Following a spate of dismal news from the outsourcing industry in late 2017 and early 2018, we brought together some of the key leaders in the outsourcing business, including several current and former CEOs, to discuss the challenges, and map out achievable solutions.

Our paper, Save OutSourcing Part 1, identified the key flaws in our outsourcing models. Our Save Outsourcing seminar identified solutions, and our Save OutSourcing Part 2 paper captures the insights from our panellists, speakers and audience at the event.

Contributors to the event and this paper identified three key areas of change:

Commercials

Price-based tenders must be swapped for a value-based approach, contracts must focus on outcomes, not details, and pricing must be realistic. Clients must be realistic about margin, whileproviders must maximise efficiency.

Operations

Processes must be redesigned to reduce undesirable behaviours, systems must capture data, data must be uneditable, and audited by experts whenever it originates from human input.

Environment

Change must be driven from the top, and leaders must set a good example for their team. Team members must be supported to work within a process that encourages positive decision-making – this will result in improved behaviours on all sides.