THE CLIENT
SoftGen Australia Pty Ltd is a specialist supplier in cyber security consultancy, managed services, and products. The company has been operating for over 25 years and works with gold standard security vendors. They provide scalable solutions for SMEs to enterprises, covering both the public and private sectors. Their expertise includes vulnerability analysis, penetrating testing, endpoint security, unified threat management, and security awareness training.
THE CHALLENGES
When Softgen decided to grow its business, the company faced several administrative challenges. They needed a candidate with a solid accounting background and strong administrative skills. However, the recruitment process was fraught with difficulties:
- Struggles to find the right fit: Ongoing challenges with local hires impacted operational efficiency and finding a candidate who aligned with company expectations proved difficult.
- Reluctance to outsource: Initially, SoftGen was hesitant about outsourcing, having heard negative stories about offshore outsourcing, particularly the issues of working with individuals from home-based settings without the necessary infrastructure or management.
THE SOLUTIONS
When Softgen decided to grow its business, the company faced several administrative challenges. They needed a candidate with a solid accounting background and strong administrative skills. However, the recruitment process was fraught with difficulties:
- Struggles to find the right fit: Ongoing challenges with local hires impacted operational efficiency and finding a candidate who aligned with company expectations proved difficult.
- Reluctance to outsource: Initially, SoftGen was hesitant about outsourcing, having heard negative stories about offshore outsourcing, particularly the issues of working with individuals from home-based settings without the necessary infrastructure or management.
THE RESULTS
Grace was onboarded in the same way SoftGen would onboard all new local hires. From the start, Grace received a comprehensive Admin manual, and all her training was conducted over Zoom. Due to her prior experience in accounting, Grace quickly picked up the various tasks assigned to her.
According to Richard, “It’s not always easy to put a dollar value on the outcomes, the significant benefit was improved productivity. I’ve always been insistent on quality customer service: speed, accuracy, and responding to customers in a timely fashion“.
Grace has become an integral part of the team. “If she encounters any local issues, Richard noted, she is supported by Flat Planets management and operations infrastructure which is first class“.
Additionally, SoftGen now regularly uses Flat Planet’s On-Demand Marketing resources. Grace works seamlessly with the marketing team, and their collaboration has resulted in website improvements and well-crafted blog posts. Richard highlighted the high quality and cost-effectiveness of the service: “Access to the On Demand Marketing team works really well; price is competitive, but more importantly, the quality is very good“.
CONCLUSION
Richard’s initial reservations about outsourcing were quickly dispelled as he realised the value Flat Planet brought to the table. He now recommends outsourcing with Flat Planet to others, with a caveat: “Don’t do it just to save money. Yes, it’s cost-effective, but if you’ve got the wrong motives, it may not work for you”.
For SoftGen, the key to success was having the right tools in place for communication and understanding the importance of local management support. Richard advises, “Invest time in deciding what tasks and roles you want to outsource, and the skill sets needed to meet your objectives”.
Richard’s perception of outsourcing has now completely changed:
“I’ve come to realise that you don’t have to engage people individually; rather, you can engage them through a company like Flat Planet. I wouldn’t hesitate to consider outsourcing additional roles if it came to that, such as technical roles within the business”.
In the end, SoftGen’s partnership with Flat Planet has not only helped solve their administrative challenges but also provided a reliable, cost-effective solution that has allowed the business to grow and operate smoothly.
