Around the end of May, Australian BPO news source The Sauce reported a political outrage that was sparked when one of the country’s wealthiest women acquired the right to hire foreign workers.
It’s the classical outsourcing debate between those who are for looking to offshore assistance and those who wish to keep business exclusively local. So what does this have to do with generating software sales leads? Well as you’re well aware, B2B lead generation is one process that plenty of B2B software companies tend to outsource if they find it a little too far from their core functions.
With that said, protests like the ones mentioned above are still worth noting (whether you’re Australian or not). The issue of where you get labour isn’t all that different from the issue of where you get business leads. If there are people out there who are this quick to oppose the use of foreign labor, how much more when you’re looking to a foreign company to conduct an entire business process for you?
This doesn’t mean that offshore outsourcing is somehow superior but the problem with the protesters’ logic is best described by Martin Conboy below:
“The proposed mine site is so remote it would be hard to find Australians who would be interested in working there. There are 1,750 jobs on offer and, as no one is available for hire or is particularly interested to work there from the Australian workforce, whose jobs are we giving away anyway?”
Suppose you’re a company specializing in SCM software. However, no matter where you turn to, your place and circumstances make it difficult to find any personnel with the knowledge of how to market your particularly unique type of software solution. There are very few people in your area who are familiar enough with logistics or identifying the different parts of supply chain networks, let alone a whole company. You’re only choice would be to look beyond your own shores.
These same protesters would target you and accuse you for not patronizing the labour efforts of your own countrymen. But wait, take a step back. Can’t you see something is logically inconsistent here? These people are all up in arms but when you ask if any of them can provide the leads you’re looking for, nobody steps forward.
Here you’ll see why you shouldn’t pay this sort of opposition too much attention. Focusing on the geographical location of the source is not only irrelevant or illogical, it can be ethically questionable. If you can find yourself a better, more cost-efficient means of lead generation and appointment setting offshore why not? Why keep the role of lead generator vacant when you’re only losing money the longer it stays open?
It’s the same thing in reverse. If an onshore company proves itself better, then go for it! The point is you have to focus on what’s important and stay objective. Don’t be swayed by emotional politics or ulterior agendas. Focus only on what’s relevant and what’s rational with regards to your lead generation needs!
