Hint: there are no cons!!!
Outsourcing is not just a buzz word or fly by trend. It has and is saving construction companies in Australia hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, thereby giving them an immediate competitive edge. Add to this the time and hassle these same companies have saved in recruitment, management and administrative tasks. A proven entity, outsourcing within the construction industry is here to stay and the uptake is getting stronger by the day.
Let’s look at the specific role of “estimator”. A role that makes incredible sense to outsource given the huge efficiencies and savings – an outsourced, full time Estimator from the Philippines can cost as little as $30,000 per annum!
How Does Outsourcing of Estimating Roles Work?
The most common misconception about outsourcing that needs to be addressed is the notion of employee control and ownership. When you outsource work to a remote estimator, you still maintain complete control over the process. Our remote estimators are dedicated to your business and work full time for you, exclusively. You manage them as an extension of your Australian team just as you would for a home-based employee, their home just happens to be in the Philippines. WFH during and beyond Covid means this concept is not foreign to any company nowadays. In effect, you can manage your new offshore team members in the same way you would manage your Australian team members.
Platform Outsourcing then takes care of all HR and payroll-related tasks.
Pros of hiring an Offshore Estimator
Lower Expenses: $$$$$ Saving
As we all know, the single most significant cost for most businesses is labour. Salaries are constantly increasing, and the monthly pay check isn’t the full cost of hiring as you need to add in payroll tax and Super. Then you have to factor in the costs of having employees in the office and IT equipment costs- all of which impact your bottom line.
The cost of living in the Philippines is dramatically cheaper than in Australia which means the pay for an experienced Estimator is typically seventy percent less than those in Australia. As mentioned above, this equates to around only $30,000 a year!! Again, you also save money on IT equipment, office space, and hiring fees.
Depth of Candidate Pool:
Finding the right Estimator in Australia is like finding a needle in a haystack. It typically takes a long time, and you have to either sacrifice the right experience or end up paying over the odds-on salary. Platform Outsourcing has a proven database of experienced Filipino Estimators with local Australian experience. The right candidate with the right skill set at the right time.
Did you know;
- Over 60m Filipinos speak English that’s twice as many as the population of Australia
- Over 28m Filipinos have degrees – that’s more than the entire Australian population
Increase the number and also the quality of your tenders
Reducing tender preparation costs allows for the submission of more proposals within the same budget. Outsourcing construction cost estimation provides a competitive advantage. To put it simply, you can improve and increase your tender capacity. For instance, you could hire three estimators based in the Philippines for the same cost as hiring one based in Australia.
If you already have an Estimator or team of Estimators, hiring someone to look after the more basic parts of the role is a fantastic way to free up your current team so they can focus on higher-level work like the construction program.
Flexible and scalable and less risky!
In debunking outdated thinking of outsourcing being “risky”, the reality is that the converse is true! Outsourcing can significantly reduce your company’s risk exposure. Choosing to hire onshore binds you to Fair Work Australia’s requirements, particularly in regards to handling cutbacks in the event that market conditions change. Platform Outsourcing takes an open approach, offering a simple 60-day notice period if you would like to cease using our services. Crucially, ending our agreement doesn’t come with any cancellation fees or extra expenses.
If you are interested in learning more about procuring educated, intelligent, responsive and affordable estimators and construction management staff from the Philippines’ rich bank of human resource please reach out to us via [email protected]
