delivery models Archive

Human Robots

Much of the industrial arbitrage industry is based on developing tight and clear SOPs (standard operating procedure) for work, putting it into large factories in India where very bright people are asked to operate with tightly defined parameters and conform to them very rigorously and then go home. Unfortunately, in doing so, we inadvertently

Customers Changing Core Objectives for Services Industry and IT Delivery

There is a secular shift occurring within IT services. Many businesses are shifting from functional orientation – where cost and reliability are the key objectives – to a new focus where business value and cycle time are the new objective functions. This shift has big and very serious implications for organizations that encompass the

80/20 Stands on Its Head in the Services Industry

The mantra of 80/20 (80 percent offshore, 20 percent onshore) has been the war cry for the services industry for the last 10 years. It has stood for the absolute sweet spot for a services player, particularly in terms of maximum leverage of offshore talent. This has been the most profitable space. Providers that

Lessons from IBM

Have you noticed how few service providers have the ability maintain a market leader role when the market changes to favor new technologies, or new service models? It’s very difficult to make this shift, and I’ve seen very few companies achieve the shift – let alone do it three times. Just one. Wow! If

The Tantalizing Crowdsourcing Model

Crowdsourcing is a tantalizing business model. It leverages access to free or very cheap labor through technology platforms or through social media. We see examples of it, and we sense intuitively that they have broader application. So why does it seem to be just out of reach for most services firms? Why do service

Why the Avon – SAP News is Important for Your Business

Did you see the news earlier this week about the Avon – SAP relationship in Canada? The eye-grabbing headline, “Avon halts work on big SAP implementation, cites lack of ROI,” thrusts the deal to the attention of both service providers and enterprises planning or in the midst of business transformation deals. The services industry

A Win-Win-Win Model Attracts Attention in Global Services Market

Whether you are a service provider or a buyer of services, you can benefit significantly from a relatively new delivery model in the services ecosystem — outsourced in-home services. Why is it attractive? The in-home model leverages the labor arbitrage idea but applies it in a different way for even greater benefits. Over the