Deciding What to Outsource
Dr. Wendell Jones
Outsourcing relationships have a better chance for success if they have an internal champion who believes in the cause. Find out what you need to know.
Research & Insight
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
An ASP Plays Doctor with Database Health
Outsourcing Center, Beth Ellyn Rosenthal, Senior Writer
dbDoctor has reengineered the database monitoring process for Oracle and Sun Microsystems systems. ‘Databases touch each and every facet of your business. When they go down, all hell breaks loose and losses immediately start to accumulate,’ says Michael Misheff, vice president, sales and marketing, for dbDoctor.
Risky Business
Chris Pryer, Business Writer
The issue of how liability is addressed in an outsourcing agreement is very real. The ultimate goal of any outsourcing arrangement is mutual satisfaction. The outsourcing entity hopes to acquire a higher level of performance in a particular aspect of its business that was not attainable in the past and be cost effective while doing so. The outsourcer leverages its expertise and economies of scale in the hopes of meeting the client’s expectationss and making a profit in the process. But it doesn’t always work out that way.
Breaking News: Outsourcing Gets Great Press in the Newspaper Industry
Outsourcing Center, Beth Ellyn Rosenthal, Senior Writer
Reducing cycle time is a powerful business strategy. Here are two examples from the newspaper industry that demonstrate how outsourcing was the only way these companies could take advantage of a great opportunity.
Rendezvous with ELLA
Outsourcing Center, Kathleen Goolsby, Senior Writer
Clark explains that, prior to Rockwood, he was selling an insurance product called employment practices liability (EPL), whereby companies can be insured for wrongful termination, sexual harassment and discrimination. These acts were considered to be uninsurable before 1992 because they were things people did on purpose. But the laws changed, and Clark set about creating awareness that there was an insurance product available for these exposures. Even as he sought ways to promote EPL, he was also trying to reduce the risk of writing a company that would turn out to have bad employment practices.
Five Tips for Vendors
George Atis, Chairman, Outsourcing and Technology practice groups, McMillan Binch LLP
George Atis provides some pointers for vendors that should go a long way towards impressing buyers and expediting the closure of a deal.
Business Risk
Outsourcing Center, Beth Ellyn Rosenthal, Senior Writer
The biggest risks for businesses are they take too long to change, they do the wrong thing or they don’t do their job well, says Michel Janssen, chief operating officer of the Outsourcing Center. Outsourcing can mitigate much of that business risk by sharing the risks as well as the gains with the outsourcing supplier. Outsourcing supplies you with someone who is totally focused on your success, continues Janssen.
Road Warriors
Chris Pryer, Business Writer
Few assets owned and maintained by the government illicit as much passion from taxpayers as the condition of paved roads. But even as the need for more and wider thoroughfares goes largely ignored due to shrinking budgets and changing political climates, state and local governments across the nation also are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain preexisting transportation infrastructure. And it doesn’t stop there. The management of buildings, building-maintenance equipment, real estate, vehicles, office equipment, etc., is becoming a burden governments are discovering is more than they can bear. As a remedy, many are turning to asset management outsourcing.
ASP in Brazil
Outsourcing Center, Beth Ellyn Rosenthal, Senior Writer
When Brasilia, Brazil’s capital, was built, one of the city architects suggested planting grass everywhere instead of paving sidewalks. People could walk wherever they wanted. Where natural paths emerged, the concrete would follow.
Aligning Interests
Outsourcing Center, Beth Ellyn Rosenthal, Senior Writer
Whiteside, the founder and CEO of netASPx Inc., an application service provider (ASP) based in Herndon, Virginia, says software vendors have to select one of three paths to incorporate the ASP method into their business model.