Summary

A global technology company managing highly confidential pre-release software needed to shift part of its QA (quality assurance) operations, previously handled entirely on-site in the U.S., to a remote setup.

The request came only a few months before a critical September release milestone. With no margin for error, Welo Data applied its proven QA framework to rapidly stand up global teams, replicate established processes abroad, and deliver consistent outcomes under time pressure.

This meant hiring and training linguists across Europe, setting up a new QA lab in India to support additional languages, and moving from a traditional staffing model to a managed service approach.

Even with these major changes, the team consistently delivered strong results: over 99% of tasks were completed on time, quality scores averaged just under 5 out of 5, and rejection rates stayed below 1%, well within the client’s expectations.

Background

For over 17 years, the client relied on in-person teams in the U.S. to handle linguistic and functional QA for its software. This included testing operating systems and app interfaces in multiple languages, with strict confidentiality requirements.

In early 2024, the company decided to move part of this work to remote team for more flexibility and geographic reach. The shift allowed for global hiring, expanded language coverage, and a move from staffing support to a more hands-on vendor role. The initial goal was to have 30% of QA work done remotely by September 2025, with plans to reach 70% by mid-2026.

What made this project unique was not just the move to remote, but the requirement to replicate a mature, U.S.-based QA process in new regions with no loss of rigor. The success depended on embedding proven QA systems into every aspect of the transition.

Challenge

The client asked us to move a long-standing, fully on-site QA process to a distributed global setup ahead of a critical release milestone. The request came only a few months before the deadline, creating intense time pressure and leaving no margin for error. Any disruption risked delaying a global product launch.

Several hurdles had to be overcome simultaneously:

• Recruiting and training linguists for more than 24 languages across new regions, with hiring completed in weeks rather than months
• Standing up a brand-new QA lab in India with full confidentiality and security controls in place
• Onboarding and aligning new staff under strict delivery timelines, while embedding them into our established QA quality framework from day one
• Transitioning from a staffing model to a managed service approach, with Welo Data fully accountable for day-to-day delivery

Despite the compressed schedule, the goal was clear: deliver consistent, high-quality outcomes under pressure, while proving that a process built and refined over 17 years could be transformed into a distributed model with zero disruption.

Solution

To tackle the challenge, we focused on three key areas: hiring the right people, setting up the right infrastructure, and changing how the work was managed. 

Hiring Remote Talent in EMEA
We hired and onboarded linguists across Europe in under two months. To keep training aligned with the U.S.-based core team, we ran sessions in the evenings. We also set up local support teams to answer questions and handle any issues that came up during onboarding. All hires were trained and assessed against established QA benchmarks, with continuous monitoring to ensure alignment.

Building the India QA Lab
We set up a new lab in India from the ground up to cover additional Indic languages. Since this was a new region for the project, we adjusted workplace expectations and communication styles to fit local norms. This helped the new team settle in quickly and work effectively with global colleagues. Everyone was included in ongoing training and quality monitoring from the start.

Moving to a Managed Service Model
We shifted from simply providing staff to fully managing delivery. Our vendor project managers took charge of capacity planning, assigning tasks, and meeting deadlines. The client stepped back from daily oversight and focused instead on tracking KPIs. This reduced their workload and gave us more responsibility for delivery.

Results / Business Outcomes

The transition was completed on time and went more smoothly than expected, despite the complexity of the changes. Not only did we meet the client’s targets, we surpassed them across every key performance indicator.

In both Q1 and Q2, over 99% of tasks were delivered on time, well above the 97% target. Quality scores averaged 4.94 out of 5 in Q1 and 4.93 in Q2, exceeding the minimum requirement of 4.0. Task rejection rates stayed well below the 3% threshold, with just 0.10% in Q1 and 0.35% in Q2.

Beyond the metrics:

• All remote positions were filled ahead of the June 2025 deadline
• New languages were successfully staffed and launched in the India lab
• The team fully transitioned from staffing support to managed service delivery
• Quality remained consistently high, even with major staffing changes

As a result, the client’s internal workload decreased significantly, they gained broader coverage, faster turnaround, and a reduced internal workload. Our team now manages the full day-to-day delivery process, including task distribution, capacity planning, and quality monitoring. The client only steps in for exceptions, like tool outages or urgent escalations.

Conclusion

This project proved that with the right QA framework, even long-established, high-security processes can be restructured under time pressure while maintaining consistency and quality. With the right team and clear planning, it’s possible to move fast and still deliver reliably.

What we learned:

• Confidential work can be done remotely: With the right hiring, training, and communication in place, cross-border teams can meet strict quality standards.
• A managed service model works: By taking on full ownership of delivery, we gave the client more room to focus on strategy and product development.
• Cultural alignment makes a difference: Adapting to local work styles in India helped the new team settle in faster and stay engaged.
  

This setup is now a working model for scaling QA work globally, with strong delivery controls and quality fully intact.

Ready to scale your QA operations without compromising on quality or security? Partner with Welo Data and see what’s possible.

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