Has anyone had experience using fulfillment services in India or other overseas countries? I have heard positive feedback for controlled circulation but no feedback on consumer pubs. While cost cutting is king, especially now, I have concerns re customer service, timeliness, understanding of US publishing, etc. I'm also having trouble reconciling leveraging our company to its max potential vs. cutting US jobs. Thoughts?
I have spent 3 years working for an outsourcing company that focused it's labor force in India (I now work for a printer here in the US). Some of the experiences were outstanding and did not replace US jobs. These were task related to scanning and conversion work. We moved into the artwork creation world and then the jobs started to go as we were a great dollar and sense decision. The quality was high and the turn around was amazing.
The publishing community was put into a position to keep lowering cost and therefore our organization kept growing and growing. I have found that utilizing a US project manager is the key to success (that is not to say that direct will not work). This will help your staff transition work, keep the cost in check, and help maintain the US workforce.
I'm aware this did not answer your fulfillment question.
India, why India .. Better question, why do you need a "fulfillment" company at all? The time is here for managing this internally and/or via new vendors. You don't hear Huffingtonpost discussing "fulfillment" do you?
This was an initiative from a new owner - dead set on India fulfillment services, along with art, IT, etc. I mostly wanted to see if anyone else was doing it. And now I've moved on, so I don't have to worry about it anymore. :)
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