The Corner Office

Delve into outsourcing offshore for a busy finance department, with a straightforward look at the key tasks, staff qualifications and processes that are needed to drive success for any CFO or Finance Manager.

Katrina Tocco, qualified CPA, has 5 years experience outsourcing finance tasks to the Philippines, refining processes with game changing ROI for the business.

Katrina and Aimee cover everything from accounting in the cloud and staff headcount, through to local staff reactions. Learn about task handover, from simple processing to detailed financial analysis and KPIs that directly benefit the bottom line.

Take away honest, practical insights and ideas that can be implemented in any Finance department.

Ep Show Notes: 

[2:08] Outsourcing's impact on Australian headcount and staff perceptions

[4:21] Step-by-step finance training from a distance

[7:02] Finance tasks to outsource offshore

[8:45] Offshore accounting qualifications and experiences

[9:50] Bank account management and security with offshore staff

[10:40] Accounting in the cloud

[12:38] Philippines vs.  Australian finance staff

[16:07] Freeing up time for detailed financial reporting

[17:36] Outsourcing ROI and hitting operating KPIs

[18:15] Measuring operating efficiency and other business metrics

[20:23] Offshore staff retention

Learn how to break down geographical boundaries across a whole business, experimenting with different outsourcing models and embracing wins and failures.

Toby Jenkins, Olympian, author and co-founder of a web strategy consulting firm, has spent upward of 7 years testing various outsourcing models for his business. Toby and Aimee discuss the need for balancing face-to-face interaction and the digital environment when dealing with high-trust, high-ticket clients.

Hear tips on how to take the next step if you're feeling trapped in your current outsourcing model, or when your business is evolving and your offshoring model needs to follow suit.

Ep Show Notes: 

[3:29] Defining output and mastering the brief to reduce costs

[5:38] Managing complex vs simplistic outsourced tasks and roles

[10:15] Experimenting with different outsourcing models

[15:20] Benefits and downfalls of an agency outsourcing model

[19:19] Project Management tools to manage from a distance

[23:02] The need for face-to-face interaction in a digital landscape

[28:39] Changing outsourcing model to suit business evolution

[31:07] Breaking out of current outsourcing model when you're feeling trapped

[33:38] Balancing the digital environment for high-ticket, high-trust clients

[35:35] The highs and lows of business partnerships

[38:26] Free marketing resources and templates

Hear about offshoring from a different angle. Get a unique, behind-the-scenes look at Real Estate offshoring with Filipino, Lamey Vega, a top Real Estate Trainer in the Philippines.

Lamey, Senior Account Trainer at Beepo, was part of the pioneering offshore team for Rental Express in 2013. Lamey shares her unique, step-by-step insights into the best-practice onboarding and training of offshore staff employed to work with Australian Real Estate businesses.

Discover how training is designed to overcome any hurdles, including developing an understanding of Australian Real Estate legislation, terminology and jargon.

Show Notes: 

[1:43] Pioneering offshoring for Real Estate industry

[4:19] Client reactions to offshore staff

[9:02] Crucial training in Australian Real Estate concepts

[11:48] Aussie slang - when 'snowed under' isn't referring to the weather

[12:59] Walkthrough of the first two weeks of Real Estate training

[15:22] The first tasks to get started with an offshore Real Estate team

[18:23] Defining best-practice processes for successful offshoring

Learn how to build a business, not a job, capturing that entrepreneurial spirit to drive a lean, scalable operation.

Our guest Carl Taylor, began hiring staff overseas when he was only 16 years old.   Carl discusses results-focused communication, delegating with less words, and common offshoring mistakes you can avoid.

Discover why the superhero factor could be sabotaging your success, before you've even begun.

[3:17] Don't be naive when approaching offshoring

[5:48] Running lean to meet market demands

[8:56] Using offshoring to build a business, not a job

[10:25] The offshoring superhero factor

[14:45] Why the Philippines fits with Australia

[18:42] Delegating with less words, more visuals

[20:53] Desktop video tools

[23:07] Offshoring mistakes and how to avoid them

[26:00] How to recognise when you're overpaying your freelancers

[27:43] Hiring practices and skills testing

Learn how to stay profitable and competitive in a narrow, niche market, without compromising on quality.

Hear from Chris Green, founder of two niche organisations that needed to stay competitive when cheaper, lookalike companies started to challenge their market share.

Chris shares frank, often-confronting insights into the differences in work ethic, culture and challenges across the USA, Ukraine, India, and the Philippines and its popular offshoring regions.

Discover the pros and cons of freelancer and BPO offshoring models. Plus, learn how to train offshore talent while simultaneously creating one of your most valuable pieces of IP.

Ep Show Notes: 

[1:47] Controlling quality, security, cost and reliability with a freelancer network

[3:47] Pros and cons of freelancers in USA, Ukraine, India and Philippines

[6:13] Using professional, offshore talent to support your niche

[9:38] Staying competitive in a niche market

[11:06] Conquering challenges, before offshoring vs after offshoring

[13:30] Ideas for building company culture and people

[16:41] When your offshore team upskills your local team!

[19:05] Top tools for making a 'playbook' your most valuable piece of IP

[20:44] Security when offshoring, especially in the financial services sector

[23:46] Deciding which offshore model is right for you

[25:52] Considering regions when looking at BPOs in the Philippines

[28:10] Understanding work ethic and the cultural strength of family in the Philippines

[31:07] How to support Filipino staff in their unique challenges, without being the rescuer

[34:28] Using time tracking software to monitor productivity

Chris Melotti, CMO of the Year, knows the intense pressure that comes with juggling the conflicting time and budget restraints of content marketing.

Chris and Aimee discuss critical issues that drive marketers towards outsourcing offshore, including the huge amount of routine tasks, and how offshoring can add manpower without blowing the budget. Discover essential online and mobile tools for connecting local and offshore marketing teams.

Learn best-practice strategies to get an offshore marketing team up, running and successfully supporting big-picture marketing initiatives.

Show Notes

[1:52]  Naive reactions towards offshore professionals

[4:07]  Growth mindset for tackling offshoring fears

[4:25]  Real Estate agency size affecting offshoring mindset

[6:00]  Redistributing marketing tasks for outsourcing offshore

[8:00]  Tips for handling change management with your local marketing team

[11:56]  Increasing job satisfaction and reducing attrition

[14:25]  Best practice training of offshore staff

[18:56]  Top online and mobile tools for success

[21:42]  Key drivers for marketers considering outsourcing offshore

Online tools and software mentioned in this Episode:

Skype – https://www.skype.com/en/

Zoom – https://zoom.us/

Snagit – https://www.techsmith.com/screen-capture.html

Memo Mailer – https://janeandersonspeaks.com/memo-mailer/

Voice Memo/Recorder – Inbuilt on Android and iOS devices

Hear from Charles McKay, CEO of a thriving agency, who has 100% of his team located offshore in South Africa and India.

Charles and Aimee discuss this all-in approach to outsourcing, covering essential setup considerations, such as managing conflicting timezones and cultures, and monitoring performance within a global context.  Learn about the top online tools and software used to drive success.

Hear how this unique company structure brings benefits not only to suppliers and clients, but also on a personal level, promoting the highly sought-after work/life blend.

Show Notes:

[3:51] How to structure your team to be 100% offshore

[6:28] South Africa as a source of offshore talent

[7:43] India's recovering reputation towards a collaborative workforce

[8:22] Staying sane with conflicting timezones

[9:56] Key deliverables and information input for quality output

[11:53] Essential online tools and software when you are high growth and 100% offshore

[15:17] Work/life blend

[16:37] Business results

[18:00] 60 hours 'on-the-tools' vs 4 hours 'on-the-tools'

[18:27] How to train offshore writers and creatives to understand Aussie culture

[20:52] Subjective vs. data driven creative

[22:56] How Charles' business solves problems for clients

[26:55] The human element of offshoring and WTF moments

[28:52] When the shit hits the fan you need your suppliers

[31:15] Staking a claim with thought leadership and inbound content

[33:48] Aimee & Charles don't believe in 'brules'

Online tools and software mentioned in this Episode:

Slack https://slack.com/

Google Apps https://gsuite.google.com/

Chat https://chat.google.com/welcome

Panda Doc https://www.pandadoc.com/

Hubspot https://www.hubspot.com/

Accelo https://www.accelo.com/

Xero https://www.xero.com/au/

Loom https://www.useloom.com/

When Jackie Tan was offered help in her administrative job, she was thrilled until she was told that help would be based in the Philippines. Then her excitement became trepidation as she questioned how a long distance working partnership would work.

She shares her experiences in Episode 4, Season 1 of The Corner Office podcast.

Show Notes

[1:07] Why administrative support was needed

[2:00] Initial thoughts on sourcing admin support in the Philippines

[2:32] Outsourcing has refined office systems

[3:03] Opening up new ways of working

[3:25] Using new online platforms for to centralise work

[4:16] "At a glance, any second, the arm and eye can both see    where a ticket is at" - Jackie

[4:52] Keeping communication open across offices

[6:38] The quality of Filipino support

[7:00] Philippines biggest industry is providing staff

[7:24] The experience all Filipino staff is impressive

[7:53] Outsourcing client interface is possible

[8:23] Seamless integration of staff members

[8:47] What outsourcing has added to the business

[9:18] Providing local staff with added flexibility

[10:06] Smoothly transitioning to some offshore staff

[10:35] The importance of choosing the right people

[11:01] On-boarding remote staff for a good start

[11:50] Working remotely – an option for more people

[12:52] Training tools for offshore staff

[13:30] Working through procedures in real time using Skype

[13:46] Clear expectations of offshore staff

[15:17] Building personal connections

The topic of outsourcing had been on the table for more than a year when the resignation of a key team player resulted in one company moving forward with outsourcing sooner than expected. In this episode, our guest Sonia outlines the lessons they learned along the way.

When Sonia took on the role of head of a large property management department responsible for 1,200 properties, there had been some discussion early on about outsourcing some of the business's tasks, namely around administration.

When the senior accounts manager left, the company reduced its one-year outsourcing implementation plan down to one week. The value and capability of the offshore team was quickly proven along the way.

Sonia talks with Beepo CEO Aimee Engelmann about her eperiences.

Show Notes

[1:32] First reaction that some jobs will be outsourced to the Philippines

[1:54] Overcoming the idea of staff not working locally

[2:32] Spurred into outsourcing earlier than expected

[3:26] Jumping in and making it work

[3:39] The effect on office morale locally

[4:42] Building a team across two countries

[5:37] Using technology to communicate

[6:35] Discovering new efficiencies

[7:50] Improving in-house systems

[8:40] Building in contingency

[10:15] Customising the skillset of your offshore staff

[11:34] How your local team benefits from outsourcing

[14:18] Organically expanding your offshore presence

[15:19] The need to modify processes

[16:00] Encouraging open communication

[18:50] Successful teams are involved teams

[20:25] Promoting office culture

When Matt Garrett was asked to relocate to the Philippines to manage an outsourcing centre for an Australian company, he quickly learned his perceptions of what to expect were as far off the mark as you could get; they were after all, based on dealing with Filipino call centres!

Instead of finding a population which struggled with English and was relatively unskilled, Matt found an eager, educated workforce with skills which would rival any of those to be found in Australia. He also found himself working with warm, funny people who like few things better in life than their family, food and entertainment.

Matt has 25 years of operational and management experience, he has owned his own business and also served with the Australian Defence Force.

He now lives in the Philippines managing a large outsourcing centre. He talks with Aimee Engelmann, about what he has learned in the 18 months he has been there.

Show Notes

Show Notes

[01:19] How Matt's perception of the Philippines was so wrong

[2:10] I knew I was where I was meant to be

[3:15] The Philippines – much more than call centres

[4:09] Totally blown away by the skill level of Filipino staff

[6:00] Australian companies attract great candidates in the Philippines

[6:53] Utilising skills from other industries

[8:42] Australian perceptions about the Philippines – it's not all natural disasters

[10:10] Established in stable areas, Filipino outsourcing centres are safe

[10:28] Keeping your data secure

[13:20] Data is as safe in the Philippines as it is in Australia

[14:38] Key drivers for Filipinos – family, food and entertainment

[15:25] The first day was a laughing matter

[17:03] Advice for offshore outsourcing virgins – just do it!

[17:58] Freeing up the Australian team to build your business

[18:12] Ensure your processes/procedures are clear

[19:05] Outsourcing offshore increased net margins by 5%

[21:05] A strong work ethic supports Filipino outsourcing operations

[22:15] Get in touch with Matt