resume writing process:

• Simplicity: There’s no doubt that the person who’s reading your interview has a whole stack of them to read in very little time. Keep it simple.
• Layout: In all likelihood, your potential recruiter or employer will simply skim over your resume. A white background, black font (size 12, usually) and good spacing make it easier to read. Use bullet points wherever necessary – this makes it easier to write and quicker to read.
• Honest: No matter how badly you want the job, always be honest in your resume. Interviewers are trained to catch ‘holes’ and you don’t want a tainted image in the job market.
• Professional Tone: Don’t include details about family background, religious/ political views and any other personal information. Stay professional.
• Relevance: Make sure you only include information that is applicable to the job profile. Include every possible skill you have that would help you perform better, but leave out any irrelevant details.
• References: Unless the job posting asks for references, you don’t need to include them. However, if you do add them to your resume, keep your references well informed.

With the incessant explosion of Internet usage these days, people are finding it increasingly hard to take offline breaks! What’s worse, separating your professional life from your personal life online is a nightmare. Although websites like Facebook were initially designed more for casual users, companies are starting to milk the abundance of business opportunities available. So where, then, do you draw the line between your personal and professional image online?

Are you struggling to maintain a good online image as you wait for your next promotion? PeopleToGo provides you with a few pointers on how to keep your online image professional:

• There are plenty of different networking channels available on the internet today. It would be wise to choose carefully which ones you should join. LinkedIn is the ideal business networking platform online. Expanding your network, getting skill endorsements, etc. allow your superiors to see that you are committed and talented.
• If you have connected with colleagues or your boss on Facebook or Twitter, you have two options:
  • Clean up: Make sure your profile doesn’t have any inappropriate images, statements or other content that may negatively impact your image in the workplace.
  • Limited Access: Most social networking sites have a ‘limited access’ option. This means that you can control the extent to which certain people view your profile.
• Should you find yourself in a situation where disastrous images or inappropriate messages were read or viewed by your superiors, there is still hope. A positive attitude and a show of new-found responsibility and commitment make a big difference. Don’t let one mishap end your career – go the extra mile to prove yourself in the workplace.

We are all very good at something. It is also true we are typically quite passionate about what we are very good at. The better we get the more we love it!!

Companies are the same. The focused ones are very good at something specific and then the team rallies around that activity with exceptional passion. The more passionate you are about your business, typically the better you get at it and the more you become passionate about it.

People who work for and with our organization fit this profile. Each person is a specialist at what they do and because of their focus on that activity, they get better at it and become more enamored with their role of helping create solutions.

When any company puts passionate people together, magic happens. Teams of focused, dedicated and passionate people who are great at what they do can accomplish amazing things.

In this Project Economy each company is responsible for and earns opportunities to become specialists in their fields. Customers know from experience that you cannot be “everything to everybody”. In fact, it strains credibility if you say you can do it all.

At PeopleToGo and DispatchUs, we have chosen to become the best at IMAC and Field Services delivered on a local or national basis for our customers. Our customers choose to use us over and over to augment their staff and/or to deliver complex projects because we are great at what we do. Because we do it over and over again, we become better, more focused and increasingly passionate.

Find partners who are great at what they do.

They may be your partner for life!

I was in Redmond, Washington a couple of weeks ago at Microsoft’s campus with a number of other Presidents and CEOs that belong to an organization called YPO and WPO. What an amazing opportunity to have a glimpse into the future with leaders in the IT industry.

In addition to the chance to network with people who develop solutions and services for many local and global businesses, it was a real eye opener to the trends in the IT and business world.

I find these events a great occasion to think about our business and learn the best practices that other companies are using to serve their customers. I came away with a list of things that our company must continue to improve, and an equal list of items that we do as well and better than anyone.

A theme that came up often was “The Cloud”. The cloud for services is very real and, in fact, has existed for a long time. Specialist companies supply services that organizations can buy for a set period of time. It is the expertise and services that organizations do not have, or do not want to have, in house. The advantage to the buyer is that they are dealing with suppliers that hone their deliverables everyday in multiple environments. It is that collection of knowledge and constant upgrading that makes for a compelling argument to reach into the cloud for services instead of trying to build, manage and optimize the service in-house.

Everything is or is going to be available in the cloud. What an opportunity for businesses to purchase what they need when they need it and a great chance for businesses to create businesses that satisfy this demand.

I have been asked many times about how we started PTG.

It’s probably the way a lot of people start companies. Dave Duncan and I saw a glaring need in the marketplace. We asked potential customers if they would buy our idea and, when we got the right answer, we created a business.

Oh, they didn't come in droves as we expected when the doors were first open. It took potential customers a lot more time to trust us and for us to EARN the opportunity to serve them after retooling our business offerings.

The only absolutely essential ingredient required in any successful venture is action. You have to eventually stop analysis, start building your offering and start selling your service. We reviewed the size of the market, the competition, built a team and told the world we were open for business.

We then had 2 years of Entrepreneurial hell. I think it is the required initiation that allows you to get the stamina and business smarts to really build something the market wants and deliver it properly.

I have started a number of different companies in the Technology Sector and most of the them have had this time of almost necessary pain. I think it naturally weeds out those who do not have the conviction for the long haul and rewards those who can financially hang on and evolve the RIGHT business model that their customers want.

It has been almost 11 years now and we have created a company that keeps hundreds of people working everyday and our phone rings off the proverbial hook with requests for our expertise.

Kind of neat, huh?!

How do you build a world class services company from the ground up?  In 2000, experience and vision lead us to create an organization around technology and flat management.  It enabled us to serve our customers at the right price while ensuring that they and their clients are thrilled with the service we provide.

I discussed this important concept with one of our clients last week.  He said they didn’t want us to just do things the way they did things.  They need to see improvements.  “We need to change the way we do business”, he said.  We think we bring this to the table.  Outsourcing and Selective Outsourcing is here to stay, but it can’t be simply switching an existing service for another one that is identical – if it was, why would you outsource?

Companies that outsource need improved service levels; faster response times; an increased skill pool; wider geographic reach; and it all must be done at a better price for a happier customer that is more likely to repurchase services.

Technology is power. It is instant information to measure performance and Customer Experience. Our people use technology to make decisions on the fly faster and more accurately.

It helps flatten the organization. We know immediately if we are delivering to SLA or better. Our people are experienced and have the training to make decisions quickly and accurately.

We have to change the way our customers do business and help them remove costs from their supply chain. We can do this for you and we have many success stories to show you how.

Please call or email me or anyone of our talented staff and we will be pleased to help you.

The success of our business is dependent on making it easy for our customers to do business with us. Since we are selling our services to companies that have already sold these services to their clients, our mutual success too is dependent on the win-win relationship that we develop together.  Our customers are primarily OEM’s, VAR’s, Integrators and Professional Service Firms, along with other companies that wish to build out their Field Services Force. We have also increasingly been engaged by retailers that have outsourced their  field services work to us.

At PTG/DU, our mission is taking care of the lifeblood of the customers we serve and it is clearly imperative that we take amazing care of our customers’ clients – the end user.  To accomplish this goal we must be able to do what say we are going to do every time.

Our sophisticated IT systems manage an opportunity from inception through to the customized reporting we deliver to our customers once the call has been completed.  This reporting tool allows PTG/DU and our customer to measure the success of the service event.   In essence, it is our report card to you.  We break it down into the many variables that have been in the service business forever and these are the metrics that must be achieved to complete the call successfully.  The most important metric is the one we also measure – Customer Satisfaction, Customer Experience or however you want to say “The customer is thrilled and will give us another opportunity to EARN their business”.

We service Desktops, Laptops, Flat Panel TV’s, POS Equipment, Printers and Lottery machines from coast to coast. Our Integration and Technology Rollout teams have delivered many complex, multi-site, time restricted projects in some of the most security sensitive areas (and sometimes most remote areas) in the country. Our teams of Project Mangers and Delivery Experts are very aware that we have to ensure that we are successful in delivering each project for our customers in order for our customer to reward us with more business. Our technicians are experts at keeping our customers happy! And, it is no mistake – we train them to be the best!

If your company is struggling with delivering your sophisticated projects to the SLA’s you have agreed on with your clients or you just need help to supplement the peaks in your business delivery cycle, give us a call and let us see how we can help you as we have helped most of the biggest names in the business. The only way we can survive is by delivering to our customers all the time, on time and on budget. Our stellar reputation has EARNED us your significant trust in delivering services to your very important customers.

Let us help you be a highly successful company, after all our future depends on it!

It seems that getting that work issued laptop for home use, along with the PDA has been a real bonus in creating efficiencies in our ability to work smarter.  These devices are indeed a real bonus as long as we do not become a slave to them. The teams are hollowing out at the office and everyone is expected to do more…with less.

Our customers have the same challenges – do more with less people. We are all becoming accustomed, or is that programmed,  to answering emails as soon as they come in, no matter what time of the day or night. Everybody must stay on top  of escalations. Everybody must take care of emergencies. The challenge is do not let your culture become an emergency culture.

When an issue comes up I think it is more important to put time into a thoughtful response as opposed to just a response that shows you are close to your PDA. Read what action is required and respond appropriately to minimize the time-wasting back and forth emails that often become necessary to get clarity on hasty responses.

Use the technology wisely and more importantly use your time wisely. Structure your day so you clearly set out what you plan to  accomplish and then take the actions to make sure that you accomplish your mission – every day!

As an employer of an organization that hires many people to service our clients, I think the most important attribute of our people is that they are Self Starters, but more importantly they are also Finishers. They get the team involved to help them finish their deliverables in or out of the office at the time they committed.

Enjoy your time away from the office with your family and friends and make a concerted effort to accomplish your mission in the office.

Do not be an emergency maker, be an emergency preventer – plan twice and do once!

O.K, O.K., I know I have not written a blog for a looong time.

I am surprised at:
i) the number of people who reminded me and
ii) that a couple of people actually want to read it

The following may sound like a familiar business story but an unnecessary one.

The company that designed and was taking care of our website disappeared, we could not track him down, didn’t know where the website resided and we were very busy as a company ( had other fish to fry), therefore – no blog.

We then finally gave up the chase to try to get him to finish the job and hired a new reputable and highly referenced organization to help with our website. Now I can blog again.

What were the lessons learned:
1) Check references
2) Get details on process
3) Price is not the deciding factor when making a buying decision
4) It made our site look stale. I should have been on the issue quicker – it cost us business

It took too long to fix this relatively simple issue and I really believe that it may have cost business and customer confidence. Why?
When I look at a stagnant site, under construction area of a website or, yes, a blog that isn’t blogged, it begs the question – what is going on there? Are they still in business? Why is this not important enough to do?

In our case, and in particular to my blog, I did not think it was a priority. The great news is that people do want to know what is up at our distinctive firms.

Well let me tell you…we are definitely in business. We are busier than ever and on our way to another record year!

Our customers are continuing to keep us very engaged with projects ranging from installing and fixing T.V.’s and associated A/V equipment from coast to coast, complex point of sale integration and IMAC work to augmenting their staff with ERP professionals.

The market has really picked up for our firm. Our unique blend of offerings – total outsourced IT Services, Projects fixed priced by the event and staffing available at a daily rate make it very easy for our customers to have a partner that understand their business and is able to deliver in the way that makes most sense for them.

If there are any services that we can help you with please email me, call me or contact one of our highly professional representatives across the country!!

It used to be pretty simple going to work. You had a job description, a dedicated manager who helped you through all issues, a company that made lots of profit and could afford to move along at a comfortable pace. The customers were pretty understanding and allowed, maybe even expected, the occasional mess up.

Times have changed. The expectation of customers are different. Every organization that serves someone has a more demanding and educated consumer. If things are not done quickly, politely and with the latest and greatest technology that makes the experience easy for the customer - it is not good enough. Why?? The customer has more options than ever before! Because there is another company willing to deliver what the customer wants, the way they want it.

We all have to be more dedicated in our leaner organizations. The expectations are higher by our customers who are willing and able to move on to the next supplier. The internet has enabled us all to be more educated and aware of options. Opinions and information travel quickly within the information world.

This makes each one of us having to be more responsible. Each person working in an organization is expected to THINK, is expected to think like the educated , option rich consumer that they themselves are when they are in a buying position. It is incumbent on us all to ensure we deliver what we say we will deliver and understand that we are truly fighting for each and every piece of business we get.

This new workforce has to be nimble, ask questions and really care about doing an exceptional job for their clients. A supplier's job is to make it easy for a buyer to do business with them and easy for the buyer to recommend them to other potential buyers in their organization and to their external network.

This can only be accomplished by 100% effort of all people in the organization. Everyone in the company has to truly care and make sure that they understand the relationship between that demanding customer and the paycheck that they receive every 2 weeks. It is the contribution of great employees that enables companies to innovate, their teams to grow and their business to flourish. A company's role, and therefore its employees' role, is to understand what the customer wants and successfully deliver it every time.

I was having lunch with an important Client of ours the other day and we discussed the fact that companies cannot get caught up in the fancy stuff. Business is about getting the simple stuff right and doing it with a smile.

Be interested in them

Be interesting in how you can help

I really enjoy interesting and interested people. People who are truly engaged in discussions, activities or are just plain passionate about what they do. People and companies who understand that dialogue is all about what you can learn and contribute to a solution are a rare breed.

I was in a restaurant the other day that I frequent fairly often and they called my wife and I by name , greeted my children with high fives and were really happy we were there. It started the evening off perfectly. They continued to follow through with attentive service, follow up and proceeded with speed of service at a pace that they earlier confirmed that they we were there for. All in all a wonderful time...the food was great too!

Another restaurant I frequent more often with my family is also good but they miss the details of finding out what is the time that we have available for our meal this evening, the servers do not greet us by name and they miss making us feel that much more special. It is important and easy.

I think for all businesses it is something we must work on harder, especially in these tough times - take care of your customers!! Be very interested in what they say and be interested in the value you can add back in the conversation or the solution they are seeking.

Training makes all the difference in how important Customer Service is ingrained in an organization.

I am always amazed by the professionals in our organization at:
A) How hard they work to understand our customers, or potential customers, challenges. Also how, when working with our internal teams to find the best solutions and the questions are flying that they make sure they have all of the correct questions asked and answered with the proper degree of details
B) How diligent they are in making sure they drive our internal teams for the right processes at the right prices to serve our customers best
C) How they constantly align to make sure we do what we say what we were going to do in the SOW and according the SLA's
D) How we review ways to ALWAYS make our processes more efficient, easier for all parties to understand and automate the tasks that should be automated so we can keep our people doing interesting work and keep our pricing at the best levels
E) How they have are keenly interested, and motivated, in making our customers highly successful
 
Is there a project that you are trying to figure out how to deliver on time and on budget?

Please, give me a call, I would love to help and I promise that I and our team will be interested in what you are trying to resolve and interested in how we can develop a solution for you!

I can be a real stickler for details.

It is the details that make a difference between a successful project and one that leaves no one satisfied. It is the details that our Sales teams must get from our customers.

You guys ask a lot of questions I hear... we better!!

That is the only way we are really going to understand what you need for YOUR project, for YOUR department, for the results that YOU uniquely desire. It doesn't matter that we have delivered projects for your company before or even for you before. Each project is unique and the success of YOU, your delivery partner and your customers depends on getting details up front so the foundation can be built for a successful project. The project can be - Staff augmentation, Full time placement or a National complex rollout. There are allot of important details, allot of questions that we must ask to make sure we can deliver results efficiently, on time and on budget and with no mess ups...every time!

So next time our teams are asking many questions, I promise you we are doing it to ensure that we have a highly successful outcome with YOU, our highly unique customers, working on their unique projects. I can ensure you that we are asking questions on your projects internally everyday to make sure that we are doing what we promised we were going to do after YOU told us exactly what YOU wanted and how YOU wanted it accomplished.

It is YOUR project after all. We better not assume we know what YOU may want...ever!!!

Our website has been updated and hopefully better reflects the services that we offer our customers. I am looking forward to feedback from current customers, potential customers and our extensive professional contractor base.

We are very busy, I am thrilled to say, taking care of our clients' important customer engagements. We know that we have built an offering that enables the offloading of their Delivery Supply Chain challenges. Our teams are the Field Services teams for our Clients. The 100% utilization and pay for Service as a Service just makes good business sense.

Our employees are working hard to make sure we get the typical too many things on the plate complete. Thanks team!

Have fun! Enjoy the great weather! Make it happen!