Indian virtual assistant

The Indian outsourcing industry is backed by a pro-IT government. Its policies have been helpful in enhancing the communications systems and the overall infrastructure. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg of reasons that make India the premier choice among numerous outsourcing destinations across the globe.

You must have heard and have a general idea how popular India is as an outsourcing destination. Now you want to learn why it is so and if you should also hire an Indian virtual assistant. If that’s the scenario, you will get all your answers in this blog.

Let’s jump right in.

Statistics in Favor of Outsourcing to India

Before we take a look at the reason, let’s take a quick pause and go over some interesting stats that further solidifies the view the world has about the place of India when it comes to outsourcing services.

  • According to a Deloitte survey, America is the largest outsourcing market for India, as 59% of American companies choose India as their outsourcing country. 
  • By 2025, India’s BPO and IT sectors are estimated to generate a revenue of $350 billion, which is considerably higher than $177 billion in 2022.   
  • Approximately 46% of companies mention that outsourcing to India lets them access expertise and skill that is not available in-house.

Upon asking Tom Hyde (STI Upstream business manager, Shell), about the reason why their company went for India for their outsourcing needs, he said:

“The attraction of India for us was not only numbers but, more importantly, the quality of the talent. We’ve taken on people who are innovative and creative and can really contribute to the business.”

If you are wondering what ‘numbers’ he is talking about, we should mention that India is the largest English speaking nation in the world and each year approximately 1.25 million graduates enter the workforce.

Now that you have seen (once again) how the trend to outsource to India is at a steady rise, let’s take a look at the reasons why these stats exist.

Why should you hire an Indian virtual assistant?

Apart from the ease of getting the right talent for general and specific tasks, companies choose virtual assistant from India due to the following reasons:

1. Cost-effective

This is definitely one of the most compelling reasons so many companies turn to Indian virtual assistants. The average hourly rate of skilled professionals in India is significantly lower if you compare it to the Western countries. It allows businesses to save their budget from the strain from accessing high-quality talent on-site.

Just follow the huge disparity between Indian and US employees working similar jobs and you will see the benefit there is working with professionals working from India.

For example, a good developer may cost around $50 to $80 per hour in the US but that same experience and skill costs only $15 per hour in India. The differences in economic development levels and cost of living makes skill a lot accessible.

2. Infrastructure and technology

India is equipped with a solid IT infrastructure boasting state-of-the-art technology parks, advanced communications systems, and high-speed internet connectivity. Businesses also offer customized solutions for various applications such as system integration, system migration, legacy system maintenance, business process re-engineering, e-commerce and much more.

Outsourcing companies in India are also able to maintain uninterrupted communication with clients as they can provide high-speed bandwidth using fiber-optic networks, submarine cables and satellite connectivity. This robust foundation supports operations to be seamless and empower businesses to implement projects effectively.

3. 24/7 operations

India has an unique advantage when you take the time zone difference into consideration. India’s time zone allows companies in the western countries to maintain continuous operations. Businesses leverage this to create a 24/7 workflow where the tasks get completed by Indian remote workers when the home-office shuts off.

This allows projects to progress without pausing and any interruptions. Businesses aiming for higher productivity and quicker turnaround time find this time zone difference to be very beneficial.

4. Quicker turnaround times

This is a benefit that results directly from the previous point. When teams in Western countries have finished their work, the virtual team in India will start finishing their tasks. This ensures that the next day you can jump straight into work ensuring deliverables are ready ASAP.

This asynchronous collaboration means faster response to client’s needs, faster project delivery, and much more. India also offers remote workers who work on the night-shift. It allows businesses in countries like the US to get complete coverage when they are offline. On top of that, if you can ace your virtual assistant onboarding process, you can guarantee the best results.

5. Government support

Through favorable incentives and policies, the Indian government actively promotes outsourcing services. For example, initiatives like ‘Digital India’ that aimed to attract foreign investment and improve digital infrastructure supports the growth of services providers aiming to bridge the gap for western businesses.

The supportive environment does something very important for a successful working relationship between India and other countries. It instills confidence in companies from other countries to outsource to Indian service providers and it also facilitates seamless business operations.

6. High scalability

Businesses often choose outsourcing and work with virtual teams just to tackle the problems of scalability. Outsourcing to India makes handling scalability a non-brainer. Indian teams that house much more skilled employees than your in-house team can easily help you scale up. And scaling down does not cost you either.

This lets Indian virtual assistant services providers offer excellent scalability to their clients. Businesses get to meet the market demand at the blink of an eye by making their teams larger or smaller without facing the obvious difficulties of doing that in-house. This adaptability helps businesses manage resources better, generate revenue, and avoid risks.

7. Innovation and creativity

Not only Indians have skilled professionals who can offer solutions to your highly technological problems but also professionals who by their creative flair can make a difference. This nurtures a culture of innovation and empowers businesses to bring new ideas and unique solutions to the table.

On top of that, if you are aware of the Indian work culture you can get the most out of your working relationship. When you realize how to connect with Indian employees, be it in service delivery, marketing strategies, or product development, you will get more than your desired results.

Final thoughts

Now you know why many companies that you know are choosing Indian virtual assistants over VA services from other countries. The combination of proper infrastructure, right talent, scalability, cost per virtual employee, ease of communication and accountability plays a role.

If you are interested in starting your outsourcing journey you should start to interact with virtual assistant service providers from India, run background research, and try several companies before starting. For starters, you can schedule a free discussion with DedicatedVA and discuss your requirements. Happy outsourcing!