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Virtual Data Provider Securely Manages Law Firm's IT System
Investors buying loan portfolios want to know about the individual loans in them. Law firms do this for their clients. Before outsourcing, Zarski and Associates hired paralegals who often knew nothing about consumer credit law. Now his supplier iBridge has lawyers in Delhi and Banaglore review the portfolios. I can get an Indian lawyer for $35 an hour and a U.S. paralegal for $50 an hour. Guess which one I'll take? says David Zarski.
Editor's Corner with CompuCom's John McKenna
John McKenna is chief strategy and services officer for CompuCom, a $1.7 billion IT service provider. The company currently manages more than 2.3 million seats; its help desk agents answer almost three million calls a year. McKenna discusses how to select an IT provider and create a successful ITO relationship.
Growing Nationally With A PEO Partner
When the government agencies award a contract to IT vendors, they expect them to ramp up staff in a hurry. But carrying staff to potentially service a big contract is as cost-prohibitive as maintaining a large human resources department. That was the challenge for EMCO Technologies, a small Louisiana IT company. It hired Administaff to pick up the HR load so it could land more federal contracts and expand nationally.
Outsourcer Helps Insurer Develop New Business Line Quickly and Efficiently: XL Insurance recognized an opportunity in the U.S. casualty marketplace and decided to swiftly expand into the casualty risk management business through a new portfolio of products. But XL's limited internal resources and fast timeline threatened the venture. Outsourcing made it happen.
An Onshore American ADM Model that Competes with Offshore's Cost, Scalability, Flexibility, and Quality: If you have the mind-set that American application development outsourcing providers can't compete with the costs and other benefits of using offshore providers, think again. A Texas-based outsourcer has a uniquely competitive model and very satisfied clients.
Current Market Trends in IT Outsourcing: Findings from the Everest ITO RFI, 2007
Last quarter the Everest Research Institute conducted a comprehensive survey of major ITO deals. Here are some major findings: traditional IO suppliers are disproportionably focused on large buyers while the evolving RIMO model is showing signs of convergence with the traditional model. And ADM suppliers are leveraging multiple offshore geographies for service delivery.
Outsourced IT Platform Attracts Merger Partner for Real Estate/Hospitality Company: When Private Escapes Destination Clubs started its travel and real estate company, it wanted IT expertise without the IT investment. So it outsourced its Web-based reservation system to Managed Business Solutions. The IT platform was such a stellar success a competitor came calling, attracted by the reservation system. Now the new combined entity is the No. 2 player.
IT Outsourcer Enables Healthcare Provider to Focus on Patient Care
Three smaller providers merged to form PinnacleHealth. What was the Rx for IT? Our core wasn't running IT, says Dr. Roger Longenderfer, CEO. We needed a partner that could not only build our IT staff and infrastructure but also create a technology roadmap so we could grow strategically. Outsourcing to Siemens did just that.
Current Market Trends in IT Outsourcing: Findings from the Everest ITO RFI, 2007
Last quarter the Everest Research Institute conducted a comprehensive survey of major ITO deals. Here are some major findings: traditional IO suppliers are disproportionably focused on large buyers while the evolving RIMO model is showing signs of convergence with the traditional model. And ADM suppliers are leveraging multiple offshore geographies for service delivery.
Everything's Rosy for International Florist and its Web Retailing Provider
When much of your income is directly generated by your retail Web site, and it crashes unexpectedly during the busiest time of the year, how do you prevent that from happening again? You find the right outsourcing provider.
Third Time's a Charm for Family Dollar's IT and Data Management Outsourcing
Stiff competition from Wal-Mart placed the onus on Family Dollar to overhaul its IT, database, and application management processes if it were to continue growing. It made a couple of furtive attempts before finding the right outsourcing provider. Here is its story about shopping for the right supplier.
Outsourcing to Ukraine: Why the US$246 Million Industry Is Expanding to the Provinces
The Netherlands is experiencing a shortage of IT engineers, so ISM eCompany, an Internet solution provider, had to find alternatives to hiring locally. The company looked at 20 countries and came up with India, China, and Ukraine as the top three locations to set up a captive operation. Ukraine turned out to be the best option. Here's why.
ITO Forecasts for 2008:
Considering outsourcing infrastructure ADM, or health care IT? This article has information you need to know for decision-making in the next couple of years.
An ICT Supplier That Works for Free!:
Telephones are sooo 1970s. The Salvation Army, however, is using phones in a very twenty-first-century way, thanks to outsourcing. And, the charity is saving significant sums, too.
Bharti Airtel, Nortel Innovate a Utility Computing Model to Influence Consumer Behavior:
Bharti Airtel is a fast-growing Indian telco. It felt labor costs in India were too expensive. It wanted to solve customer care issues at the machine. So it offshored its solution--to North America. The Indian company selected Nortel for its call center technology. Together they changed the behavior of a nation.
The Story of a Turnaround: Before Outsourcing, a Key Division Struggled; Today It Excels:
Service was so poor with Aon's first outsourcing supplier that it was losing customers. Then it switched to Alfinanz, which had both IT and industry experience. Now Aon is so successful it is challenging its biggest competitors and winning most tenders!
Evaluating Success in an Outsourcing Relationship:
Many companies don't achieve the anticipated outcomes in their outsourcing initiatives because they don't take the right steps up front. Here's how the fifth-largest homebuilder in the United States built an outstanding outsourcing relationship that produced the outcomes the client wanted.
Predicting BPO's Future with Oracle's Tibor Beles:
Tibor Beles, VP Sales, Global BPO, heads Oracle's BPO practice. Read why he thinks HRO buyers will take a more aggressive outsourcing approach in the future, how IT will bring innovation to BPO processes, and why time is so critical to outsourcing transactions.
Outsourcing Made More IT Initiatives Benefiting Citizens and Government Possible for Minneapolis
The City of Minneapolis and Unisys won the Best First Steps Outsourcing Excellence Awards in 2004. We went back to see how the relationship has progressed. Did outsourcing really help the citizens of Minneapolis?
HCL Infrastructure Service Division Releases Blackbook, a Primer on Remote Infrastructure Management
Can an outsourcing supplier manage IT infrastructure remotely? HCL's Anant Gupta has written a book to answer that question. HCL self-published The Blackbook, a primer on how Remote Infrastructure Management Outsourcing (RIMO) is shaping up. Today buyers can outsource up to 85 percent of their infrastructure remotely.
Hosted Instant Messaging Provider Improves Financial Firms' Real-Time Communications
How can a regional drug store chain, with just 68 stores in two states, compete with national chains like Walgreen's or CVS that seemingly have stores on every corner? By outsourcing its retail IT, that's how.
Outsourcing Allows Mid-Sized Drug Store Chain to Compete with Large National Chains
How can a regional drug store chain, with just 68 stores in two states, compete with national chains like Walgreen's or CVS that seemingly have stores on every corner? By outsourcing its retail IT, that's how.
All-Encompassing SMB HR Outsourcing Engagement a Success Since '92: Socket, a telecom company, has had the same outsourcing provider for 15 years. Read how this remarkable relationship has matured over time to benefit both partners.
Outsourcing Simplifies the Paperwork for Appliance Manufacturer Whirlpool
This SMB manufacturer replaced its legacy applications with one hosted ERP suite for dramatic cost savings and vastly improved operational efficiencies.
Applications Provider Boosts Sales, Reduces IT Requirements for Insurer
In 2003, the life-insurance division of The Phoenix Companies needed to replace its obsolete contact management system, its fourth in 10 years. An on-demand model makes the company's various programs work together smoothly. The result: projects need 75 percent fewer resources.
Trends in Utility Computing and Outsourcing
R&D clusters, virtualization, SOA. They're part of the second-generation utility computing model, now the number-one model companies are selecting for new IT systems and high-performance computing (HPC) needs. Here's how buyers are using the model with outsourcing.
The Asset-Light Outsourcing Model: The Changing Role of Asset Ownership in Infrastructure Outsourcing
Previously, a supplier had to take over a buyer's IT assets to have outsourcing make financial sense. Today, however, three market trends have changed this scenario. Ross Tisnovsky describes the benefits of the new asset-light outsourcing model.
Core-Sourcing Helps Insurer Add Flood Insurance To Its Offerings
A Florida property and casualty company wanted to add flood insurance to its product line but couldn't find the IT dollars to add a new application. Outsourcing did that seamlessly.
Outsourcing's Impact on Corporate Archiving and Library Functions: Most corporate, law firms, and hospital libraries are cost centers and must justify their existence and continually reduce or contain costs. Many libaries are nearly dead or need to transform to digital assets. And more companies--like Toyota Motor Sales USA--find they need to create an information archive. Read this story to learn what outsourcing can achieve.
How A Small IT Firm Prospered After Outsourcing Its HR to a PEO: TechGuard had trouble recruiting because of its lack of benefits. It outsourced HR to solve that problem. Then it learned HR outsourcing provided a lot more valuable benefits. Here's one firm's story.
Editor's Corner: Bernd-Uwe Pagel of SAP: Berndt-Uwe Pagel, Senior Vice President of BPO for SAP, discusses the software company's role in BPO. He explains why IT agendas have to change, standardization is important, and suppliers have to become profitable. And he shares the most important lesson he learned from his dad. (2007)
SaaS Provider Helps Make PETCO's Supply Chain the Cat's Whiskers
Managing an extensive product line to quickly serve owners of everything from Abyssinian cats to Zebra fish is a tall order for PETCO. It turned to Software-as-a-Service to update its supply chain. Now it's both reliable and fast.
ISP Partners with Remote Content Provider to Enhance the Country's Food Chain
Today farmers can harvest the information they need for their agribusinesses using an unlikely resource, their Internet Service Provider (ISP), who partnered with an ASP to grow a useful portal.
Outsourcing Helps Legacy Air Carriers Fly Back to Profitability
Outsourcing has been one of the most important factors in the industry turnaround, providing an opportunity to remove large amounts of fixed cost while drawing on the expertise of the outsourcer to update the airline's technology base. Read why airlines are outsourcing important business processes.
Trends Highlight Changes in the Way Companies Will Do IT Outsourcing in 2007: IT outsourcing is no longer a commodity. Here's a run-down of recent trends demonstrating IT outsourcing is becoming integral to top-line growth. Read about new business models, new functions being outsourced, and other changes that will impact ITO deals next year.
Small Wireless Firm Stays Competitive With Outsourced Access to Remote Technology
How can an organization provide remote users with more secure access to enterprise applications and intranet portals? Outsourcing the secure socket layer virtual private network is one way. Now employees can leave their laptops at home when they travel and safely use a hotel's business center.
Solving SMBs' Communications Technologies Challenges
Most small to midsize businesses (SMBs) don't have in-house telecom experts, lack the experience to handle ongoing quick technological changes, and can't effectively plan ongoing strategies, manage implementations, and ensure harmonious use of communications technologies and devices on their own. So they outsource.
Outsourcing Helps Continental Airlines Upgrade IT for Remote Workers
Continental Airlines has 1,500 remote workers. Outsourcing its remote telecom access saves at least $75,000 a month in connectivity costs. And the supplier offers better security.
Catapulting a Business Forward
The pace of change in information and communications technology in education, including corporate learning programs, has been tremendously fast and has completely altered the teaching and learning process. Here's the story of how one company used outsourcing to not only adapt to the changes but also manage to grow its business.
When The Phones Don't Work, Call A VoIP Supplier
Success Apparel, a children's sportswear manufacturer in New York City, just wanted its phone system to work. Its phone system was dead for as long as three days as its local, long distance, and PBX supplier pointed fingers. Outsourcing all its telephony to a VoIP supplier solved the problem.
Open Source Offshore Doubles Cost Cuts For Software Companies
Offshore outsourcing was a key element of start-up Italio. It used 20 software developers from Lohika, an outsourcer in Western Ukraine, and four tech support staff from QASource, a similar company in India, paying half the price of comparable US talent.
Close Supplier Partnerships Help Center Find Hurricane Katrina Victims ASAP
Hurricane Katrina displaced almost a million Gulf Coast residents, including thousands of children. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children found itself overwhelmed, unable to handle the drastic uptick in the number of searches. The quasi-government agency turned to its technology outsourcing partners for immediate help.
How Outsourcing Took an Insurance Company from the Worst in the Pack to No. 6
The insurer's sluggish processes and aging technology made it nearly impossible to introduce new products quickly. And its expense-to-premium ratio was 65 percent when the industry norm was closer to 20 percent. Outsourcing included a transformation. The result: In the last 18 months, Channel Life took on 450,000 new policies, four times the number of policies it had.
Buyer Backs Out of Bankruptcy and Drives into Financial Success by Outsourcing Everything IT
Vanguard had hit a red light: it had to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The light changed to green when investors purchased its assets out of bankruptcy and outsourced its IT and IT-related business processes to Perot Systems, who cut its IT budget in half. Today Vanguard is driving in high gear and making money.
Why Every Business Needs a Disaster-Recovery Plan
Last year Citrix took a direct hit from Hurricane Wilma, shutting down the business for 15 days. But Citrix customers continued to receive their products because several Citrix employees set up shop in HP's New Hampshire facility, the first time a customer actually moved in to run its business on HP's systems.
Outsourcing Data Management Pays for Rural Hospital
Thanks to a new outsourced health information management system, West Branch Regional Medical Centers's paper deluge and records access challenges are a thing of the past. What's more, the solution is more than paying for itself.
Outsourcing Threat Detection Keeps Corporate Networks Up and Running
This is the second story in a series on data security. Data threats can cripple any network in virtually the blink of an eye. To protect its network, Swift Energy outsources its network monitoring. It didn't take long to discover what a wise decision that was.
Solution Delivers High-Quality Customer Experience with Travel Agents
Call centers can impact a travel agency's market share because of the large number of customer interactions. Yet a March study of North American consumers sounded an alarm for call centers that don't have the requisite technology to ensure satisfactory customer experiences. Here's how two travel-related businesses solved that technology problem.
Offshoring Helps Travel Outsourcer Develop Better Consumer Services and Remain Competitive
Almost every industry has to deal with the issue of legacy software. Do you keep it or replace it? With many of the legacy programmers retiring, a travel IT company looked offshore to fill the gaps.
The Romanian IT Outsourcing Industry: A Stable Stable of Freelancers for the Online Marketplaces
Small-to-medium businesses in the US are turning to IT experts in Romania. Cost is not the only consideration. They say Romanians are harder working and more reliable with deadlines In addition, they didn't pester them with requests for payment before the job was completed.
Booz Allen Hamilton Study: Data Security Is Becoming a Distinguishing Factor When Selecting a Supplier
The firm wanted to know how senior IT executives dealt with the security risks involved in outsourcing. The result is a new report, Outsourcing Security: Concerns Growing. Suppliers, here's what matters to IT buyers.
Outsourcing Its IT Department Helps Falls Church Provide Services for Demanding Citizenry
Unfortunately for the city of Falls Church, Virginia, major IT employers like AOL are in its backyard, making high tech hiring brutal. Half the IT department was vacant before outsourcing solved the problem.
Is Your Information Secure? Outsourced IT Still Requires In-Sourced Risk Assessment
Outsourcing your IT doesn't relieve you of security obligations. Try telling the CEO that it's alright that you lost customer information because we have an IT outsourcing contract. Just don't tell him about the supplier's limitation of liability provision. Attorney Bruce Leshine shares legal ideas to protect your data in an outsourced environment.
Outsourced Email Archiving Solution Addresses Regulatory Challenges, Storage Issues, and Productivity
Email archiving is a hot technology for 2006, solving corporate and compliance challenges. Here's what an investment management firm learned when shopping for an outsourced email archiving solution.
Financial Institutions Ratchet Up Their ITO Decisions
Market trends suggest the philosophy on information technology outsourcing spending decisions is changing within the financial institutions sector. Here's why.
Outsourcing Makes Streaming Media Affordable
Streaming media over the Internet provides a competitive advantage. But it can be a performance risk and is not affordable to any except the largest companies. Outsourcing solves both challenges.
Taking the Sting Out of Nondeliverable Email Addresses
One-third of the email addresses to which a company sends marketing communications will bounce back as undeliverable over the course of a year. This is a huge problem for companies trying to stay in touch and increase revenue through email marketing. But outsourcing comes to the rescue in reconnecting with those people on a very affordable basis.
Q&A with Zach Lonstein, Infocrossing CEO: The Beauty of a Business with Recurring Revenue
Infocrossing is an IT supplier on the move. Editor Beth Ellyn Rosenthal finds out the lessons an outsourcing pioneer has learned over the past 30 years. Zach Lonstein shares his wisdom and his predictions.
Nielsen Media Augments IT Strengths, Turns Data Into Dollars
Nielson Media, which assigns television ratings, used to have it easy: just check when people were watching. Now people are watching TV with DVRs, the Internet, and cable, making the job much harder. Outsourcing its IT helped the company satisfy its clients, who demanded increasingly detailed data.
Outsourcer Streamlines Insurer's Processes With Technology and Remote Professionals
Farm Bureau Mutual, a commercial carrier, needed a faster way to determine whether it wanted to renew a policy. If it didn't have the correct information in time, it would adjust in haste and repent in leisure, charging lower rates when they really needed to be higher or vice-versa. Outsourcing solved the problem.
One Throat to Choke
Dan Socci, HP's VP of Technology Services, addresses five common concerns associated with moving IT support management outside the enterprise and provides advice about selecting an outsourcing partner as a single point of accountability.
IT Talent: A Shortage in India?
India is perceived as a cornucopia of IT talent. But some organizations are discovering that certain IT skills are increasingly scarce. Read about the current labor situation and what it means for your outsourcing effort.
Outsourcing Pushes French Retailer's Web Music Presence to the Top of the Charts
FNAC has been selling music on the Web since the early 1990s. But its site was as up-to-date as a vinyl 45. So it turned to an outsourcer to teach it the latest.
New IBM Research Quantifies the Long-Term Impact of IT Outsourcing on Three Business Metrics
A new IBM study found companies that outsourced IT outperformed their peers on three key business metrics. Here's why.
What's Next? Top ITO Trends for 2006
A new buzz surrounds IT outsourcing. Buyers are taking a new tactical approach to ITO. They want technical innovation, worry about security, and are embracing multi-sourcing. Read what the experts think will happen in 2006.
Emerging Trends in Telecom Outsourcing Touch Every Part of the Industry
IDC says the telecom sector will lead all other verticals in outsourcing engagements over the next five years. Read how wireless, radio frequency ID, and VoIP are changing telecom outsourcing.
VoIP Security: Protecting Voice Traffic From Prying Ears
A growing number of businesses are now using VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) to route voice traffic over their computer networks. So how do you keep malicious hackers from listening to your calls? Outsourcing can help.
Ukraine: Will the Orange Revolution Boost the IT Outsourcing Industry?
Ukrainian IT suppliers signed new deals in 2005. Will the Ukraine turn into an Eastern European outsourcing hot spot?
American Ref-Fuel Outsources Its IT to Multiple Suppliers to Generate Business Benefits
American Ref-fuel turns garbage into electricity. It outsources everything else. Here's how the company's various IT suppliers work with each other to service the energy company. The result: the company that turns waste into energy doesn't waste energy.
Beyond Expense Reduction: Outsourcing and Business Transformation
Cost savings may still be the entry ticket to IT outsourcing. But HP's Marc Schwartz says a more compelling reason to outsource is the ability to focus on the core business--and the many strategic advantages that can result.
Tales from the Front: Sunoco's Tim Murtha Publishes New Guidebook On IT Multi-Sourcing
When Sunoco decided to transform its IT infrastructure, it performed 90 percent of its IT services in-house. After an honest assessment of its deficiencies, the refiner decided to outsource 90 percent of its infrastructure to multiple suppliers. The key to that successful transformation was changing how Sunoco defined the work, according to Tim Murtha. From his new book.
A New Metric Compares Suppliers; Currently the Indians Are Winning
A new research study by Katzenbach Partners says the traditional American and European suppliers are no longer the safe bet for buyers looking to outsource their information technology. The study says the Indian suppliers, who have excess cash thanks to their rapid growth, may be a better choice.
Huge Kaiser Fine Demonstrates Why Hospitals Are Outsourcing Their Data Security
Identity theft is one of the fastest growing global crimes. Hospitals store that kind of personal data in their networks--as well as patients' medical records. Read how outsourcing protects the data at a community hospital in Georgia.
(i)Structure Refines IT Strategy for Sunoco Using the 'Umbrella Strategy'
When Sunoco decided to transform its IT infrastructure, it performed 90 percent its IT services in-house. After an honest assessment of its deficiencies, Sunoco decided to outsource 90 percent of its infrastructure to multiple suppliers. This Q&A describes the changes outsourcing has brought to the refiner.
Travel/Hospitality IT Outsourcing Picks Up After Flat Growth
The travel industry historically upgraded its IT by buying competitors with cool programs. Today, however, consumers are demanding more sophisticated online offerings. So providers are turning to outsourcing to develop programs that help travelers sort through the thousands of travel options.
A New Business Model Strengthens Competitive Position
Facing the need to invest heavily in technology upgrades to remain competitive in full service global trade documentary processing or get out of the business entirely, Key Bank chose instead to outsource to ABN AMRO.
Creating a Win-Win Culture
QinetiQ identified the need for a single source solution to reduce IT costs and improve customer service. Accenture convinced senior managers and executives it could deliver QinetiQ's requirements, and it did. First year savings exceeded expectations and the partners anticipate the cost savings to be maintained in year two.
INPUT Report: US Government Outsourcing To Grow 55 Percent by 2009
Outsourcing will be one of the fastest-growing segments of the federal IT budget over the next five years, according to a December 2004 INPUT study.
The US Government's IT Challenge: How Outsourcing Can Help
Among other factors, obsolete IT systems and an aging work force are driving government agencies to outsource more.
Four Rules For Successfully Changing Suppliers
Many view having to change suppliers as the ultimate outsourcing nightmare. Larry Miller's first task at STMicroelectronics was to switch to Unisys. Here are his four rules for change.
How to Handle the Human Side of an HR Transition
A large insurance company outsourced its IT. Not all the employees were migrating to the supplier. How do you fairly treat the employees who are staying, the ones who are losing their jobs, and the ones starting a new career with the supplier. Rob Restivo describes how to do this tough job right.
VoIP Solves Technology, Labor Challenges for Growing US Call Center
VoIP slashed turnover and capital costs at a national call center operation without sacrificing voice quality. Five9's ASP solution sounds good to customers. Third in a series about this new technology.
Archstone Consulting/Duke University Offshoring Study: Respondents Reported 30 Percent Annual Savings
How much money do companies really save offshoring? This new study answers that question scientifically: 63 percent saved more than 30 percent and 14 percent banked more than 50 percent.
An Attorney Outlines Some Outsourcing Challenges for Manufacturers
Manufacturers who outsource lose control over the manufacturing process. Adam Chernichaw's advice: Document everything.
How Outsourcing Facilitated a Sale
A major manufacturer wanted to acquire a niche company. But the buyer was unhappy with two aspects of its manufacturing process. Outsourcing removed both objections.
Cigarette Manufacturer Rolls Out VoIP
JTI, which manufactures Salems, Winstons, and Mild Sevens, has plants in 48 countries. It asked Equant, its global telecom provider, to set up a voice over Internet protocol call center so it could take advantage of the new services VoIP offers.
IT Forecast: Look for Growth, Changing Deal Types, and a More Global Delivery Model
Read about ITO in 2005: the move to global sourcing, the impact of Sarbanes-Oxley,
and new activities for ASPs.
ComputerWire's Annual Outsourcing Report: Contract Value Grew Thanks to Government and Smaller Buyer Contracts
ComputerWire tracks outsourcing deals. Here's the report card for 2004.
What's New in BPO
BPO providers predict this year business transformation will become more than just talk. And offshoring will expand into new industries and new geographies. Here's a BPO road map for 2005.
Sephora Discovers the Beauty of Outsourcing its IT Infrastructure
Sephora had aging infrastructure. Outsourcing gave it an IT makeover, with newer, better technology at the same cost.
Convergys' E-Learning Helps Retailers Survive
A J.D. Powers and Associates study reports department stores rely heavily on sales and promotions in the battle to attract customers. However, many customers say a satisfying shopping experience is more important than good prices. Convergys' e-learning program helps retailers train their people to sell.
A Good Sale: How Outsourcing Can Help Retailers' Bottom Lines
Every industry vertical has its unique challenges. But the retail sector has a full shopping cart. Mike Atwood explains how outsourcing can help retailers and makes some predictions for the future.
Governments Join Private Sector in HRO Adoption
A new study by the Conference Board and Accenture HR Services discovered four forces came together in 2004 to encourage governments to outsource HR. Here's what's happening.
HR Outsourcing Helps Energy Companies Compete in Deregulated World
The difficulties of deregulation have caused electric utilities to focus once again on their core task: keeping the lights on. A new Conference Board study sheds some light on how HR outsourcing is reducing costs and providing the time to focus on strategy.
Best-Performing Utility Company Creates Shareholder Value through Employees: Outsourcing Enhances a BHAG in Florida
In the midst of nationwide high levels of customer dissatisfaction with their utilities companies, one company has a goal to be the best service provider in the US by 2007. They're well on the way, having exceeded their internal targets for 2003. This is the story of how they did it--by using an outsourced solution to improve employee performance.
Alternating Currents in Utility Regulation Cause Hydro One Deal to Change
Hydro One hired Capgemini to implement its aggressive business plan. Then government regulations changed and the utility turned to Plan B. Read how Capgemini's flexibility in the face of change helped the utility adjust to its new conditions.
SG&A Expenses Best Outsourcing Opportunity for Utilities
The recent $3.5 billion transaction between TXU and Capgemini is a poster child for the growth in investor-owned utility outsourcing. Rahul Gujral explains where to look for the best savings opportunities.
American Outsourcers Revamp to Compete with Offshore Suppliers
Two American suppliers created offerings that allow them to compete with Indian outsourcers. Here's what they did.
Confused about the Best Cell Phone Plan? Who Ya Gonna Call?
Incorrect or misleading cell phone billing is an expensive problem for corporations. Outsourcing is one way to guarantee you only pay for what you use.
An Outsourcer Helps an ICT Employer Keep Track of What's on Employees' Laptops
180 Connect has 500 laptops in the field. What happens to the data if a laptop is stolen? What's on those laptops anyway? The cable TV and satellite company outsourced to solve those problems.
How Leading Companies Avoid Being Bitten by Telecom Expenses
Voice and data communications--the fourth-largest operating expense for most companies--has historically not been managed in a rational way. But outsourcing solutions are now evolving to a compelling value proposition with a Total Communications Management model.
A Surprising New Study: SLAs Now Have Teeth
A new study by Oblicore found 59 percent of its respondents do not monitor their SLAs well. Yet 64 percent have added financial penalties if their suppliers do not perform.
Foreign Outsourcing Invigorates US Economy
Daniel Griswold of the Cato Institute debunks offshoring myths using Cato research. He explains the economic benefits of offshoring and puts the job loss issue in perspective.
Want to Survive a Stay in the Hospital? Don't Forget To Check Out its IT Outsourcer
More Americans die from medical errors in a hospital than from car accidents. El Camino Hospital cut its medication errors 20 percent through technology, thanks to its IT provider Eclipsys.
Perspectives on Growth of the Outsourcing Market in China's Healthcare Sector
The Chinese government is reforming its healthcare sector to create a more competitive environment and speed up medical reform. Will outsourcing be part of that process?
Three Suggestions for Successful ADM Offshoring From an Exec Who Learned the Hard Way
An executive of Business Engine, a software applications development firm, shares three secrets to successful software development using an Indian provider.
Lou Dobbs: Here's Why You're WRONG!
Lou Dobbs has been one of the staunchest critics of offshore outsourcing.
Peter Bendor-Samuel sets the record straight and tells him why he's
wrong.
Outsourcing Conveniently Aligns Retailer's Operations with Competitive Business Strategies
When retail giant 7-Eleven began outsourcing its IT functions to ACS, efficiencies and costs were the drivers. When the company's objections changed to include business transformation, it tapped ACS for the additional scope because of its partnership attitude.
How Outsourcing Impacted a Company's Entry into a New Market
When Geographic Data Technology wanted to enter a new market, it turned to outsourcing to obtain the necessary resources. Its highly collaborative relationship with RMSI changed the buyer's business processes so it could compete in the new market. The result: outcomes far greater than they imagined.
'X' Marks the Spot: Decisive Moves in Securing an Excellent Outsourcing Alliance Partner
Entering a highly competitive market with a new product can be an enormous resource challenge. Microsoft discovered outsourcing to VMC Consulting was the best solution for this challenge when it launched its Xbox® video game system.
Partnering for Performance
The city of Minneapolis knew that outsourcing its IT functions and assets to Unisys would enable them to focus on value-added services for internal users and external customers, but there were huge obstacles in front of an outsourcing initiative. So they first researched both successful and failed outsourcing deals to determine what they needed to do upfront to ensure their success. (2004)
The Role of Outsourcing in Facilitating Corporate Agility
Things were going well for Entergy and its IT provider, SAIC; but they wanted their relationship to grow and produce more value. So they jointly funded an 18-month relationship health check-up. It was an eye-opener, and they subsequently renegotiated their deal to make it even better.
Vintage Outsourcing
CompuCom Systems' SLA-driven outsourcing services have improved E&J Gallo Winery's IT functions so dramatically that the winery is currently ranked in the Information 500 as the number one IS shop in its industry and the number three overall among all industries. (2004)
Blue-ribbon Teaming for Excellence in Outsourcing
This winning relationship broke our awards scoring records and is undoubtedly one of the world's most outstanding examples of outsourcing at its best. Owens & Minor outsourced its IT to Perot Systems, and O&M now commands the leading position in its marketplace. But that's not all. The level of openness and honesty between these two companies is rare in outsourcing. So is their risk-reward structure -- and the outcomes they've achieved together.
Aprimo's Marketing Success for Cummins Brings the Customer Back for More
It's budget time. Do you know where your marketing dollars went? Outsourcing helped global manufacturing firm Cummins know exactly how it spent its money.
Transforming a Financial Services Firm's Back Office
Back-office inefficiencies were a big problem for this insurance company. Thanks to the supplier's digital imaging process, tasks that once took as long as four days can be done in minutes.
Canadian IT Value Proposition Appealing to American Buyers
Canada tops the list of offshore options for American companies outsourcing their IT. That's because price is not the only consideration.
The Reach of Risk in Financial Services
Worldwide trends in mitigation of market and operational risks in financial services institutions.
Best Practice Tips from Indian Experts
7 tips for ensuring your data security.
Offshore Outsourcing Helps Mid-Tier Banks
BANKING TRENDS: Mid-tier survival tactics
Banking Mergers Boost Outsourcing Activity
HOT TOPIC: How outsourcing helps banks in merger mode.
How Should HR Departments Gain Access to Technology?
IDC's Marc Pramuk says access to technology is driving HRO. Companies are assembling more comprehensive outsourcing initiatives to get more for their technology dollar.
Required Reading on the Realities of Business Transformational Outsourcing
In part 4 of this four-part series on business transformational outsourcing, we share three essential principles for structuring a BTO relationship for successful outcomes.
Two-Pronged Strategy for IT Infrastructure: How Compuware's
Outsourcing Services Enable Lear's Business
How Compuware's services enable Lear's business.
Negotiating Residual Information Provisions in IT and BPO Transactions
Outsourcing requires the buyer to share sensitive information with the supplier. How do both parties handle the use of this residual information? Brian Suffredini of Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw shares hints to protect both parties and still make the relationship work.
Outsourcing an Intranet Builds Real Value for RealtorT
Residential Realtor Keller Williams® is in a hyper growth mode. It wanted to attract young brokers, who expect cutting edge technology. The broker outsourced an intranet, which acted as a magnet and made the document-driven transactions easier.
Keane's Application Outsourcing Keeps Toyota Motor Sales Running Smoothly
Toyota Motor Sales realized it was time to upgrade its IT systems. Outsourcing saved money and created greater efficiencies because the auto maker was able to use its existing (and expensive) talent more effectively.
Utility Computing's Blind Spot
IT spending finally picked up and the utility model of pay-as-needed became
firmly established in 2003. The surviving ASPs rose like a phoenix. Buyers
focused on cost. They also need
to consider the strategic value of IT outsourcing.
Part 2: Managing Conflict In Outsourcing: The Application of
Real-Time Dispute Resolution in IT Outsourcing Engagements
Dispute review boards in the construction industry have cut out the need for litigation to settle disputes. Attorneys Matthew Furton and Paul Bent describe how a Real Time Intervention Panel can do the same thing for IT outsourcing contracts.
Managing Conflict In Outsourcing: The Application of Real-Time Dispute Resolution in IT Outsourcing Engagements
In the IT world, change is a constant. Change, however, can cause friction in a long-term IT outsourcing arrangement. Attorneys Matthew Furton and Paul Bent describe a mechanism to deal with disputes early on. Part one of two.
Outsourcing Inbound Email Response to India Strengthens Timely Customer Care
You don't need statistics to know a third of companies never answer their customers email queries. Outsourcing email to Indian companies has benchmarks of two to six hours. It's a better way to keep customers happy with their customer service.
IBM Helps Companies Relying on Mainframes to Move to the Future
The Aberdeen Group reports 70 percent of business applications today are still processed by mainframes. But employees can't access or share this information using the Web. IBM's Legacy Transformation Services can help companies make the transition.
Fujitsu Consulting Counted Among Boeing's Suppliers of the Year
Boeing has 11,000 suppliers and service providers. Only one outsourcer won one of Boeing's coveted Supplier of the Year awards. Here's what Fujitsu did right.
Outsourcing Provides IT Security, Fending off 200,000 Threats Per Month for a Healthcare Provider
Most companies worry about their IT security but have no idea how many threats they really receive. One health care company thought it fended off 2,000 threats a month. Outsourcing discovered the real number -- 200,000 -- and provided a more secure solution.
Investment Yield at London Stock Exchange (Outsourcing Accrues High Dividends)
Gaining access to world-class IT infrastructure and processes can transform business operations, but the London Stock Exchange learned that strategic management of the outsourcing relationship can achieve higher value in competitive advantage goals.
Outsourcing...A Bestseller in the Publishing World
What's the difference between a shared services model and an outsourcing model? A publishing company found out . . . the hard way. Fortunately they've had a dynamic turnaround and know the benefits of outsourcing.
City Inhabitants Enjoy Partner for Innovation
Outsourcing has enabled Issy-les-Moulineaux to be the most advanced city in France when it comes to IT. Here's the story of a mayor's vision and a unique help desk function for all the city's residents!
Collaboration Wins: Outsourcing - Removing 'Risk' from Calculated Business Risks
Optimal results from outsourcing can be achieved only by following important, fundamental steps upfront. In this relationship, BearingPoint and Outsource Partners International helped Trinity Industries establish a climate for change.
School Report Card: Outsourcing Earns Straight A's in Detroit
Compuware Corporation greatly improved the IT services for the Detroit Public Schools and, at the same time, used the outsourcing initiative as a self-funding strategy for further school district improvements.
City View: Mayor Declares Outsourcing is the Way of the Future
High-value outcomes in an outsourcing relationship are dependent on both
parties' flexibility as business environments and requirements change.
Unisys' willingness to be flexible when the city of Chicago, Illinois
totally changed its service level specifications was key to their success.
IDC Report Finds Canadian Executives Outsource For Business Change
An Accenture-sponsored IDC study discovered cost was now not the major factor in deciding to outsource. Canadian firms cited business transformation as the overwhelming reason.
ITO Has a New Player: the New HP
HP just inked four mega deals in one week. The ITO marketplace has a new player. Here's why Peter Bendor-Samuel thinks this is really good news for buyers.
Keating Partners with Tech Firms Who Want to Blaze Trails In Canadian Markets
Want to do business in Canada, eh? American companies venturing into foreign markets, including the neighbor up north, perform better when they outsource CRM to a local.
Outsourcer Makes Event Reporting Easier For Ingersoll-Rand
Ingersoll-Rand discovered using an ASP to monitor and resolve IT trouble tickets not only removed the middleman but offered an added bonus: it provided coverage on week-ends and holidays.
Outsourcing Helps Worldspan Travel in the Customers' Shoes
The holiday travel period was 60 days away. Worldspan, an on-line technology provider for the travel industry, needed to better monitor its Web performance. A service provider ramped up a solution in 60 days.
Buying Assets is Becoming More Difficult for IT Service Providers
IT service providers no longer have access to cheap capital. That means they can't always provide a capital infusion by purchasing the buyer's IT infrastructure. Mike Atwood explains what this means for buyers and what to do about it.
Service-Oriented IT Outsourcer Helps Service-Oriented Banks Win Customers
An upscale community bank prides itself on customer service. It turned to a service-minded outsourcer to help it compete with the big boys.
A Blast from the Past: BPO Drives IT Outsourcing Decisions
BPO is beginning to drive IT outsourcing decisions. Mike Atwood explains why.
ITO: An Industry in Transition
Peter Bendor-Samuel reflects on ITO outsourcing in 2002. His take: service providers are under price pressure because of increased competition from offshore suppliers and new potential powerhouses created by acquisitions. Then, he predicts what will happen in 2003.
What You Need to Know About IT Outsourcing Trends for 2003
Five trends are reshaping ITO. Hot new markets and business transformation outsourcing are two of the major trends altering the landscape.
European Outsourcing Catching Up with U.S.: BPO Becomes the Big Party in Town
BPO in Europe is seen as a significant growth opportunity that could help
outsourcing service providers compensate for any slowdown in the ITO market.
ASPs Face a Changing Market: Evolution, Consolidation Shape 2003 - and Beyond
A young industry -- long accustomed to evolving -- will continue to experience
Darwinism. One new wrinkle: buyers are now asking their software vendors
to host their own products.
Mushrooming Competition + Knife-Thin Margins = CEO Headaches in Financial Institutions
With competition on all sides, banks have to invest in enabling technologies
to stay current. Yet this economy dictates that they cut costs, too.
The only way to do both is to outsource.
Shrinking Consumer Dollars Lead to Greater Interest in Retail Outsourcing
Six major trends dominated retail outsourcing in 2002. Good news for providers: retailers are shopping for outsourced solutions as they struggle to do more with less.
Outsourcing Takes the
Mystery Out of Web Content Management
Your Web site requires massive updates, often several times a day. This
includes time sensitive information that remains online just a few hours.
Who ya gonna call? An outsourcer.
'Special T' Is for Telecommunications
Technology seems to change at mach speed. Companies often don't have the
time or the capital to train their workers to keep up. Outsourcing allows
them to plug into qualified specialists when the demand arises.
Insuring A Process
System for Independent Agents
USA Inc., composed of independent agents, wanted to concentrate on growth.
Soon its IT department couldn't handle the volume. So it outsourced policy
processing to RIS.
How To Move From 'It's
Not Possible' To 'It's A Done Deal': The Secret of Solving IT Challenges
for Not-for-Profit Enterprises
Money is tight at most non-profits (and at corporations, too!). Antares helped the Ohio MS chapter upgrade its technology within its budget.
Outsourcing Provides Sweet Dreams Instead of Security Nightmares
Worried about IT security? Read how a service provider helped a health consortium close off targets of opportunity and cut its exposure.
Deciding to Outsource, One Step at a Time
A Connecticut hospital group had a successful relationship with its service provider. But when it decided to expand the scope of its outsourcing, it hired an intermediary to help negotiate the new contract to eliminate conflict.
Lost and Found: Using Outsourcing
to Increase Your Customer Relationships
Specialty chemical manufacturers need their small customers. But the turnover
rate was huge because it was just too hard to reach them. Then an outsourcing
service provider found a way.
Anchor for Agility
When Nortel selected a service provider, the low cost offer did not prevail
since Nortel wanted the best cultural fit. CSC won the deal after its
negotiating team announced they would be the ones heading the account.
Funding an Outsourcing Engagement With Entrepreneurs' Equity
In today's world of belt tightened and falling stock prices, how do you fund an outsourcing initiative? Vensure gives entrepreneurs the ability to trade their development projects for equity.
Lifting the Winner's Curse
Unlike most auctions, both buyers and service provicers in an IT outsourcing
transaction pay if the winning service provider offered an irrational
price to get the deal. Stephen Dunn offers tips to buyers on how to avoid
the winner's curse.
Under the Influence of Capital
Constraints
You have to acquire millions of dollards of IT equipment and also reduce your staff. At the same time, your orders are to significantly reduce your budget and also ensure excellence in client service. What's your strategy? Here's how one company used the strategy of outsourcing to achieve those objectives...and more.
Chicago Benefits as Two
Providers Work Together
The Windy City becomes one of the largest cities in America to outsource its IT. Unisys and Acxiom worked together to make this happen. Now, if they only could get the same improvements with the Cubs....
For
CIOs, Breaking Up (With Your Outsourcing Supplier) Is Hard To Do
CIOs: What should you do if you discover you're paying too much or your
service provider is having financial difficulties? Mike Jones, a former
CIO who's now CEO of (i)Structure, shares some thoughts about possible
courses of action.
Taking Control of IT
Performance
Fifty percent of IT outsourcing contracts for small and medium businesses don't have service level agreements. Here's why all buyers need them... and which ones to have ...to increase your chances of outsourcing success.
The Coming Sea Change in
Offshore IT
Using an offshore service provider can be a daunting task. Stephen Dunn
describes the options for both buyers and service providers.
Insurer Quotes Rates from
Palm of its Hand
The CEO of GSA Insurance wanted to do something no insurance company had done before: provide accurate quotes at the customer's home. Outsourcing made that a reality.
Pay Attention to SLAs!
DoubleClick had to pay a large SLA penalty. Here's what the company did
to ensure it didn't have to pay another.
Getting Ready to Outsource
Proper preparation happens before the outsourcing procurement begins. Frank Usher discusses five critical steps before the RFP hits the streets.
Outsourcing Makes Virtual Management Real
In 2001, a year that many dotcoms and other technology-related companies suffered hard times, Portera enjoyed 125 percent revenue growth with 121 new deals. Read how this ASP, which provides professional services automation, is not only surviving, but thriving.
The CIO Role in Healthcare IT Outsourcing
What's the best strategy for the role of your CIO if you outsource your IT infrastructure and people? Are there advantages or risks in keeping the CIO there? Or, should you move the position to the service provider? The answer may surprise you.
CPOE Odyssey: The Story of Evolving the World's First Computerized Physician Order Entry System and Implications for Today's CPOE Decision Makers
CPOE is the new buzzword in health care outsourcing. El Camino Hospital installed a CPOE system in 1969. This case study explains CPOE's evolution.
Outsourcing Eliminates ERP Headaches
Electroglas was using 20-year old IT solutions. Enterprise-wide software like SAP was the solution to upgrade. An ASP with a deep commitment to SAP made the transition seamless.
How The Other Departments That Weren't Outsourced Benefit From Outsourcing
Most companies outsource to reduce costs, which creates value. But outsourcing also has significant impact on the departments left behind, creating even more value. Read the third installment in our series, "Creating Value Through Outsourcing."
(i)Structure Creates
Model to Chart IT Outsourcing Performance: Take The Test and See How You
Rate!: How well does your IT outsourcing perform? (i)Structure
created a simple test you can take on the Web to answer that question.
The Importance of Picking
The Right Partner
In IT deals, many buyers think
price is the determining factor. But if you're dealing with a high-quality
service provider, it's the people and the cultural fit that really make
the difference. Rob Damm, Everest consultant, explores this critical key
to successful outsourcing in this article.
Innovative Hardware
Eliminates Wireless Risks
Imagine having a fully transportable, fast-speed, secure, wireless network that can immediately operate anywhere in the world. Predictions that such technology is still "next generation" are now history, and both government and commercial organizations are making a beeline for the system known as UNIPOP.
Rutherfoord has a MindSHIFT
An insurance brokerage was expanding rapidly. But doing IT the old way hindered that growth. Revamping the infrastructure in-house would have cost more than the agency's annual revenues. Outsourcing IT turned out to the best policy.)
Outsourcing: Dynamo for
Transformation
Total integration after mergers/acquisitions is difficult to achieve...but
IBM knows how to do it, no matter how complex it appears to be.
Everdream Wins Gold
Medal from Special Olympics
The Special Olympics of Texas stages 200 events a year. It needed a 24/7
Internet presence to communicate with its 27,000 participants. Everdream
made that a reality.
Aligning Interests:
The Lawsontone ASP Program
A software vendor joins with service delivery companies for ASP enablement.
BPO Marriages: IT,
BPO Suppliers Will Form Alliances
Alliances between traditional IT and BPO providers will produce a new
breed of supplier that can provide a full range of services in the BPO
space.
Coping with Increased
Development Cycles: ASPs Assume Your Upgrading Headaches
Need to continually upgrade software? There are fewer headaches using
an ASP.
Delivering the Difference:
Outsourcing Drives Excellence in Healthcare Supplies Distribution
Owens & Minor keeps hostpital bottom lines healthy as an acute care
inventory warehousing supplier.
Drexel Deepens Its Impact:
Philly's Technological University Creates Another National "First"
Drexel University has become the outsourcing provider for other Pennslyvania
universities, improving the IT processes for everyone.
From Vision to Victory
The Governor of Pennsylvania is the key to the Keystone state's IT outsourcing.
Getting Started on the Right Foot
An electric utility concentrates on generation and generates savings by
outsourcing its IT to IBM.
IT Contracting With
the Financially Challenged Survivors of the New Economy
We all watched the dotcoms become dot bombs. But you still want to do
business with one. Here's how to structure your contract to lower the
risk.
IT Takes a Seat: Provance Technologies’ Seat
Management Solution Gives Outsourcers Advantage
Seat management combats a drain on resources for the federal government.
The New Sodexho Alliance: An International Exchange
of Innovative Outsourcing Ideas
Sodhexo, Marriott merge, adding French connections to American contracts.
Supply Chain Management: Nestle is Quick to Adopt
EProcurement
Nestle now uses it supply chain management as a competitive advantage
after it discovered its customers' satisfaction --or dissatisfaction --
is linked to SCM performance.
Wireless: To Be or Not To Be
Thinking about adopting wireless technology? Learn about a high-quality,
impermanent solution to entering this new gateway to the Internet.
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