Why is a Good Relationship with your Outsourced Partner Important?

In this age of information wherein access to different knowledge bases is within instant reach, companies have learned that employee experience is as important as customer/client experience.  

Modern business models are now gearing toward instilling new practices that empower employees to voice out their needs, form relationships with one another, and unite towards a common goal. By doing this, companies’ positive work environments have led to increased productivity and even increased revenue.      

Why Having a Strong Relationship with the Outsourcing Partner Matters 

 
A strong working relationship with your outsourcing partner is key to a successful collaboration. Since your outsourced team functions as an extension of your in-house staff, building trust and alignment from the start can lead to better outcomes throughout the partnership.  

Here are more reasons why you must build a strong working relationship with your outsourcing partner:  

Shared Success  

Just like any good relationship, your provider’s wins are your wins. When both teams are at the same pace and working towards the same goals, it’s easier to celebrate each other’s successes. This can be especially important when you’re working with an outsourced team that may not have as much visibility into your company’s overall strategy or performance.    

Trust and Transparency 

When the relationship between two partners is built on trust and transparency, it’s easier for both parties to be open and honest about their needs, expectations, and concerns. This can help you avoid misunderstandings or miscommunications that could lead to problems in the long run. 

Efficiency Gains 

When the provider is able to work efficiently, it can save you time and money, especially when your outsourced team has a lot of experience in your industry or niche.  

In most cases, outsourced accountants also work under the supervision of their seniors. This kind of support system can help them go through steep learning curves and help them adapt to their roles quicker. Through this, they may be able to complete tasks faster than if they were learning on the job, which means they’ll spend less time billing you for their services.  

Business Continuity 

A strong relationship with your outsourcing partner plays a huge role in ensuring business continuity.  

When there’s alignment between you and your outsourcing partner, it's easier to put proactive measures in place—such as knowledge transfer protocols, flexible staffing plans, and robust communication systems—to minimize the impact of unexpected events like staff resignations, power outages, and natural disasters. 

This level of coordination helps maintain uninterrupted service delivery, even during challenging times.   

 Read: Understanding the Basics of Finance and Accounting Outsourcing 

How to build relations with your outsourcing partner 

Culture sharing  

The culture of your company may be different than the culture of your outsourced team. These differences may range from how you work to how you communicate – things that ultimately affect your workflow.   

To understand the other party better, you can have co-working schedules with your outsourced team wherein you share each other’s culture as you work.  

This will allow you to find a way to communicate and produce outputs together through shared culture. You’ll see your company reaching your goals quicker once you understand each other’s nuances in terms of your working style, norms, and beliefs.    

Healthy feedback and recognition  

Creating a system wherein you and your outsourced team openly communicate with each other promotes transparency which can result in a better working relationship.  

Being able to give feedback and recognition to your outsourced team and vice versa fosters camaraderie and respect which is vital to an effective outsourcing strategy, creating a culture wherein both teams (in-house and outsourced) work together as a team towards a common goal.   

Improve together  

As your company and your outsourced team work together, ask both parties for any suggestions they may have to improve the working relationship between the two.  

Since they are the ones who work with each other on a daily or weekly basis, their input may just be what you need to effectively build a lasting relationship.  

Whether it’s them wanting to work together onsite or wanting regular meetings together, listen to their suggestion, and, if it is doable, find a way to integrate it into their workflow.   

Socialize  

Building relations outside of the project or task at hand is one of the best ways to cement the integration of your outsourced team to your company.  

After big deadlines or even after the commencement of a major project, social activities (either online or onsite) could be done to both commemorate the hard work of the teams and give them the chance to get to know each other outside of work.  

You’ll see that by doing this, they’ll be able to work better together during the next project!  
 

Results of a Strong Outsourcing Relationship 

Once the partnership is built and both teams are working well together, here’s what both parties can gain from the strong relationship: 

1. Increased Trust and Reliability

When both sides understand each other and communicate well, it’s easier to rely on your outsourcing partner to get the job done right. You don’t have to worry about delays or missed steps—they know what’s expected and how to deliver them correctly. 

2. Better Communication

Strong relationships lead to clearer and more open communication. You don’t need to explain things over and over. Both teams get used to each other’s way of working, making it easier to share updates, solve problems, and stay on the same page, which is beneficial in the long run for both parties.

3. Higher Quality of Work

Let's face the fact that when you have a good working relationship with your partner, things will be easier and they’re more likely to go above and beyond for you. They’ll be more likely to work harder, faster, and better than if they were just another vendor. This means that the quality of their work will be higher, which is beneficial in your organization as it can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. 

4. Easier to Grow or Scale

Lastly, a strong partner can grow with your organization, which is beneficial on your end as it becomes easier to scale up. Since they already understand how you work, there’s no need to start from scratch when you expand. You can take on more projects or clients with confidence, knowing your partner can support your growth.

Overcoming Common Outsourcing Relationship Challenges 

Even with a strong partnership, there can still be a few bumps along the way. The good thing is that most challenges can be solved with the right approach.  

Here are some common issues and how you can deal with them: 

Unclear Expectations 

When the processes, goals, and tasks aren’t clear from the start, it can lead to delays and issues that can break the partnership apart. Hence, both partners need to set clear instructions, agree on deadlines, and have the right processes in place to make sure everyone in the team is on the same page. 

Cultural Differences 

People from different countries may have different ways of working or solving problems. And that's totally understandable. The key is for both partners to be open- minded and respectful. Both parties should also exert some efforts to train their staff to understand each other's culture and have a policy in place. Doing this not only builds mutual respect but a better working relationship. 

Miscommunication 

Language barriers can also cause confusion within the team. To avoid this, both partners need to use simple and clear language, set regular check-ins, and choose tools that make it easier for everyone to communicate. 

Lack of Engagement 

Given the remote work set up of the outsourced team, it is understandable that sometimes they may feel left out or disconnected. To avoid this, your organization needs to set and plan a strategy to make them feel part of the team. You can do this by: 

• Sharing regular company updates so they stay in the loop 

• Including them in team meetings or virtual catchups 

• Assigning clear roles and responsibilities 

• Giving regular feedback on their work 

• Recognizing their efforts and celebrating small wins 

• Sending a quick thank you message or shoutout when they do a good job 

These small actions can go a long way towards making your outsourced team feel valued and connected. 

Changing Needs 

As your organization grows, your needs may change. To do this right: 

• Have open conversations with your outsourcing partner 
  - Talk about how your goals or priorities are shifting. 

• Discuss what's working and what requires adjustments 
  - Be honest about what needs to improve or change to meet new goals. 

• Agree on the next steps together 
  - Whether it’s adding more tasks, updating tools, or adjusting timelines—make sure both sides are aligned. 

• Check in regularly 

• -Organization needs can shift quickly. So, a regular review is necessary to help you and your outsourcing partner be on the same page and keep things running. 
   

By being open and flexible, you and your outsourcing partner can grow together and keep your working relationship strong. 

Helpful Tools and Technology that Support a Strong Working Relationship 

Technology plays an important role in keeping your outsourcing partner strong — especially when both teams are working from different locations or time zones. Having the right tools in place can make communication easier, improve project tracking, and help both teams stay connected and aligned. 

Here are some types of tools you can use: 

1. Communication Tools 

These tools can make or break your relationship. So having the right tool to help the teams communicate and share updates regularly is a must —even if you’re not in the same place. 

• Examples: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Slack 

• How it helps: Whether it’s for a quick message, a weekly check in or a scheduled meeting, these tools help both sides stay in sync, build trust, and avoid confusion. 

2. Project Management Tools 

Having a tool that lets you be organized and on track with the task and timelines is a huge relief. It helps both teams know what needs to be done, who’s working on what, and when everything is due. 

Examples: Trello, Asana, Monday.com, ClickUp, MS Planner 

How it helps: These tool

1. File Sharing and Collaboration Tools 

Instead of sending files back and forth, having a tool that makes it easier to work on files and documents together is much needed. Not only will it allow both teams to access the same files anytime, but it also lets them make updates, leave comments, and track changes in one place. 

• Examples: Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Notion 

• How it helps: It keeps everyone aligned, avoids version mix-ups, and saves time going back and forth. This way, work gets done much faster. 

3. Time Tracking and Productivity Tools 

Having a time tracker in place can sometimes increase productivity—especially when it’s done right and without micromanagement. These tools help both teams stay focused and make better use of their work hours. 

• Examples: Hubstaff, Time Doctor, Clockify, Harvest 

• How it helps: Time tracking shows how long tasks take and helps spot areas where time can be used better. It also builds accountability while giving both sides useful insights without needing to constantly check in. 

4. Feedback and Survey Tools

Lastly, getting feedback from your outsourcing partner —and giving them feedback too—is a big part of keeping the relationship strong, as it will help you get the glimpse of  the things that you can improve on and shows that both sides are willing to actively improve and continue the partnership. 

• Examples: Google Forms, Typeform, SurveyMonkey, Microsoft Forms 

• How it helps: These tools make it easy to share thoughts, address concerns early, and build a culture of openness and improvement. 

 
The Bottom Line 

Although outsourcing services you need is one of the most cost-effective decisions your company may make, it can only fully work for your company if you are able to integrate your outsourced team with yours.

By creating a relationship centered in respect and understanding of each team, you’ll be able to see the same benefits that companies who prioritize their employees’ welfare see, happy employees and impressive outcomes.   

Put in the effort to get to know your outsourced team and you’ll find your company working with a partner who you can trust completely and can drive your company forward whatever challenges there may be. When it comes to effective outsourcing, teamwork truly does make the dream work.   

Read Next: The How To's of Outsourced Accounting Services  

See what outsourcing can do for your company today!  

Our proven expertise in handling the numbers of companies across various industries and broad experience in using top-of-the-line software helps us create tailor-fit solutions for all kinds of companies. Contact us today and we'll help you find the right solution for your needs.   

Download our Outsourcing: How to Make it Work guide and know how we can be your reliable outsourcing partner. 

This post was first published on 29 March 2023 and edited on 21 May 2025. Edited by: Angelica Garcia