Smarter Outsourcing: An executive guide to understanding, planning and exploiting successful outsourcing relationships

Where has that ‘A’ team gone?

There is also a variation on the overselling tactic that customers should watch out for. This is where the provider uses a hit squad of highly impressive individuals to clinch the deal – and then the customer never sees them again, because they have moved on to the next pitch.

This is how it works. The outsourcing supplier starts by sending in a team of engaging, interesting and hugely able people to discuss the planned outsourcing programme. They talk big value creation and build a relationship – golf, wine, private jets, theatre tickets. Soon they have seen off the competition and clinched an agreement in principle. The customer signs a letter of intent and makes a public announcement. Then the original team suddenly ...