Outsource to India buyer guide

What work should you outsource to India?

Start with work that has a clear owner, visible output and a review process. Then choose the delivery model that matches uncertainty and risk.

Evaluate a vendor Read the hiring guide

Scope before sourcingDefine outcomes, access and acceptance criteria.

Evidence before promisesReview relevant work and a paid trial.

Controls before credentialsLimit access and document ownership.

Milestones before handoffInspect working increments throughout delivery.

Work categories

Choose work that can be specified, reviewed and owned.

The more clearly a task can be described and accepted, the easier it is to outsource. Ambiguous strategy can still be outsourced, but it needs closer collaboration and more senior people.

Engineering

Software development

Product features, APIs, portals, internal systems and ongoing engineering capacity.

Software guide →

Web

Website development

Front-end builds, CMS implementation, ecommerce, maintenance and migrations.

Web guide →

Quality

QA & testing

Regression, automation, device coverage, test plans and release validation.

QA guide →

Operations

BPO & back office

Documented administrative and operational workflows with measurable service levels.

BPO guide →

Data

Data & AI

Data preparation, analytics, AI integration and human review with explicit governance.

Data guide →

Commercial

Engagement models

Fixed price, dedicated team, staff augmentation or managed service.

Compare models →

Good candidates for outsourcing

Work has a named internal owner.
Inputs and outputs can be documented.
The buyer can review intermediate work.
Access can be limited to what is needed.
Acceptance criteria can be tested.

Warning signs

No one can explain what “done” means.
All important knowledge exists in one person’s head.
The cheapest quote is the main selection criterion.
Production credentials must be shared immediately.
The provider refuses a small paid trial or direct team interview.

Category index

Other fields businesses outsource to India.

Different functions require different controls. Use these field guides to decide what can be delegated, what authority must remain internal and what evidence to request from a provider.

FinanceFinance & accountingBookkeeping, AP/AR, reconciliations, reporting and finance operations.Open guide → Customer operationsCustomer supportEmail, chat, phone, technical support, knowledge systems and escalations.Open guide → GrowthDigital marketingSEO, paid media, content, email, analytics and campaign operations.Open guide → CommerceEcommerce operationsCatalog, marketplace, merchandising, order and return workflows.Open guide → CreativeCreative & designProduction design, digital assets, video editing and brand-system work.Open guide → AdministrationResearch & virtual assistantsResearch, scheduling, CRM, reports, admin and recurring workflows.Open guide → EngineeringEngineering & CADDrafting, BIM, models, redlines and engineering production support.Open guide → Specialized BPOHealthcare administrationRevenue-cycle, records, coding support and administrative processes.Open guide → Professional supportLegal-process supportDocument review, research support, abstraction and matter administration.Open guide → People operationsRecruitment & HR supportSourcing, screening, scheduling, ATS administration and HR operations.Open guide → InfrastructureCloud & DevOpsCloud environments, infrastructure code, CI/CD, monitoring and recovery.Open guide → Business travelVisiting CanadaOfficial entry resources plus Vancouver airport, sightseeing and Whistler planning.Open guide →