Date: 11.06.2004

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Conference highlights

State of affairs: France

By: Armand Angeli, Board Member, France, European Outsourcing Association

The main areas of outsourcing are IT Outsourcing (ITO) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). However, outsourcing at large, is lagging 3  - 5 years behind the USA or the UK.

The last few years brought a focus shift from cost reduction to cost control and access to expertise

Offshore outsourcing is very hard to sell (even India or China). Nearshore is more acceptable if the French language is spoken.

Outsourcing decisions are made at CEO/CFO/CIO level

Do you want to be a successful outsourcing service provider in France? The EOA French Chapter's advice is:

Speak the language

Have local presence

Partner with local partners

State of affairs: Germany

By: Dr. Wolfgang Fritzemeyer, President, Germany, European Outsourcing Association

In Germany the BPO sector is on the rise, especially in the banking & insurance and customer care services (traditional BPO sectors). However, due to a quite conservative management approach, most German companies are hesitant to venture into offshore outsourcing. A nearshore alternative is more acceptable though (Near shore from a German perspective: ± 3 hours flight from Munich or Frankfurt). Political and labor market issues bring added complexity to offshore outsourcing.

German companies which have already outsourced IT operations offshore

found most difficulties in:

languages

time zone differences

cultural (un)fit

technical skills and qualifications

communication infrastructure

project management