The dedicated team and extended team models: two of the most popular solutions that companies of all sizes turn to, in times of need. But what makes them so preferable? Both concepts provide exceptional benefits and can turn things around for businesses that have come to a standstill, for whatever reason. So what’s not to like? Well, even though the advantages that the dedicated team model and extended team model offer are undeniable, companies should first of all, understand that each one of the two strategies comes with potential risks.
Moreover, choosing between the dedicated team and extended team models should not be about which solution offers the most benefits and the least disadvantages, but rather which concept suits the contracting company’s needs best. And in this regard, we’ll try to take things one step at a time, and analyse the two models from different points of view, without keeping score.
In terms of the hiring business’ needs, the dedicated team and extended team model accommodate different concerns. While the dedicated team model implies a long-term collaboration, and handing over entire projects to teams of professionals that are solely involved in the project that they’ve been assigned with, the extended team model aims to fill skill gaps or assist businesses in reaching tight deadlines. So it is clear that the two solutions that we have set out to break down from separate angles, are meant to be used in different scenarios.
As for the financial part, even though both strategies are considered cost-efficient, the dedicated team model goes beyond just relieving companies of the expenses surrounding the recruitment process, taking care of the costs occasioned by equipment acquisition, offices’ upkeep, and specialists’ training as well. Having said this, there is no denying that transparency and control is something that describes both of the strategies’ pricing models; companies are able to plan ahead, knowing that there are fixed monthly payments that need to be made, leaving little to no room for unpleasant surprises.
And speaking of control, let’s see how the dedicated team model and the extended team model stand from this point of view. The latter offers the benefit of complete control, as the acquired talent becomes part of the internal team, and shares the same responsibilities as in-house specialists. Communication is efficient because there are no middlemen between hiring company and newly hired talent, and supervising the project’s progress is easy. But all of this does require an increased use of resources. On the other hand, in the dedicated team’s case, all responsibilities surrounding management remain on the vendor’s side, without affecting the end product’s level of quality.
Coming back to the advantages that both dedicated team and extended team models have to offer, flexibility and scalability are among those that we simply cannot brush aside and not mention. Companies that choose either one of the two solutions will benefit from having the possibility to add or remove specialists, depending on their projects’ requirements. Furthermore, businesses avoid the tiresome and time-consuming process of recruitment, and gain access to talent pools that otherwise would be unreachable.
Leaving the best bits aside, contracting companies, whether they decide upon the dedicated team or the extended team model, are likely to encounter issues related to communication and culture. Language barriers can slow progress down, and differences regarding culture or working styles can give hiring businesses some serious trouble. Therefore, special attention must be given towards establishing the appropriate communication channels, setting up regular meetings, and listening and encouraging feedback, no matter the strategy that companies are turning to.
Conclusion
The perks of the dedicated team model and the extended team model have placed them among the most widespread strategies, that companies that are struggling with labour or talent shortages are drawn to. Although they are similar in some ways, such as the flexibility and scalability that they offer, or the transparency that defines both of the solutions’ pricing systems, the two outsourcing models are quite different from one another. A dedicated team is meant to handle long, complex projects, while an extended team implies, as its name suggests, complementing already exiting teams with professionals with specific skill sets. Therefore, it is not a question of whether one is better than the other, but a question of how they can be used by companies, in order for the latter to get the most out of their partnerships.
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