Introduction

Since inception in the early-mid 1990s, the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry has witnessed widespread adoption with many small and large companies outsourcing their low-end and high-end processes to offshore or nearshore destinations in Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America. etc. That said, from the time a company adopts outsourcing as a strategy to the time it actually migrates services to a supplier, the process of transition continues to be fairly long drawn and complex. Even though transition is an inherent phase of outsourcing, the term “transition” has become synonymous with complexity. A host of factors drive the cost and complexity associated with it.

Recently, industry-specific developments and overall economic disturbances have created a state of flux for the outsourcing industry at large. Undoubtedly, transition management has not remained untouched by such changes and has become more complex. Under the circumstances, buyers need to adapt their approach to be successful in managing the modern-day large, global, and complex transitions.

This whitepaper educates buyers on the transition phase in the life cycle of outsourcing engagements and helps ensure that they are well equipped for it. The paper discusses:

• Transition as an inherent and important phase for the success of an outsourcing initiative
• Cost and complexity associated with transitions and factors responsible for the same
• The changing face of transition management
• Managing complex transitions for success: best practices and “pitfalls to avoid”

This paper is based on Everest BPO advisory and research experience along with executive-level discussions with buyer and supplier organizations.