Future of Sourcing - Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) https://futureofsourcing.com/tags/business-process-outsourcing-bpo en Leveraging Workforce Management Technology for Better BPO Outcomes https://futureofsourcing.com/leveraging-workforce-management-technology-for-better-bpo-outcomes <div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Leveraging-Workforce-Management-Technology-for-Better-BPO-Outcomes.jpg"><a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Leveraging-Workforce-Management-Technology-for-Better-BPO-Outcomes.jpg" title="An increasing number of BPOs are leveraging digital workforce management technologies to meet the needs of an increasingly digital contact center." class="colorbox" rel="gallery-node-2191-MyobAxOaqz8"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/styles/juicebox_medium/public/articles/Leveraging-Workforce-Management-Technology-for-Better-BPO-Outcomes.jpg?itok=4aXFGMRn" width="624" height="325" alt="An increasing number of BPOs are leveraging digital workforce management technologies to meet the needs of an increasingly digital contact center." title="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-intro field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>BPO contact centers need to evolve to manage consumer interactions on digital channels says Barry Cooper, President at NICE Workforce &amp; Customer Experience Division. He details how an increasing number of BPOs are leveraging digital workforce management technologies to meet the needs of an increasingly digital contact center.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-related-news field-type-entityreference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Related news:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/why-work-at-home-agent-processes-must-be-secure">Why Work At Home Agent Processes Must Be Secure</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>Consumers&rsquo; expectations are evolving more rapidly than ever before, making it imperative for business process outsourcing (BPO) call centers to manage an increasing number of channels and agents with a wide variety of skill sets. Adoption of digital channels surged during the pandemic, with nearly all consumers becoming digitally savvy.</p> <p>And there&rsquo;s no going back: Consumers expect to continue using digitally enabled services that go beyond voice, emails and chat to also include the internet, apps and more. As they do, it&rsquo;s placing ongoing pressure on BPO contact centers to manage interactions on digital channels, which often require agents to handle multiple contacts simultaneously or prioritize one type of an interaction over another.</p> <p>In this new, increasingly complex environment, a growing number of BPOs are leveraging digital workforce management technologies to meet the needs of their agents and customers alike. Workforce management technologies create efficiencies by equipping agents and creating agility in schedules to meet service-level agreements and target KPIs while providing superior customer service.</p> <p>Here&rsquo;s how you can leverage advances in workforce management technology to navigate the continuously changing contact center environment &ndash; and meet escalating agent and customer expectations.</p> <h2>Plan for the Future More Accurately</h2> <p>It&rsquo;s safe to say that most <a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/staying-a-step-ahead-of-contact-center-fraud">BPO contact centers</a> recognize the importance of same-day decisions on long-term performance, but many fail to tap into the full ROI of long-term planning. Modern workforce management solutions help you get more out of workforce planning by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to consider channels, business rules, and the needs and skills of your employees to determine how many people you need to handle the expected workload. This allows you to predict how anticipated or potential staffing scenarios will impact your ability to meet service-level targets and performance goals.</p> <p>Look for a solution with advanced long-term planning capabilities, such as what-if analyses and reverse problem-solving between staffing requirements and performance metrics. You&rsquo;ll want to ensure that the workforce management solution you choose is set up for digital channel management, with capabilities like detailed shrinkage modeling, digital concurrency factors and multi-skill efficiency factors.</p> <h2>Forecast More Efficiently and Effectively</h2> <p>A good forecast gives your business the tools it needs to understand future workforce needs, so you can manage your workforce more effectively and eliminate over-staffing. Workforce management solutions on the market today leverage AI to find unseen patterns in the historical data used to generate volume and work time forecasts. They automatically evaluate dozens of algorithms and leverage historical data patterns, seasonality and cyclicality to make forecasting more accurate. Perhaps most importantly given the rapid rate of change today, they adapt to changing data patterns and incorporate digital attributes.</p> <h2>Enable Real-World Simulation for Scheduling</h2> <p>Ensuring that the right agents &ndash; with the right knowledge, background and skillset &ndash; are on hand at the right time to respond to a specific customer service question or situation can be a significant challenge. After all, an agent who excels on the phone may have trouble managing three or four chats simultaneously.</p> <p>Modern <a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/how-to-start-a-diversity-and-inclusion-program-for-your-extended-workforce">workforce management solutions</a> move beyond traditional mathematical formulas, which use historical data to optimize schedule creation. Instead, they leverage machine learning to simulate real-world prioritization, routing and skill assignments to determine work allocation expectations, deferrable work propagation and multi-site/multi-skill efficiencies.</p> <p>Look for a solution that uses forecasting algorithms to create the right schedule based on available agents&rsquo; skill sets, diversifying the number of agents with particular skills across all areas at any given time while incorporating digital attributes and a multi-session efficiency factor.</p> <p>While business goals are a primary concern, don&rsquo;t overlook the importance of giving flexibility to agents. In today&rsquo;s frenzied labor market, which has made it more challenging than ever for contact centers with consistently high attrition to fill open positions, you need to give agents control over their work-life balance in order to attract and retain employees. Consider a workforce solution that offers a variety of flexible options, including the ability to incorporate employee preferences in the scheduling process.</p> <h2>Manage Intraday Change</h2> <p>Your workforce managers&rsquo; jobs aren&rsquo;t done when the schedule is set &ndash; change is inevitable and you must respond accordingly. Intraday management capabilities provide comprehensive, real-time schedule and activity adherence, regardless of where your agents are working. Intraday analytics provide net staffing calculations by queue and take agent skillsets as well as success rates of all self-service bots and IVR into account, helping you automatically reforecast and re-simulate demand throughout the day.</p> <h2>Use Automation to Improve Net Staffing, Intraday and Near-Term</h2> <p>Workforce management solutions allow you to optimize staffing through automated self-service for employees and proactive schedule adjustments. Intraday automation leverages robust rules to help you streamline workflows and reduce complexity, increase efficiency and simplify multi-step decision-making.</p> <p>For example, automation that empowers employees to make pre-approved changes on the go allows them to improve their work-life balance (which increases employee engagement and, ultimately, customer satisfaction levels) while proactively improving net staffing.</p> <h2>Look for a WFM Solution Built With BPO Needs in Mind</h2> <p>Most BPO providers need to be able to not only add the in-house forecast or requirements to their workforce management solution but also extract the schedule information to be sent back to the in-house client as a supply. This two-way process needs to be as simple and as automated as possible to reduce manual effort and human error.</p> <ul> <li>Importing client requirements: BPOs need to import forecast and AHT demand into their workforce management solution, and intelligent automation allows you to do so with reduced time and effort. Look for a solution that allows you to import contact forecast data into your workforce management for one or more contact types as well as import interval values or daily values (which are then are allocated to periods within the date based on the existing forecast distribution).</li> <li>Exporting BPO performance: Most BPO contracts stipulate that the BPO provider send its performance or resource &ldquo;supply&rdquo; back to the in-house client. While this can be time-consuming, it&rsquo;s an important part of the planning process. Look for a workforce management solution that allows you to automate how BPO supply is extracted and easily share actual performance data related to contacts, AHT, abandons and service level or the estimated staff value, which reflects the BPO&rsquo;s productive hours, throughout the day.</li> </ul> <p>BPO contact centers are no longer merely a &ldquo;black box&rdquo; source of cost-effective labor; rather, they are increasingly serving as true partners with the clients they serve. As they do, increased transparency and sharing of technologies&mdash;including digital workforce management solutions&mdash;have become the norm. By leveraging digital tools built to plan, forecast, schedule, manage and automate workforce management, you can not only navigate the constantly changing contact center environment but also position your organization for continued growth.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/business-process-outsourcing-bpo" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/workforce-management-technology" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">workforce management technology</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/call-center" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Call Center</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-addthis field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Leveraging Workforce Management Technology for Better BPO Outcomes - Future of Sourcing" addthis:url="https://futureofsourcing.com/leveraging-workforce-management-technology-for-better-bpo-outcomes"><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_linkedin"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_twitter"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_googleplus"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_pinterest_share"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_reddit"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_email"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_print"></a> </div> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-region field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Region:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/regions/global" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Global</a></div></div></div> Wed, 22 Jun 2022 02:00:00 +0000 Barry Cooper 2191 at https://futureofsourcing.com https://futureofsourcing.com/leveraging-workforce-management-technology-for-better-bpo-outcomes#comments Sustainability Is No Longer Optional https://futureofsourcing.com/sustainability-is-no-longer-optional <div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Sustainability%20Is%20No%20Longer%20Optional.jpg"><a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Sustainability%20Is%20No%20Longer%20Optional.jpg" title="Companies need to show their cards when it comes to ESG." class="colorbox" rel="gallery-node-2105-MyobAxOaqz8"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/styles/juicebox_medium/public/articles/Sustainability%20Is%20No%20Longer%20Optional.jpg?itok=Yfup-xb7" width="624" height="325" alt="Companies need to show their cards when it comes to ESG." title="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-intro field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p><em>Companies need to show their cards when it comes to ESG, says Pablo </em><em>Sánchez</em><em>, </em><em>Global Chief Marketing Officer </em><em>and ESG Director at Atento.</em> <em>He makes the case to prove that your company&rsquo;s actions on sustainability are not purely lip service.</em></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-related-news field-type-entityreference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Related news:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/could-puerto-rico-become-the-next-big-tech-haven">Could Puerto Rico Become the Next Big Tech Haven?</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). It&rsquo;s not a new term: its origin dates back several decades, but it has gained increasing importance in recent years.</p> <p>This might have something to do with the fact it&rsquo;s been proven that companies with a good ESG plan are more sustainable, deliver better service and reduce investment risk. And of course, instilling an ESG plan is not only a commitment to the environment and employees. It also covers customers, suppliers, shareholders and the communities in which the entire entity operates. And when you hear that, it seems clear it&rsquo;s something that we should all be doing.</p> <p>But, incorporating ESG into business objectives is perhaps easier said than done. First, because it means pinpointing compelling and attainable actions that will resonate with those objectives it aims to accomplish. And second, because, with a vision of continuous improvement, companies must renew their objectives on a regular basis and work hard with teams internally to bring those goals to fruition so they can continue to promote their sustainable and responsible activities.</p> <p>Likewise, on the part of Governance, practices such as corporate ethics, audits, compliance with regulations, data protection or ensuring transparency in operations are by no means an easy feat.</p> <p>So, let&rsquo;s take a closer look at some of the many opportunities and pitfalls for integrating an ESG plan in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector.</p> <h2>Diversity, Equity and Inclusion</h2> <p>As is name implies, this entails creating an inclusive culture in which people feel like they belong and are empowered so they can thrive at work. It is not just enough to have diverse representation in the organization, but an inclusive culture must also be embedded into corporate culture.</p> <p>It&rsquo;s important that the executives of an organization are responsible for transmitting the values of equity and inclusion in a top-down approach, so that this procedure is part of the entity&#39;s DNA, at all levels of the company and in all regions.</p> <p>The BPO sector has been a pioneer for hiring diverse talent. In my experience, this is an industry where you can see people from all ethnicities, religions and sexual orientations, to name just a few diversity dimensions, and inclusive work practices may have something to do with this.</p> <p>Facilitating remote working options so that location does not prove to be a barrier to accessing certain jobs can provide benefits to many employees. Of course, that also requires recruitment and onboarding processes to be remote in nature, so that people are not excluded depending on where they reside.</p> <p>By providing equal opportunities for all employees, organizations can benefit from diverse talents, ways of thinking and experiences. Diversity also means different points of view for problem solving or decision-making, which can enrich conversations and ultimately benefit the future of the company.</p> <h2>Environmental Sustainability</h2> <p>Caring for the environment is another area where companies can contribute. Yes, even those that are not within the manufacturing industry. Environmental objectives that reduce waste production, promote energy efficiency or generate a circular economy to become carbon neutral by 2030 are just a few areas where there are opportunities for improvement.</p> <p>Of course, setting measurable and real objectives will be required to bring about a real impact on the environment and they should be reviewed on a frequent basis. One measure often taken to reduce the CO2 footprint linked to modern technologies includes switching to the cloud, where possible.</p> <p>This particular action can have a knock-on effect elsewhere, too, given that cloud-based computing can also facilitate teleworking. That is a great ally when it comes to reducing CO2, since employees no longer create emissions on their way to work.</p> <h2>Caring for Our Communities</h2> <p>In addition to caring for those internal stakeholders, however, there has been a recent shift in the focus around the level of involvement companies should have on issues surrounding societal impact. Indeed, we all now know that the challenges facing the world, from climate change to rising inequalities, are inextricably linked and that businesses have a key role to play to ensure a sustainable future for all.&nbsp;</p> <p>In this way, initiatives that help serve the communities in which organizations operate are just one way that companies can make their mark. By way of example, earlier this year, Atento joined the Tent <a href="https://www.tent.org/coalition-for-afghan-refugees/" target="_blank">Coalition for Afghan Refugees</a>, committing to explore hiring and training opportunities for Afghans in the U.S. in an effort to bolster and support the communities in which it operates.</p> <p>The business benefits of hiring refugees are numerous: according to Tent, not only can they provide new skills and experience to a company&rsquo;s workforce, but they can also help ease attrition, as well as providing a source of talent for companies looking to expand hiring pools in light of an aging workforce and major labor shortages.</p> <h2>Risk Mitigation</h2> <p>In an industry that relies on the evolving digital landscape, compliance with cybersecurity and data protection norms is a considerable part of a company&rsquo;s responsibility. Organizations must adapt and update internal platforms, proving they act with integrity in all business areas by putting effective controls in place.</p> <p>With the proliferation of new digital advances, such as artificial intelligence, internal processes and systems must be constantly reviewed, to avoid data breaches and disruptions that can lead to reputational, financial and operational damage.</p> <h2>Acknowledging ESG As Part of the Business Plan</h2> <p>Companies need to show their cards when it comes to ESG, proving that their actions on sustainability are not purely lip service.</p> <p>And with annual reports increasingly focusing on the non-financial aspects of business activities, and shareholders equally calling for progress in this area, those that are slow on the uptake will likely be damaged in the medium to long term.</p> <p>Companies need to prove they are building long-term initiatives into their business plans providing continuity and stability for their shareholders and their entire stakeholder network.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/atento" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Atento</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/business-process-outsourcing-bpo" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/environmental-and-social-governance-esg-0" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Environmental and social governance (ESG)</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/diversity-and-inclusion" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Diversity and Inclusion</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-addthis field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Sustainability Is No Longer Optional - Future of Sourcing" addthis:url="https://futureofsourcing.com/sustainability-is-no-longer-optional"><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_linkedin"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_twitter"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_googleplus"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_pinterest_share"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_reddit"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_email"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_print"></a> </div> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-region field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Region:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/regions/latinamerica-caribbean" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Latin America/Caribbean</a></div></div></div> Thu, 13 Jan 2022 02:00:00 +0000 Pablo Sánchez 2105 at https://futureofsourcing.com https://futureofsourcing.com/sustainability-is-no-longer-optional#comments Don’t Outsource Your Processes, Outsource Your Results https://futureofsourcing.com/dont-outsource-your-processes-outsource-your-results <div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Don%E2%80%99t%20Outsource%20Your%20Processes%2C%20Outsource%20Your%20Results.jpg"><a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Don%E2%80%99t%20Outsource%20Your%20Processes%2C%20Outsource%20Your%20Results.jpg" title="Achieve the ultimate win-win scenario with your suppliers, drive out cost and increase value." class="colorbox" rel="gallery-node-2102-MyobAxOaqz8"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/styles/juicebox_medium/public/articles/Don%E2%80%99t%20Outsource%20Your%20Processes%2C%20Outsource%20Your%20Results.jpg?itok=95gtHCnH" width="624" height="325" alt="Achieve the ultimate win-win scenario with your suppliers, drive out cost and increase value." title="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-related-news field-type-entityreference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Related news:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/prahalad-and-hamel-corporations-and-the-core-competency-concept">Prahalad and Hamel: Corporations and the Core Competency Concept</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>Having sold more than $980 million in outsourcing deals in my career and having played a key role in structuring more than $22 billion in outsourcing deals across every industry and virtually every process, it seems the more things change, the more they remain the same.&nbsp;</p> <p>I won&rsquo;t add to the dizzying array of endless terms Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies develop to differentiate their offerings, but in this article I&rsquo;d like to discuss some of the commonalities across all of them.</p> <h2>Introducing Value-Based Pricing</h2> <p>I started my career selling large ITO deals.&nbsp;But there was a certain sense that if we did not fix the core process that IT was supporting, we could be doing the wrong thing exceptionally well, or maybe just your mess for less.</p> <p>My employer was one of the pioneers of the BPO industry long before Forrester Research coined the term &ldquo;outsourcing,&rdquo; which has been in place for the last 30+ years, and long before India appeared on the scene back in the early 2000s. In the early 1990s, this company was instrumental in helping Cadillac win the Malcolm Baldridge Award for Quality through its BPO agreement, wherein they managed the Cadillac Roadside Assistance Program.&nbsp;</p> <p>With their win and success at the City of Chicago Parking Enforcement Authority, they ushered in the era of Value-Based Pricing, a sort of gain-sharing on steroids. To this day, this BPO contract is a textbook example of how to structure the mythical &ldquo;win-win&rdquo; contract for amazing results.&nbsp;</p> <p>The initial RFP was for newer, faster mainframes. The solution was an entirely new approach that netted the city hundreds of millions in unrealized ticket revenues, and for them, they were paid handsomely but appropriately for their role in developing and delivering the innovative solution. Kudos to the City of Chicago. They found the Holy Grail: Outsource for the result and let the provider figure out the best solution.</p> <h2>Contract Leveling</h2> <p>But that assumes one knows what the real problem is that needs to be solved.&nbsp;Usually, RFPs are about contracting for activities.&nbsp;These activities are reduced to the most basic component parts and auctioned like commodities.&nbsp;This is a process known as &ldquo;contract leveling&rdquo; in which the buyer assumes the suppliers are basically all the same and cannot add value other than expense reduction,&nbsp;so they have them do the pricing limbo dance.&nbsp; In quality circles, this is referred to as a &ldquo;sub-optimized process.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p> <p>I was SVP of Sales for the Outsourcing Division of the company that developed the RPO market as we know it today. My second day on the job, we received an RFP from the Card Services Division of a leading financial institution that wanted to reduce their cost of recruiting.</p> <p>Instead of having three suppliers of recruiting/staffing services on annual contracts to keep their call centers staffed, they wanted to award one contract to one supplier for three years with a declining tier structure on the cost per hire in exchange for the increased aggregated volume.&nbsp;</p> <p>Had we bid to the specs of the RFP, we would not have been helping them to address the REAL problem, which was attrition. Their call center attrition rate was 120% annually.&nbsp;</p> <p>As they structured the RFP, the chosen BPO supplier would have been paid no matter how many employees had to be hired, just less per head (so the supplier would make it up with volume).&nbsp;Metaphorically, the supplier would just have been pouring cheaper wine into a leaking wine cask.&nbsp;</p> <p>I proposed a different approach.&nbsp;At their current level of attrition, they would need to hire six people every five years to keep the seats filled.&nbsp;We would instead contract to fix the attrition problem (which would also lower a lot of other related costs).&nbsp;We proposed to set the attrition at three butts in the seat every five years. If we could do better than that, we pocketed the difference.&nbsp;If more than three were required in a given year, we were at risk to eat the cost differential.&nbsp;By sharing both the risk and reward, and focusing on solving the real problem, we avoided the &ldquo;your mess for less&rdquo; scenario.</p> <h2>Outsourcing for Results</h2> <p>Outsourcing for results, not merely outsourcing the process, is not as simple as it may seem.&nbsp;Many factors conspire to undermine the effort.&nbsp;Buyers need to be fully open and trusting with the bidders.&nbsp;Suppliers need to be willing to incur meaningful financial risk and share the pain with the buyer if problems arise.&nbsp;</p> <p>Compensation plans are a major inhibitor.&nbsp;Procurement is often compensated by how much cost they can drive out of the supplier compared to the current state.&nbsp;Yet, a value-based contract has many other parts to it that goes beyond a simple side-by-side comparison.</p> <h2>Reduce Operational Costs</h2> <p>Conversely, the people managing an existing customer process are compensated, as a cost center, to drive down costs.&nbsp;The supplier&rsquo;s account manager is also measured by his ability to keep costs down while meeting SLAs to increase profitability.&nbsp;Senior executives are often compensated on more broad metrics, and for this reason, this is typically where such deals need to be orchestrated for that very reason.</p> <p>As the godfather of quality W. Edwards Deming postulated, &ldquo;People will do what they are compensated to do.&rdquo; If you want to achieve the ultimate win-win scenario with your suppliers, drive out cost and increase value, then outsourcing for breakthrough results is not a process that should be delegated too far down.&nbsp;</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/business-process-outsourcing-bpo" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/request-for-proposal-rfp" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Request for Proposal (RFP)</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/datamark" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">DATAMARK</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-addthis field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Don&amp;rsquo;t Outsource Your Processes, Outsource Your Results - Future of Sourcing" addthis:url="https://futureofsourcing.com/dont-outsource-your-processes-outsource-your-results"><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_linkedin"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_twitter"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_googleplus"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_pinterest_share"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_reddit"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_email"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_print"></a> </div> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-region field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Region:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/regions/global" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Global</a></div></div></div> Mon, 03 Jan 2022 17:00:00 +0000 Thom Mead 2102 at https://futureofsourcing.com https://futureofsourcing.com/dont-outsource-your-processes-outsource-your-results#comments Why Work At Home Agent Processes Must Be Secure https://futureofsourcing.com/why-work-at-home-agent-processes-must-be-secure <div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Why%20Work%20At%20Home%20Agent%20Processes%20Must%20Be%20Secure.png"><a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Why%20Work%20At%20Home%20Agent%20Processes%20Must%20Be%20Secure.png" title="Why Work At Home Agent Processes Must Be Secure" class="colorbox" rel="gallery-node-2046-MyobAxOaqz8"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/styles/juicebox_medium/public/articles/Why%20Work%20At%20Home%20Agent%20Processes%20Must%20Be%20Secure.png?itok=1luxh4qP" width="624" height="325" alt="Why Work At Home Agent Processes Must Be Secure" title="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-intro field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <h1>Why Work At Home Agent Processes Must Be Secure</h1> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-related-news field-type-entityreference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Related news:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/could-puerto-rico-become-the-next-big-tech-haven">Could Puerto Rico Become the Next Big Tech Haven?</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>Since the onset of the pandemic, many office workers have spent more time working from home. In the BPO sector, this has meant finding workable, advanced technological solutions for our agents, something that is setting apart the leaders in the sector from the rest.</p> <p>But central to this procedural shift is the security element. With <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/jun/14/age-of-the-cyber-attack-us-digital-destabilization" target="_blank">stories</a> of even the most sophisticated and secure information systems being intercepted, cybersecurity is increasingly becoming the predominant building block to life in the new normal.</p> <p>Indeed, the security element goes much further than technology alone. Security must be built end-to-end, starting from profile selection down to customer experience design, connectivity, surveillance and workplace design.</p> <h2>Building Technical Capabilities into Networks and Digital Processes</h2> <p>Undoubtedly, a certain element of ensuring a sufficiently secure remote working ecosystem will include having the correct technical elements. End-to-end encryption is the highest level of data security for communications between two parties and vital for any interaction with two or more parties involved, one of the crucial elements in the outsourcing sector.</p> <p>Agents, final customers, and front and backend systems must be covered, and ensuring their data is protected from third-party interception is vital, so that the message only reaches those for whom it is intended. A large part of reducing the risk to customer data being intercepted lies in providing only the essential end customer data required to deliver the service, but guaranteeing it&rsquo;s enough not to take away from the good customer experience element. It is the fine tuning and the combination of these two elements that can allow a secure business to thrive.</p> <h2>Safeguarding Hardware in the Home</h2> <p>Other seemingly simpler safeguards should also be put in place. Double-factor authentication requires adding a unique code sent to a mobile phone device as an additional barrier to access the device, which may also include facial recognition or fingerprint authentication. Facial recognition can also be used to block a session after a certain amount of downtime. In this instance, if the agent&rsquo;s face is not recognized or detected at any given moment by the workstation&rsquo;s camera, the session is automatically blocked and the agent cannot reaccess the information system until they log in again.</p> <p>These measures prevent other family members or cohabitants from accessing sensitive information, and also avoids those mishaps or accidents that are sometimes inevitable in these working situations. Regardless of these integrated security measures, agents should ensure workstations are blocked or disabled after working hours and during breaks for heightened security.</p> <p>Implementing new infrastructure systems, such as virtual hubs, can help apply advanced across-the-board security features by allowing clients to have a global understanding of any function from a central point. By housing several business processes on one hub clients can have a global view of their operation at a click of a button, giving them a 360-degree view and ensuring that nothing slips through the net, allowing them to &nbsp;safeguard at an additional level.</p> <h2>Recruitment and Training</h2> <p>Being able to implement effective solutions relies on having the correct talent to do so. That goes without saying. And this means ensuring the recruitment of specialized professionals with the know-how and capabilities to scale large-size projects and carry out due-diligence exercises to guarantee that all bases are covered. Alternatively, providing the correct training to encourage in-house key workers with the potential to encompass the necessary roles will retain talent that otherwise might start looking for work elsewhere.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>But the training must also go beyond the IT department. It is crucial for business owners to take time to address the changes to new remote or hybrid working measures with their other employees. Advising and educating agents on best practices for working from home is just as important as installing the technology and equipment in the first place. Supervisors also play an essential role here given that they help provide service quality and secure agent engagement. Ensuring that they have the training and support they need to do this is vital.</p> <p>All of this may mean needing to adapt codes of conduct or introducing new materials to formalize these ways of working. In order to do so, a common approach set at the corporate level will ensure that these values become deeply rooted as a business-wide goal, establishing them as a corporate value in its own right.</p> <h2>Success for Security</h2> <p>Forward-looking companies are turning to new integrated solutions using multiple channels to cater to their customer experience needs. Customer experience has been thrust to the fore over the recent months and is therefore now more comparable from one provider to the next, meaning service providers need to have watertight processes and deliver an impeccable performance.</p> <p>BPO providers need to show their commitment to supporting their clients&rsquo; changing needs. By taking the time to understand these requirements and finding innovative, swift and effective solutions, they can prove both their effectiveness and productivity in the virtual workplace.</p> <p>And let&rsquo;s face it, one of the main challenges to a distributed workforce is encouraging agents to remain both engaged and productive during their shifts. Overcoming this task will require offering workers the means to make good use of idle time, providing them with the correct tools to make wise decisions when dealing with customers and empowering them by ensuring their KPIs are clear. All these factors can contribute not just to a happy agent, but one that is ultimately more likely to comply with security measures and be more productive while working remotely.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/business-process-outsourcing-bpo" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/call-center" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Call Center</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/atento" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Atento</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/it-outsourcing" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">IT Outsourcing</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-addthis field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Why Work At Home Agent Processes Must Be Secure - Future of Sourcing" addthis:url="https://futureofsourcing.com/why-work-at-home-agent-processes-must-be-secure"><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_linkedin"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_twitter"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_googleplus"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_pinterest_share"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_reddit"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_email"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_print"></a> </div> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-region field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Region:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/regions/latinamerica-caribbean" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Latin America/Caribbean</a></div></div></div> Thu, 02 Sep 2021 02:00:00 +0000 Carlos López-Abadía 2046 at https://futureofsourcing.com https://futureofsourcing.com/why-work-at-home-agent-processes-must-be-secure#comments How the Pandemic Created a New Global Workforce https://futureofsourcing.com/how-the-pandemic-created-a-new-global-workforce <div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Global%20Workforce.png"><a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Global%20Workforce.png" title="SYKES&#039; Ian Barkin Explains How the COVID-19 Pandemic Created a More Mobile and Global Workforce." class="colorbox" rel="gallery-node-1939-MyobAxOaqz8"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/styles/juicebox_medium/public/articles/Global%20Workforce.png?itok=8Bh3TCrE" width="624" height="325" alt="SYKES&#039; Ian Barkin Explains How the COVID-19 Pandemic Created a More Mobile and Global Workforce." title="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-intro field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <h1>This is How the COVID-19 Pandemic Created a More Mobile and Global Workforce</h1> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-related-news field-type-entityreference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Related news:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/the-future-of-work-refocus-reskill-and-redesign">The Future of Work: Refocus, Reskill and Redesign</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>Companies everywhere have come to accept the impacts of the pandemic on the future of work in stages that are eerily similar to the stages of grief: First, there was the <em>wait-and-see</em> phase, in which business leaders cautiously monitored news of the growing COVID-19 threat; then <em>recovery</em> mode, when enterprises were forced to adopt work-at-home functionality to keep their employees safe. Next, there was the <em>survival </em>phase &mdash; where most companies are now &mdash; in which businesses have settled in, accepted that the world is in flux, continued to digitize and hold out hope that things get back to normal soon.</p> <p>But, rest assured, this isn&rsquo;t the final phase. There is a better normal ahead. And now that we&rsquo;ve all had some time to get our bearings, many businesses have begun preparing for what&rsquo;s next. In fact, there are signs that the pandemic has even accelerated some companies&rsquo; progress toward far-off goals &mdash; moonshot digital initiatives and futurism predictions that were originally reserved for 2030.&nbsp;</p> <p>There are plenty of indicators that this period has the potential to be a catalyst for a better future of work, you just have to know where to look. COVID-19 is already jump-starting the mobile, global workforce of the future &mdash; and that change has the potential to alter the outsourcing marketplace as we know it.</p> <h2>The Pandemic Created Demand for Digital Decentralization&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2> <p>The pandemic has set the biggest work-at-home experiment ever witnessed into motion, and the results have already changed the entire business landscape. With COVID-19 affecting industries worldwide, posing a challenge to all in-person operations, the playing field has been quickly leveled. To stay ahead of the game, companies everywhere are racing to digitally decentralize to avoid further disruption.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Nearly two-thirds (61.67%) of employees reported they were <a href="https://www.sykes.com/resources/reports/2020-future-of-work-american-workforce-survey/" target="_blank">working from home due to the pandemic,</a> according to a 2020 SYKES Institute survey. That&rsquo;s a colossal conversion when you consider that, in March, only <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ncs/ebs/benefits/2020/employee-benefits-in-the-united-states-march-2020.pdf" target="_blank">7% of all U.S. workers reported having access to &ldquo;flexible&rdquo; work options</a> like work at home, according to the 2020 National Compensation Survey (NCS).&nbsp;</p> <p>However, while rapidly converting to work at home was a necessity earlier last year due to COVID-19, now that companies have had a taste of remote, digital capabilities, many are now including it in their vision for the future of work. Massive tech companies like <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-future-of-work-port-coronavirus-apple-amazon-facebook-2020-10#piano-inline-content-wrapper:~:text=Some%20companies%2C%20like%20Twitter%20and%20Slack%2C%20have%20said%20employees%20never%20need%20to%20return%20to%20the%20office." target="_blank">Twitter and Slack have already told employees they can work from home forever</a> and, given the influence and market share of those companies, more will soon follow. In fact, just over 43% of survey respondents have already reported they&rsquo;ve been given a permanent work-at-home option, according to the SYKES Institute survey noted earlier.</p> <p><a href="https://sig.org/sig-university/certified-intelligent-automation-professional" target="_blank"><img alt="SIG University’s Certified Intelligent Automation Professional (CIAP) program is an on-demand program designed for the time-constrained professional" src="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/Q1-Ad-Campaign-CIAP-300x250.jpg" style="font-size: 13.008px; width: 300px; height: 250px; float: right;" /></a></p> <div> <p>With work at home quickly becoming a standard part of operations post-2020, the decentralization trend shows few signs of stopping. For the most part, this will be because of the potential that distributed workforces have to efficiently scale and solve problems regardless of scope or location.&nbsp;</p> <h2>The COVID-19 Pause Ultimately Created Digital Acceleration for Many</h2> <p>While the pandemic has indeed been disruptive, it has also driven leaders to rethink, refocus and reform standard business processes through a lens of distributed digital capability &mdash; a crucial next phase in the future of work and outsourcing. Since each company has been forced to handle and accept the effects of our new shared reality all together, this has allowed for a much-needed time to reassess and rebuild.</p> <p>In fact, according to a study by McKinsey, businesses have digitized so quickly during the pandemic that <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-covid-19-has-pushed-companies-over-the-technology-tipping-point-and-transformed-business-forever#download-sidebar-open-interactive:~:text=McKinsey%20Global%20Survey%20of%20executives%2C1%20their,operations%20by%20three%20to%20four%20years" target="_blank">they&rsquo;ve advanced by an estimated three to four years</a> in both internal and supply chain digitization.</p> <p>The sudden shutdown created acceleration for many automation initiatives as well. In part, this could be because many more employees are warming up to the technology now that it has failed to contribute to mass unemployment in 2020. Pre-COVID-19, <a href="https://www.sykes.com/resources/reports/future-of-work-survey-report/" target="_blank">nearly a third (31.93%) of workers</a> reported that hearing words like &ldquo;robots&rdquo; or &ldquo;automation&rdquo; made them think of tools or machines that could take their jobs. Now, 78.4% of survey respondents indicated that <a href="https://sig.org/sig-university/certified-intelligent-automation-professional" target="_blank">working with automation actually interests them</a>, according to the SYKES Institute Fall 2020 survey report.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2>What Began With Distancing May End in an Outsourcing Revolution</h2> <p>So now that many of us have braved the initial conversion and companies are decentralizing to counteract COVID-19&rsquo;s assault on the workforce, a big part of the next phase will be building toward even greater capability in 2021. Chiefly, distance is no longer a limiting variable in the newly formed remote reality &mdash; and that could mean wider global reach for companies.&nbsp;</p> <p>Since many employees are operating from home offices, entire departments and teams have become more modular than ever. Hiring on a new business unit doesn&rsquo;t require a new office building or cubicle space anymore &mdash; all you need is a Wi-Fi connection.&nbsp;</p> <p>Entire business units will have the ability to move and restructure with unprecedented ease &mdash; trading teammates and management across towns or countries virtually without having to worry about business travel expenses or relocation costs. Additionally, the new, more modular model that will come as a byproduct of remote work will mean a benefit to mobility and general scalability, as well as easier partnerships with business process outsourcing (BPO) companies and contractors. In essence, expanding globally has never been easier, as long as you can find the talent.&nbsp;</p> <p>For outsourcing companies, this reset will likely mean new, increased demand for turnkey business process solutions simply due to the fact that departments and teams are not only becoming more modular &mdash; they&rsquo;re also outsourcing to meet new needs and streamlining services to try to stay in the black. In fact, despite taking a revenue hit in 2020 as many businesses did, outsourcing, as an industry, is expected to grow well <a href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/15200/100/business-process-outsourcing/worldwide" target="_blank">beyond even 2019 numbers in 2021, with an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7%, according to Statista</a>.</p> <p>Should the shift toward outsourcing and a more globally distributed workforce continue, it will likely mean we&rsquo;re entering a period of unmatched capability, in which a company&rsquo;s global reach will only be limited by its investment in its workforce. Now that businesses themselves are decentralizing and digitizing, there&rsquo;s sure to be less friction and technical difficulty during the process of connecting and converting remote business units with the goal of expanding.</p> <h2>Next Steps for the New Mobile, Global Workforce</h2> <p>Though the negative effects of the pandemic are ongoing, it&rsquo;s clear that this period has also created new capability for the global workforce through digital acceleration, decentralization, and a radical reimagination of the way we work. Everything&rsquo;s different, but that just means there are opportunities for businesses to create new value through innovation.</p> <p>Technology brings with it the chance to build toward a better world &mdash; and many companies are already forging ahead full-steam. So, as we rebuild, it will be important to recognize that the investment we place in the workforce now will pay dividends in the future.&nbsp;</p> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/covid-19" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">COVID-19</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/coronavirus" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">coronavirus</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/remote-workforce" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">remote workforce</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/sykes" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">SYKES</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/outsourcing" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Outsourcing</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/business-process-outsourcing-bpo" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-addthis field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="How the Pandemic Created a New Global Workforce - Future of Sourcing" addthis:url="https://futureofsourcing.com/how-the-pandemic-created-a-new-global-workforce"><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_linkedin"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_twitter"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_googleplus"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_pinterest_share"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_reddit"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_email"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_print"></a> </div> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-region field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Region:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/regions/global" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Global</a></div></div></div> Fri, 12 Mar 2021 02:00:00 +0000 Ian Barkin 1939 at https://futureofsourcing.com https://futureofsourcing.com/how-the-pandemic-created-a-new-global-workforce#comments Mitigating New Outsourcing Service Provider Challenges During COVID-19 https://futureofsourcing.com/mitigating-new-outsourcing-service-provider-challenges-during-covid-19 <div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Copy%20of%20FoS%20Header%20Images%20%2822%29.png"><a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Copy%20of%20FoS%20Header%20Images%20%2822%29.png" title="Network connection" class="colorbox" rel="gallery-node-1738-MyobAxOaqz8"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/styles/juicebox_medium/public/articles/Copy%20of%20FoS%20Header%20Images%20%2822%29.png?itok=s2bsAy1i" width="624" height="325" alt="Network connection" title="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-intro field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>As the outsourcing industry manages the widespread impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, enterprises are evaluating how to move forward with their outsourcing engagements and work with their service providers to overcome new challenges. Marc Tanowitz, a managing director at outsourcing and business transformation advisory firm <a href="http://www.paceharmon.com/" target="_blank">Pace Harmon</a>, offers his perspectives and advice for navigating this unprecedented time to continue fostering strong outsourcing partnerships and driving business outcomes.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-related-news field-type-entityreference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Related news:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/can-i-sign-business-contracts-remotely-while-self-isolating">Can I sign business contracts remotely while self-isolating?</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <h1>How is COVID-19 impacting current enterprise outsourcing engagements (ITO/BPO)?&nbsp;</h1> <p>Organizations are being impacted in different ways depending on the stage of their IT or business process engagements and the geographic locations of their provider resources. For outsourcing engagements that are currently being implemented or are in the midst of a transition, many of these programs have slowed down if not put on complete hold. Some engagements have paused because companies are suffering economically due to the virus impacts. For other engagements, implementations are moving forward, but there are many challenges and limitations, such as providing technology assets and access for remote workers, delivering training to new resources, and being unable to perform meaningful job shadowing or reverse shadowing.</p> <p>We&rsquo;re seeing a different set of challenges in cases where outsourcing is already implemented and in a steady-state, namely issues related to complying with physical and logical security requirements, maintaining productivity, and provisioning assets to all resources. In many cases, providers may not be able to meet the needs as outlined in an outsourcing contract, which may not have contemplated remote worker scenarios for all roles. Companies must decide if they are willing to allow for temporary flexibility around certain elements to ensure the continuation of their programs.</p> <h1>What&nbsp;types&nbsp;of new constraints should enterprises expect on their outsourcing engagements based on service provider dynamics and at-home delivery environments?</h1> <p>As mentioned above, there are a number of unforeseen limitations that are hampering the normal operations of outsourcing providers and having impacts on clients. Many countries where outsourcing providers are delivering services, such as Malaysia and India, have ordered all but essential workers to stay at home. In other locations, even if provider resources are able to access their usual physical office, they may opt not to go to avoid health risks involved in riding mass transit or because of family responsibilities. As such, it is becoming increasingly difficult for people to perform services onsite even if they are considered critical employees or to perform work requiring physical presence such as removing and replacing physical hardware.</p> <p>In cases where providers&rsquo; delivery centers have gone to a work-from-home environment, there are several challenges that must be addressed. First, resources may not have laptops &ndash; delivery centers could likely have assigned them an onsite desktop computer that was used by multiple resources across multiple shifts. Additionally, productivity may suffer because of limited access or latency when accessing necessary apps remotely.</p> <p>There are also physical security issues. Many outsourced delivery centers abide by strict security standards, including privacy screens, lockable storage, not permitting phones inside certain areas to prevent photos, etc. Unfortunately, many of these requirements cannot be maintained in a home environment. And, in low labor-cost locations, resources might not even have sufficient Internet access or a productive space to work from home. Client enterprises must decide whether they are comfortable accepting the risks of temporarily relaxing security protocols to enable work to continue. They will also need to address how oversight is being handled remotely instead of onsite agents escalating issues.</p> <h1>How can enterprises best reassess contract requirements moving forward to accommodate remote service delivery if needed based on emergency circumstances?</h1> <p>We foresee that enterprise clients will think differently about business continuity and disaster recovery moving forward. No one anticipated something taking down operations across the globe. Business continuity plans previously contemplated scenarios of facilities going offline temporarily and having the ability to transition work to a different office floor or another facility.</p> <p>Going forward, we will see contracting requirements including the full ramifications of a pandemic plan while also identifying the natural&nbsp;constraints. These include the reality that security regulations may be difficult to meet and that infrastructure requirements must enable resources to work from home within reason. Contracts will need to contemplate how best to relax the requirements and then how to bring them back into place as part of the governance plans; they will also need to build in incremental requirements that specifically address these situations (e.g., IP, confidentiality, data privacy). This will include outlining the respective financial responsibilities, commercial requirements and specific triggers for business continuity in a pandemic.</p> <h1>How does cloud access factor into outsourcing engagement success and continuity given the new provider delivery environment restrictions?</h1> <p>The cloud makes it significantly easier to access necessary apps, provided the right security infrastructure and protocols are in place for provider resources to login remotely. However, having a cloud environment doesn&#39;t mean you can simply login from anywhere. Many organizations use a VPN to maintain secure access &ndash; if resources are not on the VPN, then they cannot get in to perform work. Also, many outsourcing provider companies that use services like Citrix have had to buy more capacity because they didn&#39;t anticipate the sheer number of people needing to use it. Overall, when controlled at the right levels of security, the cloud can help companies offer more widespread access to resources, as well as help new resources get up to speed and working faster.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/outsourcing" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Outsourcing</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/human-resources" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Human Resources</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/business-process-outsourcing-bpo" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-addthis field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Mitigating New Outsourcing Service Provider Challenges During COVID-19 - Future of Sourcing" addthis:url="https://futureofsourcing.com/mitigating-new-outsourcing-service-provider-challenges-during-covid-19"><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_linkedin"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_twitter"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_googleplus"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_pinterest_share"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_reddit"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_email"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_print"></a> </div> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-region field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Region:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/regions/global" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Global</a></div></div></div> Tue, 14 Apr 2020 20:46:06 +0000 Marc Tanowitz 1738 at https://futureofsourcing.com https://futureofsourcing.com/mitigating-new-outsourcing-service-provider-challenges-during-covid-19#comments 5 Tips for Cross-Border Business Success in Latin America https://futureofsourcing.com/5-tips-for-cross-border-business-success-in-latin-america <div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Cross-Border_Success_Latin_America.png"><a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Cross-Border_Success_Latin_America.png" title="Nearshoring in Latin America" class="colorbox" rel="gallery-node-1705-MyobAxOaqz8"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/styles/juicebox_medium/public/articles/Cross-Border_Success_Latin_America.png?itok=Quxb08Mv" width="624" height="325" alt="Nearshoring in Latin America" title="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-related-news field-type-entityreference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Related news:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/whatever-you-call-it-outsourcing-to-puerto-rico-is-a-shore-thing-for-us-businesses">Whatever You Call It, Outsourcing to Puerto Rico Is a “Shore” Thing for U.S. Businesses</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>With a regional GDP predicted to grow at least 2.5% per year over the next 10-15 years, Latin America makes up an enticing emerging market that will soon outpace larger, more established ones. According to <a href="https://americasmi.com/insights/increasing-cross-border-buys-in-e-commerce-in-latin-america/">Americas Market Intelligence</a>, Latin American e-commerce revenues reached $109 billion last year. The e-commerce market is already substantial, with Colombia and Argentina making up two of the top three fastest-growing e-commerce markets in the world. Predictions for future growth are also positive. The annual growth rate predicted for the region is 20%, nearly double the global average.</p> <p>Increased digitalization in Latin America is a significant driver of this growth, and <a href="https://www.gsma.com/latinamerica/resources/latin-americas-evolving-digital-landscape/">GSMA</a> predicts that mobile penetration among adults will soon total 490 million mobile Internet subscriptions by 2025. This increased connectivity is facilitating cross-border business activity in Latin America, allowing consumers to transact in other countries and shop online with more options. Thanks to relatively low interregional market barriers, cross-border e-commerce is growing at a 42% annual increase, more than double the domestic e-commerce growth rates.</p> <p>As Latin American markets become more interconnected, growth possibilities for companies will increase. The region provides a vast, maturing market and relatively easy expansion process due to cultural similarities and geographical proximity.</p> <p>For companies considering launching in multiple Latin American countries, keep the following tips in mind:</p> <h1>1. Think Mobile First</h1> <p>Mobile purchases are a primary driver of digital growth in Latin America. The smartphone market in Latin America is one of the fastest growing in the world. Smartphone users already comprise <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/article/4284967-smartphone-growth-driver-of-e-commerce-in-latin-america">68% </a>of Latin America, and the <a href="https://www.gsma.com/r/mobileeconomy/latam/">GSMA&rsquo;s 2018 Mobile Economy report</a> predicts that by as early as 2022, 90% of all Internet connections in the region will be through mobile devices. Companies keen to reach new audiences across borders should make sure their websites, advertisements, and payment systems are set up for mobile access and processing.&nbsp;</p> <h1>2. Offer Local Payment Options&nbsp;</h1> <p>Cross-border payment options are sparse in Latin America. In many countries, including Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, the majority of credit cards cannot be used for international purchases, restricting consumers to local purchasing options. Additionally, low credit card authorization rates and the frequent use of cash throughout Latin America limit the reach of interregional payment options.&nbsp;</p> <p>As a result, companies looking to expand to other countries in Latin America should offer local payment options to ensure broader access to each country&rsquo;s local market. Fortunately, there is a&nbsp;significant shift toward mobile payment systems taking place. With an increasing number of fintech companies, mobile banking, and digital wallet options available, companies can offer local digital payment options that make cross-border business activities easy for all.&nbsp;</p> <h1>3. Identify Market Similarities and Differences</h1> <p>Many locales in Latin America share languages and cultural similarities. Once these aspects are identified, they can be applied in various markets. Additionally, highlighting novel differences between cultures while appealing to shared interests and tastes can help uniquely position a company&rsquo;s offering in a new market.&nbsp;</p> <p>Though regional similarities form one side of an interregional approach, it would be a mistake to assume that the exact same pitch will work throughout the region. Cultural and linguistic differences are marked, even in different areas within a single country. To reach a new client base effectively requires careful research of those differences to avoid offending, confusing, or turning away potential customers as a result of a cultural mistranslation.&nbsp;</p> <h1>4. Seek Local Partners When Doing Business</h1> <p>Despite having cultural overlap, laws and regulations in each Latin American country are distinct and particular to the local context. Requirements vary for company registration, sales and import taxes, corporate banking parameters, and local contracting. Even marketing and advertising regulations can be different.&nbsp;</p> <p>Understanding these differences is essential for success, but it also requires significant investment to research and ensure compliance. By connecting with local partners who are already knowledgeable about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bizlatinhub.com/legal-services/">legal requirements</a>&nbsp;and market advantages, companies can save time and money while gaining ground in local markets more quickly and thoroughly.&nbsp;</p> <h1>5. Research the Local Demand and Business Environment&nbsp;</h1> <p>Similarities among Latin American markets make growing across regional borders more manageable; however, consumer habits can differ in each country. When looking to expand, research where there is the most demand for a specific product or service. According to <a href="https://labs.ebanx.com/en/articles/ecommerce/infographic-facts-about-ecommerce-in-latin-america-per-country/">Latin American Business Stories,</a> media and electronics purchases are the top category in Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Bolivia. However, in Brazil, Latin America&rsquo;s largest market, electronics comes second to beauty products. Meanwhile, Argentina&rsquo;s top two industries are tourism, followed by hobbies and toys, while Colombia&rsquo;s consumers spend the most on fashion and apparel.&nbsp;</p> <h1>Opportunities for Business Success in Latin America Are Growing</h1> <p>In recent years, Latin America has shown impressive economic growth and increasing connectivity, providing its population with the opportunity and means to spend. Companies seeking growth opportunities would be smart to consider entering Latin America. Cross-border expansion for businesses already based in the region is a logical next step for growing a business. For non-Latin American companies eager to scale, the regional similarities facilitate regional market penetration.&nbsp;</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/latin-america" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Latin America</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/business-process-outsourcing-bpo" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/offshoring" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Offshoring</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/nearshoring" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Nearshoring</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-addthis field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="5 Tips for Cross-Border Business Success in Latin America - Future of Sourcing" addthis:url="https://futureofsourcing.com/5-tips-for-cross-border-business-success-in-latin-america"><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_linkedin"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_twitter"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_googleplus"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_pinterest_share"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_reddit"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_email"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_print"></a> </div> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-region field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Region:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/regions/latinamerica-caribbean" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Latin America/Caribbean</a></div></div></div> Tue, 18 Feb 2020 21:01:56 +0000 Craig Dempsey 1705 at https://futureofsourcing.com https://futureofsourcing.com/5-tips-for-cross-border-business-success-in-latin-america#comments Outsource Your CULTURE to Speed Up Digital Transformation https://futureofsourcing.com/outsource-your-culture-to-speed-up-digital-transformation <div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Culture_Digital_Transformation.jpg"><a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Culture_Digital_Transformation.jpg" title="Outsource Your CULTURE to Speed Up Digital Transformation" class="colorbox" rel="gallery-node-1566-MyobAxOaqz8"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/styles/juicebox_medium/public/articles/Culture_Digital_Transformation.jpg?itok=yfRld6q3" width="624" height="325" alt="" title="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <div>With the pending shortfall and inevitable fact that more and more companies will need to outsource their IT and Finance functions, it&rsquo;s important to take a look into what is really driving change in digital transformation. The current statistics show that by 2020, the U.K. alone will have a shortfall of 800,000 tech workers and at the same time, 80% of companies will rely on contingent workers.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>The offshore model is no longer sufficient because software development needs to be executed in real-time and at top quality, which means the notion of culture comes into play. Many CIO&rsquo;s now claim that successful digital transformation initiatives must be accompanied by culture changes, so what should companies do to ensure that they are outsourcing not only business requirements but also their culture?</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>IT directors and CIOs know that culture can speed up <a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/the-rules-of-outsourcing-have-changed" target="_blank">digital transformation</a> through smart technology choices, which ultimately aligns technology design processes to form and mold the required work behavior patterns. It has recently been quoted that by 2021, 80% of midsize to large enterprises will change their culture in order to speed up and accelerate their digital strategy initiatives. Gartner, Inc. <a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/information-technology/insights/trends-predictions" target="_blank">predicts</a> that by 2021, CIOs will be as responsible for culture change as chief HR officers.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>With huge changes happening in business, it is critical to adopt a proactive approach to look at how culture can speed up digital transformation strategies. Working with HR is critical as CIO&rsquo;s will have a huge part to play in driving change and adoption. Organisations need better decisions made quickly and accurately at the front end. Front end teams need to be made up of diverse and multi-skilled professionals that take responsibility and accountability. This is a problem if you outsource to an offshore company as the culture barrier is an issue. Poland is a very popular outsource destination as culturally there is very little difference between <a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/all-rise-for-poland-a-thriving-outsource-destination" target="_blank">Poland</a>, the U.S. and other European countries. &nbsp;In addition, Poland offers a stable and healthy economy, a highly skilled workforce, a dynamically growing IT market and U.S. and EU standards in IP protection and data security. This contrasts with China and India, which are the top outsourcing software destinations. &nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div> <h2>What is the answer?</h2> </div> <div>When outsourcing IT Outsourcing (ITO) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) functions there are several things to think about. As IT is driving tremendous change within company culture, executives need to look at not only at outsourcing business functions but also their own culture and company DNA. This can be achieved by working with a partner that understands the importance of embracing their client&rsquo;s cultural habits as this ultimately speeds up digital transformation initiatives. Company execs need to really look at culture when outsourcing as the ramifications of not doing so can be very damaging to their longer term business objectives for growth. Not only do companies need to look at retaining their top talent, they need to future-proof their business by partnering with next generation outsource thinkers that recognize and get the importance of embedding company culture from day one. With the rapidly changing lT landscape and technology shifts, there is little room for error. Companies need to think ahead of the game and put their culture at the forefront when considering outsourcing any ITO or BPO function to a third party.</div> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/digital-transformation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Digital Transformation</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/business-process-outsourcing-bpo" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/information-technology-office-ito" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Information Technology Office (ITO)</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/outsourcing" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Outsourcing</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/contingent-workforce" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Contingent Workforce</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-addthis field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Outsource Your CULTURE to Speed Up Digital Transformation - Future of Sourcing" addthis:url="https://futureofsourcing.com/outsource-your-culture-to-speed-up-digital-transformation"><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_linkedin"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_twitter"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_googleplus"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_pinterest_share"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_reddit"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_email"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_print"></a> </div> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-region field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Region:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/regions/europemiddle-eastafrica" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Europe/Middle East/Africa</a></div></div></div> Tue, 10 Sep 2019 19:19:42 +0000 Graham Fell 1566 at https://futureofsourcing.com https://futureofsourcing.com/outsource-your-culture-to-speed-up-digital-transformation#comments Artificial Intelligence Helps Business Services Re-imagine Boundaries https://futureofsourcing.com/artificial-intelligence-helps-business-services-re-imagine-boundaries <div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Artificial%20Intelligence%20Helps%20Business%20Services%20Re-imagine%20Boundaries.jpg"><a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/Artificial%20Intelligence%20Helps%20Business%20Services%20Re-imagine%20Boundaries.jpg" title="Artificial Intelligence Helps Business Services Re-imagine Boundaries" class="colorbox" rel="gallery-node-1565-MyobAxOaqz8"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/styles/juicebox_medium/public/articles/Artificial%20Intelligence%20Helps%20Business%20Services%20Re-imagine%20Boundaries.jpg?itok=sMvX_HVc" width="624" height="325" alt="" title="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <div>A recent <a href="https://www.abbyy.com/en-us/news/two-thirds-of-uk-employees-want-to-delegate-work-to-robots/#sthash.eiKeRfnJ.nZiaSeHN.dpbs" target="_blank">European</a> and <a href="https://www.abbyy.com/en-us/news/survey-finds-us-workers-want-to-delegate-48-percent-of-tasks-to-artificial-intelligence/#sthash.wgrtqrps.dpbs" target="_blank">US survey</a> asked workers the tasks they hated most at work and the impact of automation, robotics and digitalization. Besides attending meetings, the most hated task was reviewing long documents &ndash; whether they were digital or paper. And, when asked what they wish to delegate to a robot, data entry topped the list with 48% (U.S.) to 63% (U.K.) of workers saying they&rsquo;d happily outsource tasks to a robot.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>It is encouraging to see that a majority of workers would welcome the opportunity to <a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/interview-with-a-robotics-expert-nick-andrews" target="_blank">delegate annoying tasks to robots</a>, yet for the vast majority, the idea of working with robots is still hypothetical. Let&rsquo;s be clear &ndash; in the world of sourcing, we&rsquo;re not talking about mechanical robots sitting beside us at our desks. Rather, we&rsquo;re talking about Robotic Process Automation (RPA) software robots that have become a viable, new digital workforce. We find that enabling employees to work in partnership with digital workers enhances their job satisfaction, allowing them to spend more time on adding value to their businesses where it matters most.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Business process outsourcing (BPO) providers are beginning to utilize digital workers as they see the value RPA delivers to quickly automate processes. Yet, they are also finding there is potential for RPA projects to fail.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Human Intelligence a Factor in RPA Success</strong></div> <div>Many organizations fail to realize the potential of their RPA investment. Hard and soft factors play a role. Next to basic change management failures such as lack of communication, there is often not enough thought put into implementing the new technology in the workplace. Consequently, <a href="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/416323/UiPathForward%20UK%202017/UiPathForward%20Presentations/%23UiPathForward%20UK%202017%20-%20HfS%20Keynote.pdf?t=1513532059524" target="_blank">41% of companies won&rsquo;t switch to RPA</a> because of lack of clarity of the business process. Here are common &ldquo;soft&rdquo; challenges and the human intelligence impact:</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div> <div style="margin-left: 40px;">Lack of shared vision = Deficient change management</div> <div style="margin-left: 40px;">Lack of use cases = Insufficient planning and involvement</div> <div style="margin-left: 40px;">Lack of focus = Negative experience &amp; resource management</div> <div style="margin-left: 40px;">Unclean data = Missing automation&nbsp;</div> <div style="margin-left: 40px;">&nbsp;</div> <div> <div>There are counter measures that can lead to successful <a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/interview-with-a-robotics-expert-clare-horn" target="_blank">RPA deployments</a>. For example, the creation of an innovation center to lead the innitiative. With an innovation team, use cases can be fully developed and lead to early success stories. These early successes can then be communicated, taught among the team, then repeated across departments.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Also, as silly as it may sound, giving digital workers a name and making them more accessible has helped organizations bring the human factor behind the idea of automation. So instead of referring to a digital worker as &ldquo;<a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/why-chatbots-are-key-to-support-automation" target="_blank">bot 1</a>,&rdquo; call it &ldquo;Robby&rdquo; &ndash; we&rsquo;ve found it actually makes a difference.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>There is significant return on investment expected in this collaboration, according to Accenture Research. The firm estimates that the AI and human-machine collaboration can boost revenues by at least 38% by 2022. However, there are also two other factors that BPOs need to be aware of when working with RPA workers. The first is that RPA is not the savior for all processes, and second, automation needs to go beyond simply replacing manual tasks to be successful.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>After automation, BPOs can add value to clients by having a firm grip on the process control to have clear views of inputs, outputs, clean data and content intelligence.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Content IQ Key to Smarter Digital Workers</strong></div> <div>With RPA a new tool for sourcing providers, there is opportunity to further expand the boundaries of services by adding AI to digital workers in the form of content IQ skills. Content IQ combines the technology for understanding and processing content with a fresh approach to how organizations can quickly consume and use digital workers, and thereby realize greater benefits. BPOs can continue to maintain control of &ldquo;human strengths&rdquo; in the forms of critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity, while the digital workforce maintains its strengths in machine learning, statistical correlation, rapid search, content analysis and repetitive task execution.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Content IQ skills are available as micro-services that are transaction oriented and simple to use. And, whereas existing capture technology is built to be centrally deployed for the highly skilled capture expert, content IQ skills are built for the business user.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>AI-enabling technologies, such as content IQ skills, are offering exciting opportunities for outsourcing providers. They benefit by its ability to complement any intelligent automation platform, not just RPA platforms, and deliver cognitive skills that perform like humans.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>BPOs can deploy content IQ skills in a variety of content-centric processes such sales order, accounts payable, payroll funding, claims processing and more. As a result, digital workers gain the ability to understand and process a document so it can be routed, data can be extracted and inputted into a system, and a decision can be made to more quickly to add business value.</div> </div> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/automation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Automation</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/digitalization" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Digitalization</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/business-process-outsourcing-bpo" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/robotic-process-automation-rpa-0" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Robotic Process Automation (RPA)</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/content-iq" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Content IQ</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-addthis field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Artificial Intelligence Helps Business Services Re-imagine Boundaries - Future of Sourcing" addthis:url="https://futureofsourcing.com/artificial-intelligence-helps-business-services-re-imagine-boundaries"><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_linkedin"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_twitter"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_googleplus"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_pinterest_share"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_reddit"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_email"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_print"></a> </div> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-region field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Region:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/regions/global" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Global</a></div></div></div> Mon, 09 Sep 2019 22:51:39 +0000 Susanne Richter-Wills 1565 at https://futureofsourcing.com https://futureofsourcing.com/artificial-intelligence-helps-business-services-re-imagine-boundaries#comments BPOs Can Make Robots Even Smarter with Content IQ Skills https://futureofsourcing.com/bpos-can-make-robots-even-smarter-with-content-iq-skills <div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/BPOs_Make_Robots_Smarter.jpg"><a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/articles/BPOs_Make_Robots_Smarter.jpg" title="BPOs Can Make Robots Even Smarter with Content IQ Skills" class="colorbox" rel="gallery-node-1431-MyobAxOaqz8"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://futureofsourcing.com/sites/default/files/styles/juicebox_medium/public/articles/BPOs_Make_Robots_Smarter.jpg?itok=dahFuE9w" width="624" height="325" alt="" title="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <div>Business process outsourcing (BPO) organizations are in a unique position to move clients into the digital age and address the ever-changing demands of their industry. BPOs implement a mix of technologies to improve processes and provide unimagined ways to enhance the work environment, customer interactions and the way they do business.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>A key piece of digital transformation is the ability to bring together an intuitive understanding of content and automatically extract all relevant information from documents. Add to that <a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/latecomers-beware-how-artificial-intelligence-spawns-the-next-largest-divide" target="_blank">robotic process automation (RPA) to automate business process</a> activities by utilizing software robots to mimic the steps human employees take to accomplish a wide range of tasks. As the use of robotic automation increases, BPOs have the opportunity to expand the use of these digital workers to &ldquo;intelligently&rdquo; automate content-centric processes involving images, documents and text, to further enhance operations and create better customer experiences.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Working in concert with RPA is artificial intelligence (AI). AI can learn from content and optimize performance. Its ability to understand and act on unstructured data is critically important in planning and achieving new levels of process efficiency and profit. In addition, AI aids in the development of new and innovative products and services.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Yet, RPA has had some limitations while working with unstructured content and has resulted in many BPOs and organizations alike taking a narrow approach with these technologies &ndash; only for specific uses cases such as purchase orders, for example. To grow and expand the use of RPA within an enterprise, robots must become smarter and be able to interpret and understand unstructured content (documents, images and text) and turn it into actionable structured information. Think of RPA as the starting point for intelligent automation where three digital classes are emerging and where different digital robots deliver varying degrees of cognitive and advanced content IQ skills.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Digital Class 1: Rules&nbsp;</strong></div> <div>Rules are &ldquo;tried and true&rdquo; <a href="https://futureofsourcing.com/automation-is-unlocking-the-best-of-what-makes-us-human" target="_blank">automation tasks</a> that can be found in every organization. Robots are used to extract and interpret existing applications for the purpose of automating rules-driven transactions. The cognitive content IQ skills include content digitization, searchable content and screen scraping. An ideal automation candidate for this class involves well-defined activities that: are organized in a repeatable sequence, deal with structured data; and include multiple systems requiring data entry or extraction. Processes may require digitizing documents using OCR (Optional Character Recognition), and delivery of that content to a repository. This use of rules is the easiest to implement and most widely adopted.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Digital Class 2: Learning</strong></div> <div>This class involves robots that learn and are able to understand unstructured content and apply it to process automation. The cognitive content IQ skills include content digitization, classification, extraction and learning. It makes RPA digital workers smarter, so they can automate a wider array of activities involving documents. This type of automation can learn from experience using machine learning to classify and extract data from images, documents and text &ndash; while automatically updating and improving processes to minimize human intervention. Learning is a fast-growing class of RPA that requires the ability to classify and extract data from a wide range of documents while delivering high value to an enterprise.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Digital Class 3: Reasoning&nbsp;</strong></div> <div>Cognitive robots are subject matter experts &ndash; learning from your existing processes, data and human decision making. This is where robots automate tasks involving intuition or problem solving. They mimic human intelligence and judgment. Advanced content IQ skills are used at this level to analyze and understand text. Reasoning combines advanced technologies such as natural language processing, AI, machine learning, and content analytics to mimic human judgment and problem solving to determine things like intent (requested action), sentiment and relationship between data. Reasoning is where forward-looking organizations are focusing their digital transformation.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>When combined with RPA or any other intelligent automation platform like a BPM (Business Process Management), CRM (Customer Relationship Management) or EPR (Enterprise Resource Planning), content IQ skills make the software robots smarter and assist in automating content-centric processes. &nbsp;Cognitive skills target activities required by the digital worker to solve specific business problems. Advanced cognitive skills can be designed and trained for specific document use cases to give the digital worker the necessary competencies to perform the work that would otherwise be handled by an employee. Most significant, they change the way BPOs work by powering the new digital workforce with the understanding needed to transform operations and dramatically improve the customer experience, while reducing costs.</div> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/robotic-process-automation-rpa" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Robotic Process Automation (RPA)</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/business-process-outsourcing-bpo" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/artificial-intelligence-ai" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Artificial Intelligence (AI)</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/crm-customer-relationship-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">CRM (Customer Relationship Management</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/content-iq" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Content IQ</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-addthis field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="BPOs Can Make Robots Even Smarter with Content IQ Skills - Future of Sourcing" addthis:url="https://futureofsourcing.com/bpos-can-make-robots-even-smarter-with-content-iq-skills"><a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_linkedin"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_twitter"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_googleplus"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_pinterest_share"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_reddit"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_email"></a> <a href="https://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_print"></a> </div> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-region field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Region:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/regions/global" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Global</a></div></div></div> Sun, 28 Apr 2019 19:07:53 +0000 David Arthur 1431 at https://futureofsourcing.com https://futureofsourcing.com/bpos-can-make-robots-even-smarter-with-content-iq-skills#comments