Discovery Stage

HRO Today‘s Baker’s Dozen awards annually rank the industry’s best based on customer satisfaction surveys in the following areas; RPO, MSP, Workforce Solutions, Screening, Relocation, Recognition. Results are based solely on feedback from buyers of the rated services, collected annually through an online survey.

Your first step in conducting a cost-benefit analysis for outsourcing is clearly defining your strategy and goals. A clear understanding of your strategy (and the steps involved in the process) ensures clear communication and goal alignment with your chosen vendor. It also ensures ROI can be measured.

Next, list all costs attributed to each step in the process you are considering outsourcing. (How much are you currently spending? What expenses would be necessary to achieve your goals if you kept processes in-house? Would you need more staff or equipment?) Then perform a cost analysis of outsourcing that business process.

In the world of outsourcing, case studies are a staple and a solid instrument. They are actual, i.e. focused on real events, and thus serve as a great resource for people considering outsourcing or wanting a comparison to an existing partnership. Case studies divide things into a clear blueprint: realistic problems, personalized solutions and concrete outcomes.

Note: A good case study will include specific and detailed data in regards to key metrics improvement, cost savings and/or process efficiency.

Making the decision to outsource requires a current and accurate process map to measure against and share throughout the process and is also an important ongoing benchmark to assess for proficiency, areas of opportunity, and measure performance.

A process map outlines the individual steps within a process, identifying task owners and detailing expected timelines. They are particularly helpful in communicating processes among stakeholders and may reveal future areas of improvement. Most process maps start at a macro level and then provide more detail as necessary.