Outsourcing IT needs professional care

IT services firm Computacenter says manufacturers need “relationship counselling” to help them make outsourcing work better. The firm’s nationwide study, conducted by PMP Research, finds 74% of CIOs claiming that difficulty in managing relationships with partners is their biggest headache. Computacenter recommends urgent action as it finds, 65% of manufacturers saying they now intend to maintain or increase spending on outsource contracts over the next two years. Simon Walsh, managing director of services at Computacenter says: “Manufacturing CIOs tell us that outsourcing is helping them reduce costs, but they know it can also achieve more strategic objectives. “CIOs can tap into a scalable pool of specialist resource to free up the time of their in-house staff. But to get the best out of their outsourcing partners they need to train employees in business planning and relationship management.”