Chairman expects more entries than ever as outsourcing booms

London, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/20/2010 -- The 7th annual National Outsourcing Association Awards (NOAAs) have opened for entries. The NOA, the UK's premier member body for outsourcing, is encouraging entries demonstrating best practice in outsourcing from the leading organisations and professionals in the industry.

Those companies that believe they have undertaken outstanding work, surpassed results or shown a constant focus on sourcing best practice, must submit their entries by the 9th of July 2010. The 16 categories that make up the awards range from, BPO contract of the year through to offshoring location which attract hundreds of entries each, every year.

The awards winners will be announced at a gala dinner ceremony at the exclusive Park Plaza Riverbank hotel on the 21st of October. Those interested in submitting for, attending or sponsoring the awards can find more information at: http://www.noaawards.co.uk/.

Companies already confirmed as 2010 award sponsors include Nelson Hall, Intelenet Global Services and RR Donnelley.

Martyn Hart, Chairman of the NOA, commented, "Over the last six years, the NOAAs have become a landmark in the acceptance of outsourcing as an essential business practice and recognise the efforts of companies or people who have shown excellence in the field of outsourcing."

He continued, "These awards are a great way for industry professionals to come together and celebrate success in outsourcing. Outsourcing has remained relatively steady during 2009 despite the recession and this positive performance should be acknowledged. Looking forward, 2010 promises to be an interesting year, with the predicted uptick in the private sector set against inevitable cost cutting throughout the public sector. Though nothing is set in stone, it remains clear that following best practice will continue to increase the possibility of outsourcing success, whether for business enhancement or business necessity."

Notes to the editor:

About the National Outsourcing Association (NOA):
As the outsourcing industry's professional body, the NOA's principle objective is to boost the reputation and success of outsourcing, through the promotion of best practice and innovation.
Our focus is on:

·delivering education, through professional development, seminars, research and content
·promoting excellence and rewarding best practice through case studies, white papers and awards
·encouraging and facilitating collaboration through steering committees, networking opportunities and social media

Press contact:
Toby Brown/Emma Thomas
Buffalo Communications
+44 (0) 20 7 292 8686
press@noa.co.uk
http://www.noa.co.uk

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Over half of outsourcing users are more confident in outsourcing to support business objectives

London, England -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/13/2010 -- More than half of outsourcing end-users are more confident in the use of outsourcing to support their business objectives than they were in 2009 according to the National Outsourcing Association's (NOA) quarterly Outsourcing Confidence Index released today.

According to the report, which surveyed UK outsourcing end-users, 52 per cent of respondents are reviewing existing outsourcing contracts and considering new sourcing opportunities as a result of increasing confidence across the board.

The report also assessed confidence across various verticals and found that the financial services sector is most positive (71 per cent) about the use of outsourcing in 2010 and beyond. The services sector also indicates high confidence with 61 per cent being more positive than last year; while the retail sector is marginally less confident at 55 per cent.

Owing to the increased industry confidence, 60 per cent of users said they intended to outsource services not previously outsourced this year. Likewise 56 per cent of those already outsourcing planned to increase the scope of existing contracts.

However, together with the industry's renewed confidence, the recession has also wrought certain changes in how end-users are using outsourcing. Focus on cost reduction has risen sharply with end users now seeking approximately 15 per cent savings from outsourcing compared with 10 per cent before the recession. Furthermore, organisations are seeking a more rapid cost-impact from outsourcing looking for net cost reductions with 16 months opposed to 13.5 months in 2009.

The continued focus on cost reduction has also led-to a greater interest in offshoring, as users search for lower cost delivery around the globe. 100 per cent of respondents said they planned to increase offshoring by the end of 2010. Indicating the increasing maturity of the outsourcing, 88 per cent of respondents said they placed a high importance on multi-shoring – the use of multiple sourcing locations – in the next 12 months.

Although the overall outlook looks positive for the industry, users did indicate a distinct lack of confidence in the outsourcing suppliers. 78 per cent of respondents believe that supplier outsourcing capability has not improved over the past 12 months. The areas where users would like to see improvements include lower costs and more transparent pricing, and greater service flexibility, together with improved ability to access specialist personnel.

Martyn Hart, Chairman of the NOA, commented: "Outsourcing has traditionally been seen as a cost saving mechanism for business, so during the torrid 2009, it is not surprising that interest in outsourcing is continuing to grow. However, continued focus on cost above everything else, means that many are pushing through higher volume low cost contracts, over shorter time frames. This short-termism can be dangerous and these kinds of contracts frequently fail."

"That said it looks like suppliers still have some work to do to ensure they're fully catering for what users want in 2010. This is likely to be an ongoing issue as users continue to seek new cost savings from less mature providers and locations around the world."

The research was conducted by Nelson Hall on behalf of the National Outsourcing Association amongst 50 end users. Members can access the report at http://www.noa.co.uk.

About the National Outsourcing Association (NOA):
As the outsourcing industry's professional body, the NOA's principle objective is to boost the reputation and success of outsourcing, through the promotion of best practice and innovation.

Our focus is on:
• delivering education, through professional development, seminars, research and content
• promoting excellence and rewarding best practice through case studies, white papers and awards
• encouraging and facilitating collaboration through steering committees, networking opportunities and social media

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm