The numbers speak for themselves: Nepal’s IT off-shoring market has considerable upside potential for investors, tech talent, and ecosystem builders. But how different stakeholders interact with this fast-growing and equally fast-evolving market will determine whether an IT services boom unfolds or a IT off-shoring dream fizzles out.  

While the eventual outcome is likely to reside somewhere in between these extremes, it will, to a considerable extent, be driven by enabling environment considerations under the Nepali Government’s purview. This wild card aside, and based on actively transacting with Nepal-based freelancers and IT services firms over the past 18 months, the team at VikasaTech has some nuggets of self-refection and learnings to share. 

Go where few have gone before 

The age-old mantra of “follow the money” still works. 

Outsourcing and offshoring often evoke images of the U.S. or Australia, but the global IT talent market is vast. While these regions are major consumers, other markets offer equally lucrative opportunities, particularly in rapidly growing middle-income countries. Our success in placing Nepali freelancers lies in these emerging markets, where venture funding and digitalization are driving demand for cost-effective, high-quality IT talent.  

The existing workforce determines your winning strategy 

What you have not what you would like to have is what you ultimate sell. 

Another common misnomer is to equate outsourcing with projects at established corporates in developed markets. While such pursuits can produce long-term benefits, startups in the seed-to-Pre Series A stage of fast growing venture ecosystems are more viable and compelling short-term alternatives for mid-sized Nepal-based IT services companies and freelancers alike. In our experience, Nepal’s IT talent is a perfect fit for companies that are in this stage of venture ecosystems, offering exceptional value and agility.  

Be opportunistic in the short-term but always think long-term 

Focus on building relationships, not just closing deals. 

Balancing short-term tradeoffs with long-term opportunities is a struggle. Individuals and IT services firms need to optimize for their short term cash flows but should never lose sight of small sacrifices now in return for recurring, high quality revenue streams in future. We have partnered with firms and individuals, helping negotiate win/win outcomes. Our success comes from treating every transaction like an investment in long-term relationship-building. Our approach is the most achievable pathway to wealth creation for Nepali tech talent and exits for investors in tech services companies.  

Know your value 

Benchmark yourself and be realistic about your rates. 

We know talent when we see it, and we can price it competitively. Overpricing leads to unrealistic expectations and failed partnerships. Understand your true costs (time to market, sell, deliver, collect, etc.) before negotiating. Don’t price yourself out with an inflated initial quote. Be mindful of the relative costs and benefits of having opportunities delivered to you. When we partner with firms and individuals in Nepal, a second conversation will not occur if the first one indicates a lack of self-awareness.  

Don’t play the hype game 

Speak to what you know not what you think you know. 

Excessive use of buzz words and catch phrases can backfire. If the task is to build a client portal, it’s best to not meander into a discussion on predictive analytics during a sales call. Far better to state that the services being proposed will build a scalable platform atop of which more sophisticated analytical services may be considered in future, and stop there. We work with potential clients to help articulate and prioritize their needs, and with Nepal-based partners to secure new wins and repeat business.  

Want to know more about our services and use cases helping introduce Nepal-based tech talent to the world? Drop us a line at info@vikasatech.com – we’d love to hear form you.