Given the maturation of the outsourcing industry, it’s likely that several of your transition team members have already gone through at least one transition. And that they’ve done so – albeit on different teams, even at different companies – can be highly advantageous to your initiative. They fully understand the complex and grueling nature of a transition, know many of the pitfalls you can encounter during the journey, and appreciate the criticality of finely-tuned plans and processes.
However, the fact that they have prior transition experience can, in and of itself, also result in unexpected challenges. Does this sound counterintuitive?… Read the rest
Here’s a snapshot of today’s communications:
- Words are abbreviated into scant “code” in text messages
- Corporate branding messages are squished down to 140 characters on Twitter
- Paragraphs or even entire pages in articles and reports are shortened to bullet lists
Funny how this sound-byte way of communicating cajoles us into thinking we can similarly truncate our behaviors yet still be successful in the relationships in our lives.
Reality says that’s not the case. There are all sorts of entangling knots within relationships, and the potential for damage is high when we don’t slow down and take the time – read… Read the rest
I’ve talked with many organizations that lack in-house expertise for managing outsourcing relationships and consequently end up learning how to build win-win environments in a “trial by fire” manner. Some of them decide later to invest in training, and increasingly this kind of training is available in an e-learning model. Sapnesh Lalla, President and Business Unit Head of NIIT Enterprise Learning Solutions, explains how his company approaches corporate learning services.
What are trends have you seen during the past year regarding companies turning more often to outsourced learning solutions for leadership and management development?
SL: Organizations are more aggressively looking… Read the rest
Since outsourcing is a business model whose success depends on the relationship itself, how important is it that the top execs of both the client and service provider companies develop personal relationships with each other? Does it really help the outcome – the achievement of objectives – in any way?
Let me first put come context around “develop personal relationships with each other.” I’m not referring to the activities (although they are crucial for success) companies undertake where there is an offshore service delivery component and both parties need to visit each other’s countries and learn more about each other’s… Read the rest
Realistically, how long can an outsourcing service provider and its customer go without having a conflict? Though people often compare an outsourcing relationship to a marriage, it’s not the same when it comes to conflicts. For instance, in a marriage where the couple has conflicts over how to manage their money, they can open separate bank accounts. In an outsourcing relationship, the decisions each party makes – or wants to make – impact the other’s wallet; so conflicts are inevitable.
The way the parties handle conflicts can decide a relationship’s fate. Sure, they establish the basics for this at the… Read the rest
This is the first in a frequently recurring column in Outsourcing Buzz Blog focusing on thought leadership in outsourcing, as seen from the perspectives of two industry leaders with unique views into the workings of how outsourcing deals really get put together – or why they don’t. Insights in this recurring column come from sourcing advisors, Joe Vales and Kerry Ann Vales of Vales Consulting Group and Vales Consulting Lite.
This week I asked Joe and Kerry Ann this question: What should never be underestimated as valuable – but often is – when it comes to outsourcing? Their immediate… Read the rest
Win-win approach. Collaborative relationship. These buzz words are tossed out frequently as a hallmark when executives describe their outsourcing relationships. But the terms are apt to be misused. I’ve had some interesting conversations about winning and collaborating in outsourcing relationships. One executive summarized an event in his company’s relationship this way:
“When we identified the root cause of the issue, we collaborated to determine the solution that would meet our needs and be a win-win.”
Despite the fact that a lot of companies use the buzz words and label this kind of situation as a win-win approach and as collaborating,… Read the rest
Switching service providers is nearly always a situation fraught with challenges, so selecting a new provider that has an effective transition methodology is crucial. Avantica Technologies, a service provider in Costa Rica, is known not only for its software development expertise but also for the way it builds collaborative relationships with its clients and for its strategy for ensuring cultural fit. I talked with Luis Enrique Corrales, Avantica’s Regional Sales Director, about these issues.
Q: How do you help your clients get off to a good start with your company when transitioning out of a difficult situation where an existing… Read the rest
Every now and then I find out something about outsourcing that really surprises me. That’s what happened recently when I learned the status of an outsourcing relationship I’ve followed for several years. I bet the service provider in this relationship was just as surprised as I when the deal was turned on its head.
The buyer outsourced its total IT infrastructure and application development and maintenance to a leading service provider more than a decade ago. They renewed the contract early, and they added scope. The provider achieved the targeted cost savings and productivity improvements. When I’ve talked with the… Read the rest
I recently switched to a different dentist – but not because I didn’t like the prior one or the dental care he gave me, nor did the switching have anything to do with the prices he charged. I left because of the hygienist and the receptionist in his office. It’s a situation very similar to what many buyers experience in outsourcing relationships.
I have some non-dental health issues that affect my dental treatment and require some special considerations at the dentist office. These issues and necessary workarounds prevent a dentist and his staff from treating me the same way they… Read the rest
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