Research & Insight

Retail & e-commerce

Hot Spots for Growth in Outsourcing

Outsourcing Center, Kathleen Goolsby, Senior Writer

Which industries will experience growth in outsourcing in the next few years, and what risks will buyers of those services face? Are there business processes or functions that will begin turning to outsourcing in the next two to five years? What value opportunities and risks will they bring? In what geographic regions will companies begin …

In-house Language Skills Enhance Offshore Engagement and Enable Greater Savings

Outsourcing Center, Bruce McCracken, Business Writer

Application development costs and speed to market are critical for a startup with a new concept. Because the founders had to prove the concept, they didn’t want to spend a lot of capital. Hiring U.S. developers was not in the budget. A Chinese service provider got the job done at half the cost.

Outsourcing Provides a New Method for Customer Service for Online UK Retailer Using Home-Based Agents

Outsourcing Center, Bruce McCracken, Business Writer

High-level customer service is essential for online. Ramping up and down call center staff due to seasonal fluctuations make it challenging to provide the kind of top-notch customer service this segment expects. Shop Direct tried a new approach for the UK: using home-based agents. Here is its success story.

Offshore Manufacturing Proves a Boon for Small Business

John Harney, Business Writer

One of the toughest problems people in small businesses face in getting a product to market is finding a manufacturer that will run small batches. Ashe Archery overcame this problem by outsourcing its design and manufacturing to Metrotech, a Chinese provider that produces small runs as needed at a substantially lower cost per piece than domestic manufacturers.

Online Retailer Outsources Voice Mail Because Customers Still Want to Use the Phone

Outsourcing Center, Beth Ellyn Rosenthal, Senior Writer

Online customers communicate through email. But some want to do things the old-fashioned way–they want to talk to a real person about their needs. Small entrepreneurs with day jobs can’t answer their calls during the workday. Outsourcing provides a professional alternative.

How Leading Retailers Achieve Vendor Performance Management and Compliance Optimization

Outsourcing Center, Kathleen Goolsby, Senior Writer

Most retailers lack the ability to efficiently process their vendor-performance information into knowledge that allows them to avoid or recover unnecessary costs from inaccurate shipments. However, there’s an outsourced solution that brings visibility into vendor operations, creating huge competitive advantage. Read what it did for Gottschalks and other retailers.

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