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ABC: An Introduction to Outsourcing

Everything you need to know to avoid the pitfalls of outsourcing.

By Stephanie Overby

PAGE 6

• What is outsourcing?
• Why outsource?
• ITO, BPO, KPO—what’s the difference?
• Why is outsourcing so hard?
• What about bundling?
• What is an SLA?
• What is the best length for an outsourcing contract?
• Should I outsource everything to one vendor? Or should I use a best-of-breed approach?
• How do I decide what vendor or vendors to work with?
• Can I get outside help with this decision?
• Do you have any tips for negotiations?
• What are the "hidden costs" of outsourcing?
• What do I need to know about the transition period?
• How important is ongoing relationship management to outsourcing success?
• Where’s the best place in the world to outsource IT?
• What if outsourcing doesn’t work out? Can I just bring the work back in?

Can I get outside help with this decision?

Many organizations bring in an outside sourcing consultant or adviser to help them figure out what their requirements are and what priority to give them. While third-party expertise can certainly help, it’s important to research the adviser well. Some consultants may have a vested interested in getting you to pursue outsourcing rather than helping you figure out if outsourcing is a good option or not and then helping you figure out your requirements and priorities. A good adviser can help an inexperienced buyer through the vendor-selection process, aiding them in steps like conducting due diligence, choosing providers to participate in the RFP process, creating a model or scoring system for evaluating responses, and making the final decision.

Help can also be found within your own organization, from within IT and from the business. These people can help you figure out what your requirements should be. There is often a reluctance to do this because any hint of an impending outsourcing decision can send shivers throughout IT and the larger organization. But anecdotal evidence suggests that bringing people into the decision-making process earlier rather than later makes for better choices and also creates an openness around the process that goes a long way toward allaying fears.

Do you have any tips for negotiations?

The advice given above for selecting a provider holds true for negotiating terms with the outsourcer you ultimately select. A third-party services provider has one thing in mind when entering negotiations: making the most money while assuming the least amount of risk. Clearly understanding what you want to get out of the relationship and keeping that the focus of negotiations is the job of the buyer. Balancing the risks and benefits for both parties is the goal of the negotiation process, which can get emotional and even contentious. But smart buyers will take the lead in negotiations, prioritizing issues that are important to them, rather than being led around by the outsourcer.

Creating a timeline and completion date for negotiations will help to rein in the negotiation process. Without one, such discussions could go on forever. But if a particular issue needs more time, don’t be a slave to the date. Take a little extra time to work it out.

Finally, don’t make any steps toward transitioning the work to the outsourcer while in negotiations. An outsourcing contract is never a done deal until you sign on the dotted line, and if you make steps toward moving the work to the outsourcer, you will be handing over more power over the negotiating process to the provider.

 

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