Lack of upfront planning is common and can seriously undermine the transition phase of an outsourcing project, according to a new report by Efficio.
The report Viewpoint highlighted that outsourcing programs tend to focus on delivering the commercial process, while ‘Transition’ is a buzzword that tends to be used but is rarely more than a thought until it is time to execute.
The report stressed the need for a detailed plan to ensure that timescales are realistic and any additional external resources required can be identified well in advance.
Efficio principal Julian Catchick said that it is necessary to build transition into an organisation’s outsourcing programme plan, not as an afterthought but at the outset, noting it is an integral part of the mix and the negotiations.
"Transition should be planned in parallel to the commercial process and the most appropriate time to initiate the planning is once an informed outsourcing strategy has been developed," Catchick said.
"It is at this stage that the requirements are known and the boundaries between an enduring organisation and an outsource provider can be defined."
"A poorly transitioned outsource can reflect negatively on other projects within a client organisation and a bad outsourcing experience can, in more extreme situations, stifle other corporate strategies and the organisation will invariably pay the additional costs of stumbling (or sinking) through a transition to an outsource provider."