Outsourcing ideal in economic downturn

Outsourcing certain aspects of business operations can be an ideal way to save money during an economic slowdown, one expert has suggested.

Nick Holland from the international law firm Eversheds is convinced companies around the world will continue to outsource parts of their work in order to cut costs during an economic slump and service providers should be ready to take advantage of the trend.

IT is an area where many firms look to reduce their expenditure but they also want to know that they are getting good value for money in terms of service delivery in the long term.

Writing for Computer Weekly, Mr Holland said: "Outsourcing deals that focus on discounted pricing and fail to carefully consider all requirements of the business as regards the function that is being outsourced may compromise quality of service and innovation."

Meanwhile, Jennifer Harkness from What PC?, recently aimed to highlight the importance for companies to manage effectively any services they choose to outsource in search of efficiency gains.