IT leaders should have the information they need to make informed business decisions on how to run their department and buy the products and services they need. Benchmarking is one of the best means to deliver such information, but has traditionally been an expensive, time consuming and painful endeavor. Not anymore. ProBenchmark is able to [...]
Although benchmarking in business has been around practically as long as commerce itself, and although benchmarking in outsourcing isn’t exactly new, still many organizations are missing out on the real benefits that can accrue from benchmarking their outsourcing agreements. With the variety of options available today, benchmarks go beyond simply uncovering misaligned pricing and services [...]
If you are an outsourcing customer, an outsourcing agreement is like a three-legged stool. Its value depends on what you agree to buy, what you agree to pay and the terms of the contract. Although the agreement and the other contract terms are often extensive, outsourcing customers often underestimate, or even overlook, the value in [...]
During the heat of the August monsoon, I traveled to New Delhi to speak at the NASSCOM BPO Strategy Summit. The sights, smells and intensity of India never cease to amaze and delight me. I speak at conferences all over the world including world-class events hosted by Sourcing Interests Group (SIG) and IAOP. All three [...]
Outsourcing provides many benefits, including the realization of improved efficiency, speed and agility to deliver services. Unfortunately, research indicates that the ability to sustain high value realization over the complete life cycle of the outsourcing agreement is a major challenge. This paper discusses how clients and providers can shift their focus in order to minimize [...]
Most of us have been down on our knees praying that the relationship does not blow up over an error. Perhaps the cutover was delayed because the provider did not conduct sufficient user acceptance tests, or an employee committed fraud within a client account because controls were inadequate, or the client did not provide the [...]
Most companies that outsourced a portion of their finance and accounting (F&A) functions in the early to mid-2000s generated great savings but are probably overpaying now for the service levels they are receiving. More than $2 billion dollars of outsourcing contracts will expire in the next 12 months, and sourcing buyers need to be prepared [...]
Outsourcing Center assembled a panel of industry experts to discuss the changes in outsourcing contracts and pricing models over the next two to five years. Their insights reveal buyers and providers will approach outsourcing initiatives differently than in the past. Q. Outsourcing pricing models and contract vehicles have evolved over the past few years. How [...]
Service level agreements (SLAs) play two important roles in an outsourcing arrangement. They set the stage for the service provider’s accountability, and they are the major factor in determining the price of the service. The buyer of outsourced services can achieve a comfort level that it’s getting what it pays for if it regularly monitors [...]
Read how the parties communicate proactively, honestly, and transparently, enabling them to work collaboratively to resolve issues, take advantage of opportunities, and ensure their interests remain aligned. After 10 years together, the gray line between the two has vanished. Here’s how they communicate.
A study of 65 buyers in Outsourcing Center’s 2009 Outsourcing Excellence Awards program revealed an important differentiation in service providers’ mindsets and the way they address problems or opportunities. This Decision Perspectives briefing describes the characteristics in both mindsets along with how they differ in handling issues that arise in an outsourcing relationship. This briefing [...]
Cost and price. It’s crucial that buyers understand both when it comes to outsourcing. What is the cost of providing business services internally? What elements comprise that cost? What is the price for comparable services from an outsourcing service provider? What cost elements affect the provider’s price? For the service levels it commits to perform, [...]
Explore the levers and choices surrounding a global service desk and its impact on cost.
Why do some buyers decide to renew their outsourcing contracts early before the term expires? Outsourcing Center studied 92 relationships to identify the drivers for early renewals. The study also revealed top qualities of providers appreciated by buyers in early-renewal deals.
Companies are facing new considerations in their decision making at different points in the life cycle of outsourcing. Pricing models, controllability of offshored work, managing outsourcing relationships, and a new source of value creation will impact decisions in 2009. But the biggest impact on decision making will come from a watershed event regarding platform BPO, which occurred in 2008. Here’s what you need to know to be ready for outsourcing decisions in these aspects.
This paper addresses the changing attitudes of CIOs with respect to their outsourcing decisions. Cost is still important, but a recent survey finds that CIOs expect business value and quality from trusted outsourcing providers as well.
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