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Press Release

Cost not a key priority in outsourcing professional services

15 Jun 2015 5 min read

When businesses outsource work, cost is not the key driver, according to Grant Thornton’s latest International Business Report (IBR) survey.

 Human resources, payroll and accounting are the most common services that are outsourced and many companies engage external specialists to execute these cost effectively.

Matt Parkinson, Partner, Privately Held Business at Grant Thornton New Zealand, said that it could easily be expected that cost and the providers’ technical expertise are the most critical success factors in outsourcing relationships.

“However, to make these relationships work, the IBR survey reveals that communication, reliability, trust and other non-technical skills count just as much - if not more – than harder factors such as specialist capabilities.

“Although still rating highly, the cost of services isn’t the most important criteria when selecting an outsourcing provider. For business leaders, particularly in New Zealand, cost rarely ranks as a top priority.”

When asked which criteria was most important when selecting an outsourcing provider, New Zealand business leaders  surveyed said that a track record in servicing similar organisations (46%), trusting the supplier (36%) and understanding their businesses (36%) influence their decisions the most. The cost of services ranked a distant fourth in New Zealand (18%).

“Naturally, providers need to deliver on time and to a high standard and they also need to help clients remain compliant with regulatory requirements, which explains why trust is such an important factor for businesses.

“Communication is integral to building high levels of trust, and responses in the IBR survey demonstrate how vital this is. Participants ranked communication considerably higher than the provider’s project governance and resource management experience,” he said.

A staggering 91% of New Zealand business owners stated that good communication is a key driver that contributes to a positive outsourcing experience compared with the global average of 88% per cent. New Zealand also ranked 22 out of 35 countries in this area; 100% of participants in the top seven countries deemed communication as an essential part of distinctive client service.

Parkinson says that among other things, good communication practice means being ultra-responsive, and being proactive is another part of the trust and reliability equation.

Three quarters of business leaders around the globe say it’s important that their lead outsourcing provider is able to meet with them at very short notice – within 24 hours – should an issue arise. And companies want their providers to be on the lookout for ways to streamline processes. Good providers also listen to clients to improve their service.

“The digital age has delivered tougher competition and businesses increasingly rely on their suppliers – including their outsourcing providers – to help them design better business processes.

“The criteria and skills that clients judge their outsourcing providers on is clearly evolving. Providers must adapt to create a new point of difference in an increasingly competitive market,” says Parkinson.

For more information download a full copy the International Business Report,“Outsourcing: Beyond technical expertise”.

Further enquiries, please contact:

Matt Parkinson
Partner, Privately Held Business
Grant Thornton New Zealand
T +64 (0)9 308 2981
E matt.parkinson@nz.gt.com

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