For some companies, outsourcing is a way of refurbishing the tarnished reputation they gained from past customer service failures. They partner with a well-reputed firm to reclaim their market’s trust and rebuild their image from corporate ruins.

But what if the service vendor is as ill-reputed as the company in need of brand buffing? Then the venture would defeat its purpose and may stain the company’s name more than redeem it. This can obviously be even more damaging for a business with a spotless status in its industry.

If you partner with a company that’s notorious for letting down the brands it represents, it might pull your reputation down along with it. And once the damage has been done, wiping the slate clean can be difficult. That’s why it pays to know your service vendors well before you could sign a deal with them to prevent an outsourcing disaster from happening.

How would you do so? Do your basic homework by doing a background check of your prospective business partners. Talk to their previous clients, study the effectiveness of the solutions they offer, and find out if they pass their industry benchmarks. Ultimately, see if the firm possesses the following characteristics of a trustworthy business partner:

Adherence to business ethics

You can tell if a firm has good work ethics if it has the best interest of its workers and customers in mind when considering every decision it has to make. Their user agreement contracts and advertisements may even be a reflection of their adherence to ethics.

Observe if they exploit their customers’ lack of product knowledge or mislead their promotions to hike sales. Here, you could refer to the company’s previous clients to ask if prices are reasonable, trial periods are absolutely free of charge, subscription cancellations are hassle-free, or refunds are allowed if the company is at fault.

Pro-employee policies

There have been outsourcing firms that went under public trials for violating labor codes. Don t be associated with image-demolishing companies by knowing upfront whether they uphold employee rights by allowing workers to organize unions and work under healthy conditions with the necessary benefits and incentives.

Industry and market recognition

You’ll know if the contract is worth signing if business experts themselves commend your vendor’s industry compliance and approve of the kind of service it provides. You could refer to the criteria of the awards the firms received to have an idea about the service quality you might get by becoming their client. Reading about market studies and customer surveys could also show you the level of reception the public has for your prospective partner.