Industry news

C3/CustomerContactChannels, a global contact center provider, announced today that it is in the process of opening its newest contact center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Company will bring 500 new jobs to the Region in addition to establishing its West Region technology hub.

Centrally located at 5215 Wiley Post Way in Salt Lake City, the new center is approximately 40,000 square feet in size. In addition to its efforts to fill several key local management positions, C3/CustomerContactChannels is actively recruiting for licensed insurance agents within the area and is offering a $500 bonus after employment to agents with licenses that expire in 2011 or later. Additionally, the Company is offering paid training and licensing to qualified applicants interested in obtaining their insurance license.

"Salt Lake City is ideal for C3/CustomerContactChannels to set up operations due to its highly educated workforce, strong work ethic, and multilingual capabilities," commented Bob Tenzer, SVP of Human Resources for C3/CustomerContactChannels. "The response thus far to our recruitment efforts has been quite strong and we are very happy that our Company's growth can bring so many new jobs to this area."

C3/CustomerContactChannels prides itself on a culture that encourages employee and leadership development, community involvement, and career advancement in an environment that is both fun and exciting. Qualified applicants can apply online by submitting a cover letter and resume at www.c3connect.com/careers .

The C3/CustomerContactChannels Management team founded Florida-based Precision Response Corporation (PRC) in 1982, a leading, global provider of contact center services which grew the Company to over 14,000 employees globally under their leadership, and sold in 2000 to IAC/InterActiveCorp. C3/CustomerContactChannels is uniquely positioned to offer boutique style client management in a global operating environment built upon proven operational best practices and a veteran leadership team.

Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, has been recognized by HP with the Application Implementation Partner of the Year Award at HP Software Universe 2010. Working together for more than 18 years, Capgemini and HP have leveraged their alliance to provide solutions for major financial services clients.

During the awards ceremony at HP Software Universe 2010, Capgemini’s sales and delivery teams were recognized for their application management services that satisfied stakeholders at leading financial services institutions. By leveraging its collaboration with HP, Capgemini has helped one Wall Street firm define a structured, enterprise-wide testing methodology with oversight and governance, allowing the company to better utilize its investment in HP testing products. Capgemini has also helped a major global banking company execute a successful HP Quality Center upgrade for more than 2,000 projects and 10,000 clients and users.

“The combination of Capgemini’s implementation experience and HP’s application testing products and services has offered critical solutions to a number of the world’s largest financial institutions,” said Roy Stansbury, managing director for Capgemini financial services in North America. “Capgemini’s alliance with HP has augmented our clients’ abilities, keeping them armed with the most relevant and cutting-edge application management and testing strategies.”

Other examples of success include Capgemini’s work with a major mutual fund company to configure their HP testing products in order to provide a CIO-level dashboard view of their testing operations, and realize the expected ROI on their tool set. Also, a major custodian bank with worldwide operations was able to define a clear, actionable plan for deploying an enterprise-wide test strategy, using HP testing products and Capgemini’s financial services expertise and strategic approach.

“For well over a decade, we have partnered with Capgemini to respond to client needs, and deliver solutions successfully into the market, resulting in high client satisfaction,” said Scott Strubel, vice president, HP Americas Alliances and Channels. “As HP’s Application Implementation Partner of the Year, Capgemini has effectively demonstrated how they help clients transform their businesses through the innovative use of HP products and services.”

SourceRight Solutions today announced that it has been named the top RPO provider in HRO Today's annual "Baker's Dozen" listing. Additionally, for the third consecutive year, SourceRight was recognized as the number one provider in the 'Quality of Service' ranking.

The HRO Today "Baker's Dozen" listing ranked the top providers of RPO services – both in the U.S. and internationally – and was based on three categories: breadth of service, size of deals and quality of service. In addition to being named the number one overall provider as well as number one in quality of service, SourceRight Solutions was recognized as a top provider across all three categories.

According to Elliot Clark, CEO of SharedXpertise, publishers of HRO Today Magazine, "SourceRight Solutions has been the top performer in our survey in Quality of Service for three years and has ascended to the top position as the No. 1 enterprise provider. They have demonstrated a clear commitment to their customer base, ongoing process improvement, and innovation in some of the largest and most complex programs in the industry. SourceRight's top rated performance on this year's survey is a tribute to their company and their dedication to excellence."

Rebecca Callahan, president of SourceRight Solutions, commented, "We are thrilled to be named the top enterprise provider of RPO services, as well as the number one provider of quality of service for the third year in a row. In this highly competitive field, more and more companies are looking for a recruitment partner that can deliver total workforce solutions delivered with high standards of service excellence. This prestigious recognition validates SourceRight's commitment to our client relationships and unmatched talent acquisition capabilities."

HRO Today's "Baker's Dozen" methodology is based on established standards for customer satisfaction research components. RPO buyers complete Web-based surveys that rate 50 providers from which the final Baker's Dozen is ranked on three dimensions related to the breadth of service or complexity of the programs, the size of the programs and the quality of the service they receive. These ratings are calculated into an overall index. The annual survey is confidential and uses buyers identified by the provider community and buyers who are contacted directly by HRO Today Magazine. There is a survey verification process. With more than 600 surveys completed by HR professionals who are current buyers of RPO services, the HRO Today RPO "Bakers Dozen" is the largest survey of RPO buyers conducted in the RPO industry.

Aviva UK General Insurance (UKGI) has partnered with Rostrvm Solutions to provide the technical expertise and innovation required in building a market-leading outbound operation.

Aviva UKGI is well accomplished in acquiring and retaining its customers. Nearly 170 people are employed in its outbound contact service, operating more than 130 workstations across two Centres of Excellence, based in Glasgow, Scotland.

The company needed greater functionality in its outbound operation, to make high-quality, tailored calls to meet a complex blend of acquisition, retention and additional business needs. Often driven from customer-initiated interactions, the calls need to be targeted to meet the ever-changing mix of both market and customer requirements – and focused to enhance the overall customer experience. The solution needed to accommodate this, while reducing the total cost to acquire/serve.

Shona Anderson, Technical Manager, Telephony, said, “Rostrvm Solutions exhibited a partnership ethos and flexibility that surpassed the traditional technology provider/client relationship. Equally, it was clear that Rostrvm had identified that the key to their success was being able to rapidly meet and anticipate the ever-evolving needs of their clients, in response to shifting market dynamics.”

Rostrvm has provided a strategic outbound dialling solution for initially up to 250 users, with the potential to expand to over 600. Although for Aviva, the rostrvm Outbound dialler is being hosted by Cable&Wireless and has been installed in their network for use as ‘software as a service’ by Aviva.

Alan MacEwan, Outbound Strategic Delivery Manager at Aviva, adds, “The Rostrvm solution has quickly become a pivotal component in Aviva’s General Insurance strategy across multiple brands, products and customer touchpoints. Rostrvm will continue to support our growth and their expertise will be crucial in allowing Aviva to innovate, drive greater efficiencies, maximise data usage and truly exploit the potential of a professional and experienced outbound solution.”

$22 million, federally-backed program aims to help outsourcers in South Asia become more fluent in areas like Java programming—and the English language.

Despite President Obama's pledge to retain more hi-tech jobs in the U.S., a federal agency run by a hand-picked Obama appointee has launched a $22 million program to train workers, including 3,000 specialists in IT and related functions, in South Asia.

Following their training, the tech workers will be placed with outsourcing vendors in the region that provide offshore IT and business services to American companies looking to take advantage of the Asian subcontinent's low labor costs.

Under director Rajiv Shah, the United States Agency for International Development will partner with private outsourcers in Sri Lanka to teach workers there advanced IT skills like Enterprise Java (Java EE) programming, as well as skills in business process outsourcing and call center support. USAID will also help the trainees brush up on their English language proficiency.

"To help fill workforce gaps in BPO and IT, USAID is teaming up with leading BPO and IT/English language training companies to establish professional IT and English skills development training centers," the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka, said in a statement posted Friday on its Web site.

"Courses in Business Process Outsourcing, Enterprise Java, and English Language Skills will be offered at no charge to over 3,000 under- and unemployed students who will then participate in on-the-job training schemes with private firms," the embassy said.

USAID is also partnering with Sri Lankan companies in other industries, including construction and garment manufacturing, to help create 10,000 new jobs in the country, which is still recovering from a 30-year civil war that ended in 2009.

But it's the outsourcing program that's sure to draw the most fire from critics. While Obama acknowledged that occupations such as garment making don't add much value to the U.S. economy, he argued relentlessly during his presidential run that lawmakers needed to do more to keep hi-tech jobs in IT, biological sciences, and green energy in the country.

He also accused the Bush administration of creating tax loopholes that made it easier for U.S. companies to place work offshore in low-cost countries.

As recently as Monday, Obama, speaking at a Democratic fundraiser in Atlanta, boasted about his efforts to reduce offshoring. The President said he's implemented "a plan that’s focused on making our middle class more secure and our country more competitive in the long run -- so that the jobs and industries of the future aren’t all going to China and India, but are being created right here in the United States of America."

Obama in January tapped Shah to head USAID. At the time of his appointment, Shah—whose experience in the development community included senior positions at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—said the organization needed to focus more on helping developing nations build technology-based economies. "We need to develop new capabilities to pursue innovation, science, and technology," said Shaw, during his swearing in ceremony.

Sri Lanka's outsourcing industry is nascent, but growing as it begins to scoop up work from neighboring India.

In addition to homegrown firms, it's attracting investment from Indian outsourcers looking to expand beyond increasingly expensive tech hubs like Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. In 2007, consultants at A.T. Kearney listed the country as 29th on their list of the top 50 global outsourcing destinations.

BT has been awarded a contract by Nationwide, the world’s largest building society, to provide the organisation with managed security services.

The five year contract which was signed in June, strengthens BT’s existing relationship with Nationwide, building on an outsourced contract to provide networked IT services that was awarded to BT in 2008.

BT will provide Nationwide with a range of services including Managed Security Monitoring Services (to monitor and protect the network), security firewalls and managed email and web access. Together these services will transform the building society’s existing bespoke security infrastructure to a fully managed service.

Peter Stafford, IT Director at Nationwide, said: “Nationwide is seeking to introduce standard security services across its business, to reduce costs and to improve business agility. BT was chosen because it demonstrated a complete understanding of the security architecture needed to ensure delivery of these objectives”.

Andy Nicholson, president, global banking and financial markets, BT, said: “Like many organisations in the fiercely competitive UK financial services market, Nationwide is looking to improve its business agility and remain focused on its core activities. Outsourcing security presents a key area of opportunity and as BT is the market leader in providing enterprise security solutions, we are a perfect fit for Nationwide.”

Ray Stanton, Executive Global Head of business continuity, security and governance, BT Global Services, said: “Our existing security services and BT Counterpane threat monitoring services were the starting point for introducing wider depth and standard security services to Nationwide. BT Counterpane now forms the backbone of our overall value add service offering to Nationwide, bringing together analysis and reporting across a range of different services and technologies to help Nationwide mitigate further its risk profile and improve overall service and cost.”

Recently published research from Ovum, "Outsourcing in the Middle East - focus on the UAE (market dynamics)", is now available at Fast Market Research.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one of the most prosperous countries in the Middle East and one of the region's largest IT service markets. While the recent global recession brought an abrupt end to a period of unprecedented growth in the UAE, there remains significant potential for expansion in the IT service sector. It is therefore unsurprising that a growing number of foreign vendors are setting up operations in the key business centers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This report aims to provide an overview of the current state of the UAE's IT service market, including a close look at the competitive landscape. It will also identify key points regarding the UAE's economy as a whole, of which all firms looking to do business in the region should be aware.

For more information or to purchase this report, go to:

http://www.fastmr.com/prod/72683_outsourcing_in_the_middle_east_focus_on_the_uae_market_dynamics.aspx

London - Outsourcing contract puts focus on security, reliability and scalability.

Leading UK insurance company esure has completed a comprehensive migration of its IT platforms and hardware away from former joint venture partner, Lloyds Banking Group, through a £26m ‘build and run’ outsourcing contract with Capgemini UK plc – who will now manage the majority of esure’s IT infrastructure for the next five years.

Launched in 2001 by Chairman Peter Wood to offer competitive insurance cover online and by phone, esure became one of the fastest-growing insurance brands in the world, attracting over a million customers in its first five years and launching the ground-breaking Sheilas’ Wheels brand. Its staff numbers have grown from 50 to over 1200 since launch.

Comprehensive new IT has been deployed by Capgemini following esure’s management buy-out in February from Lloyds Banking Group, which had previously provided IT support. Capgemini was selected by competitive tender because of its commitment to fully collaborative working and its track record of success in large-scale IT and outsourcing assignments. A partnership approach was used throughout with Capgemini working as an integral part of the project team.

Peter Wood, Chairman and founder of esure, said: ‘We needed a managed IT solution that would match the levels of quality, reliability and security that we require for all aspects of our business, and that is what Capgemini have delivered. They have fully met our requirement to effect this major transition with virtually no disruption to our business, and we are pleased that our relationship is now set to continue for a further five years.’

The transition managed by Capgemini involved migration of the esure IT infrastructure from Lloyds Banking Group (HBOS) facilities to Capgemini secure data centres at London City and London Southbank, and the implementation of new hardware and systems software including a new Sun Solaris environment, Unix systems management based on IBM Tivoli Workload Schedulers, and a new Wintel estate involving Microsoft Exchange, Active Directory, Blackberry and content management. Under the contract esure will also receive help-desk and incident management support from Capgemini service centres in Inverness and Nairn, Scotland.

The infrastructure managed by Capgemini runs all the esure core applications including finance systems and its customer-facing online and call centre policy administration and acquisition systems such as sales, marketing, website content, quotations and claims management. Capgemini is also managing esure’s telephony systems including call management, via a subcontractor.

A key feature of the project was the deployment of rigorous and comprehensive testing at all key stages, using the Testing Services methodology that has recently been launched by Capgemini as a Global Service Line. The process confirmed the capability of the new infrastructure to satisfy esure’s stringent requirements for security, reliability and scalability.

Greg Hyttenrauch, Chief Executive Officer of UK Outsourcing at Capgemini, said: ‘As a web-based business esure needs excellent IT support 24/7 and we are naturally delighted that the company has selected Capgemini to meet that need. We look forward to a long and effective collaboration with this dynamic company.’

About Capgemini

Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, enables its clients to transform and perform through technologies. Capgemini provides its clients with insights and capabilities that boost their freedom to achieve superior results through a unique way of working, the Collaborative Business ExperienceTM. The Group relies on its global delivery model called Rightshore®, which aims to get the right balance of the best talent from multiple locations, working as one team to create and deliver the optimum solution for clients. Present in more than 30 countries, Capgemini reported 2009 global revenues of EUR 8.4 billion and employs 95,000 people worldwide.

More information is available at www.uk.capgemini.com.

Capgemini Outsourcing Services (OS) draws on the expertise of more than 25,000 employees to manage, innovate and improve the IT systems and business processes of its clients. Capgemini OS offers a full spectrum of services including Applications Outsourcing, Infrastructure Outsourcing, Business Process Outsourcing and Transformational Outsourcing.

For more information: www.uk.capgemini.com/outsourcing

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation, a leading provider of information technology, consulting and business process outsourcing services, has announced record-breaking second quarter 2010 financial results.

In addition to a 15% sequential rise in revenue, Cognizant has also topped the client satisfaction rankings in the 2009-10 Europe ITO Service Provider Performance and Satisfaction (SPPS) study carried out by EquaTerra.

Cognizant topped the study’s general satisfaction ranking with a score of 79%, also emerging as the only service provider with no dissatisfied clients among those surveyed. The study evaluated 25 service providers based on a variety of different assessments, and by using feedback from CFOs and CIOs from more than 750 of the top IT spending organisations in Europe.

"Second quarter results further substantiate the strength of the Cognizant model and the continued importance of investing in deep industry expertise, expanded geographic reach and emerging technologies," said Francisco D'Souza, President and CEO of Cognizant.

"During the quarter, spending levels were very strong across clients in all our business segments and geographies. Our clients are investing again in discretionary programs to foster growth and innovation. We saw particular strength in our financial services segment, which had previously been hard hit by the global credit crisis."

The Co-operative has brought 36 IT roles back in-house following its acquisition last year of supermarket chain Somerfield. The roles relate to helpdesk and store systems support, as the company opts to re-create jobs previously outsourced by Somerfield.

According to reports, 613 of the original 1,022 employees working at Somerfields Bristol headquarters, have already left, with most of the remaining staff expected to leave by Christmas. The Co-operative began its plans to close the Somerfield headquarters over a year ago in order to deliver cost savings.

Director of information systems food retail Mark Hale insisted that the grocery chain’s IT department will not be hit by the plans:

“What happened within Somerfield was that the vast majority of IT functions were outsourced to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), which left a fairly small retained team of about 18 people. We’ve decided to take a number of services back in-house and so we’ve created some new roles.

“We’ve actually created a number of roles and brought a number of those jobs back from TCS into Manchester,”

Hale explained that Somerfield used a totally outsourced approach to IT, whereas Co-op had been selectively outsourcing IT functions, depending on where it could see value in outsourcing.

“We decided that our model of selective outsourcing is the model we wanted to use moving forwards, rather than a total outsource,” said Hale.

"We reviewed the cost. Our cost model was, broadly speaking, the same as Somerfield if not slightly better, and we didn't see any benefit of going down the total outsourcing model route."