As more businesses move into providing online services, the need to invest in software testers has become an ever increasing necessity. In fact, Software Testing News recently reported that as of 2017, 47% of managers expect to increase hiring in 2017.
However, software testers are not the most crucial part of building online services, and they generally do not need to occupy the same workspace as other employees. Coincidentally, as the demand for software testers has increased, it has also become a lot easier to outsource software testing to other companies, such as A1QA, individual freelancers, and even abroad, largely through the use of cloud-based technology.
Outsourcing software testing can benefit your company in more than one way. Take a look below at the most striking advantages.
1. Cost saving
This is the most obvious benefit from outsourcing software testing. In the UK, the average software tester earns approximately £24,950 per annum, with senior software testers earning up to £52,500 per annum. Despite the current economic uncertainty surrounding Brexit, the pound is still one of the strongest currencies in the world and with its strength it is possible to invest in a large workforce abroad. For example, in Sofia, Bulgaria, the average software tester earns approximately £10,900 per annum, less than half the salary of a UK software tester. Why pay the full price for a UK software tester when you can get two in Bulgaria and still save the company a handsome profit?
However, there is always the possibility of overlooked hidden fees. Contracts should be well-written and examined to ensure any unexpected fees do not come neither from your company nor the company or individuals providing the outsourcing service.
2. Saved office space
As of 2017, office space in London can cost as high as approximately £95 per square foot per annum, one of the highest rates in the world. It is likely to continue rising too. In 2015, Business Insider reported, “the cost of renting an office went up by around 11% in the first six months of 2015, more than any other major city in the same period.” Office space can be limited, and it is vital that it is used efficiently. By outsourcing software testing, you will have more space for the employees than you need in the same office space, or, alternatively, if space is not immediately needed, it can easily be sub-let for the time being. Either way, there will be more space available in the office allowing your business to expand in the future without having to sign additional leases.
3. Improved quality
By outsourcing software testing abroad, in particular, it is possible to see an improvement in quality as your company’s money can go further. This means you may even be able to hire software testers with more experience than software testers in the UK. On top of this, by investing in a software testing team or company, it is likely the workforce will be larger and have better infrastructure, and therefore be able to complete their tasks more efficiently and with more attention to detail.
4. A more focused workforce
Software testers rarely need to work side by side with other employees. Their tasks rarely require them to discuss or work at all with employees in other departments such as marketing or administration, for example. In an environment where everyone is working on different objectives, it can lead to a fractured sense of worth in an office that looks disorganised. Employees may not be sure whether their tasks are beneficial if the company is striving for multiple goals. By dividing the workforce by their aims, you can make your workforce more focused on their own jobs and tasks and develop a sense that everyone is working to achieve the same goals. The same can also be said of developers who rely on software testers and IT support too. Since one portion of the IT department is moving, why not move all of it? One location handles the business, the other one solves all IT related issues and manages products.
5. Alleviated control
By handing over software testing tasks, it is possible to relieve duties that someone else can handle. It is not completely necessary to have control over who is being hired and their working arrangements. By outsourcing software testing, a new or existing team leader can take over these tasks, allowing you to focus on those that are more important. Passing on such power can also lead to improved quality too, as the software testers will be able to make more informed decisions, such as what software and equipment to invest in.
However, setting up an outsourcing team for software testing still requires a lot of work.
While outsourcing abroad, you need to take into consideration foreign tax laws and work practices, including national holidays and labour laws. Which is why, when considering such a change in your workforce, it is often beneficial to have contacts based in the targeted country who can help to navigate the local offering.
One question does arise: When hiring an outsourcing company, who has the most control?
Some may argue that outsourcing companies, with their in-depth knowledge of the field, are better prepared to position themselves in a deal that will benefit them more. On the other hand, others argue that with the use of good lawyers the terms can be more favourable. It may even be better to start your own office abroad just to avoid such companies.
Or, perhaps outsourcing software testing is falling out of fashion already, and it is time for software testing in general to be respected more as a vital part of building online services and kept at the heart of the business?