Last week, I attended an event where the speaker praised the rise of offshoring. Offshoring is the practice of processing business operations to another country, usually a developing country, with the goal of cutting the cost of doing business, getting tax breaks, and dealing with less stringent regulations.

I sat there and listened politely. I kept my mouth shut. I tried to keep an open mind. But I disagreed with almost everything the guy said. Maybe because I’ve seen the impact of offshoring as a business owner and a customer. It may be the future of business, but I really hope it’s not.

For one thing, the message was delivered ironically in person, not via Zoom from a foreign country. We were actually there. I was in a room with 50 people, and I knew ten other business owners. We chatted. We shook hands. We shared a drink. Then we shared thoughts on the message we’d just been given after the eye rolls and head-scratching stopped.

Offshoring, in theory, seems to have some benefits. But in practical terms, I’m not a fan. We once had a client on the other side of the world in Bali, Indonesia. It was a 12-hour time difference. So if we had a call at 9:00 a.m. it was 9:00 p.m. for the client. The relationship didn’t last long, because it’s hard to have an effective business relationship with that kind of time difference. We couldn’t meet face-to-face without paying for an all-day $3,000 flight. And don’t get me started about communication issues (language barriers) and business practices (cultural differences). Just think back to the last time you called Verizon, and you will understand why offshoring your call center may not be a good idea – especially if you value customer service and communication.

Outsourcing, the practice of obtaining services that you used to do internally, is something that I support. If you’re not good at bookkeeping, outsource to an accountant. If you’re needing legal services, hire a lawyer. If you need help with administrative tasks, get a V.A. from Red Pen Virtual Assistants. And of course, if you need help with marketing or PR, you can call us. We’re here. In your time zone and physically at the corner of 1st and Cary. You can meet with us. And you can use 13 different ways to communicate with us. In my mind, outsourcing makes sense…offshoring doesn’t. What do you think? Reply to this email or send me a message.