Nearshore software development is a concept that is still new to many. Two years ago, I was working in television and had never heard of nearshore myself. Today, I’m a huge fan of nearshoring, and I will tell you why.

If you are not familiar, nearshoring is the process of outsourcing work to developers located outside of America but in a country close by. For example, many nearshore companies outsource to developers in Central and South America. The benefits of nearshoring far surpass those of onshore and offshore outsourcing. Heres why:

1. Time Zone Alignment

In a business world that demands instant replies on Slack, Teams, and text- it can be frustrating and counterproductive to wait hours, or even days, for your engineer’s feedback.  At number8, our nearshore developers are located in Central and South America. This natural time zone alignment with the US creates the opportunity for all day collaboration and productivity with no lag or down time.

With nearshore developers from number8, the opportunities are endless. For example, you can chat with your Frontend Developer in Colombia while your team works to release a new app version. You can whiteboard design ideas together in real time. Perhaps your QA team can connect quickly and resolve bugs within hours. This time zone alignment means that your MVPs hit the market sooner and begin generating critical revenue in less time. 

Additionally, time zone alignment means an increase in retention. Having an aligned time zone allows your nearshore developers to communicate and problem solve in real 

Time, so they’ll feel like a seamless part of the team as they join your agile processes. 

2. Language and Cultural Similarities

Whether you’re solving problems or creating world changing products, communication is critical.  While our nearshore developers are all fluent in English, we know communication is more than just language and the words we speak. At number8, we use personality assessments to ensure our developers are culturally aligned in their work styles (including giving and receiving feedback), desire to collaborate, and work ethic. These assessments help identify developers who are hardwired to be problem-solving, self-starting, decision-makers; all traits we’ve learned to be critical for a nearshore developer’s success.

In fact, most of our clients forget that their number8 nearshore developers aren’t just down the street. Through these language and cultural similarities, team bonding becomes seamless and solving challenges becomes easier for everyone involved.

3. Cost Effective, Quality Talent 

The best part about nearshore development is the limitless, high quality engineering talent that we can provide to you in a cost effective manner. Because of currency value and exchange rates, outsourcing your work to developers in another country often allows you to decrease your hourly rates. We’ve found that hourly rates are typically ⅓ less than the same role stateside. At the same time, the risk of unexpected costs decreases thanks to more efficient communication that keeps work on track. 

Not only that, but at number8 we save you the 20% of additional overhead for recruiting, onboarding, and covering benefits you would have for a traditional FTE on your team.  

With nearshore, you won’t be compromising cost for quality either. Instead, we allow you to leverage our talent. All number8 developers must pass a rigorous, live technical screening that tests their problem solving and programming skills. Embedding our consultants into your existing teams guarantees continuity of domain knowledge and subject matter expertise, all while expanding your capacity and increasing team velocity.

Not to mention, as the world returns to a more normal state of travel, your nearshore developers are just a flight away. Traveling to LATAM is significantly more affordable than visiting offshore developers in Europe or Asia, but equally enjoyable! 

4. Low Risk, High reward

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably fairly risk averse. However, at number8 we’re so confident in our developers that we allow you to view their profiles and interview them at no cost to your company.

Bringing a number8 developer on your team is low risk, high reward. Our team of Account Managers, Engagement Managers, and Development Managers will provide communication, guidance, and troubleshoot any issues that could arise during your engagement. We take care of the onboarding, offer professional development, and share best practices with your team to further reduce risk and address any concerns when working with a nearshore partner.

In conclusion, nearshoring will help you leverage diverse talent, build a strong and productive development team, and all while saving you money. Here at number8, we are your partners. We are committed to helping you build a team and mean your goals through our database of talented software developers.

By Amanda Loehle (LinkedIn)