Technologies such as cloud computing, business analytics software, social media platforms and process automation software are being used within BPO to enable businesses to lower costs and be more effective.
Recent research from Accenture revealed that high-performing BPO relationships – those that deliver business value – use technology as a source of innovation and advantage, rather than just providing the infrastructure of delivery. It found that 40% of high performers consider technology provided by the service provider to be an important component of the BPO relationship, compared with only 27% of typical performers. A total of 56% of high performers believe it is important to gain access to technology in a BPO relationship, while 34% of typical performers agree.
“Effective technologies and architectures contribute to cost reductions and more efficient operations by streamlining the systems environment and reducing the number of systems involved, often standardising the technology environment on a unified, centralised platform,” says Anoop Sagoo, products industry BPO lead at Accenture.
Planning and selection of BPO services and providers is an area where the CIO will need to play a key role
Ilan Oshri, a professor at Loughborough School of Business, says IT is increasingly becoming part of the service, as well as the platform through which they are provided. “Businesses have been considering more functions for BPO, mainly because of the current economic conditions and because the suppliers [can now] provide BPO services much better than 10 years ago,” he says. “Buyers are also expecting vendors to deliver high value, and therefore expect the vendor to work closely with them on improvements.”
At the same time, says Oshri, it has become critical to buyers to consider alignment between IT and business process performance.
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