Many BPO companies, especially those that provide IT outsourcing services, deal with more contracts today than before. It is due to the huge and outstanding demand seen in recent years, specifically in 2012, and also due to the huge increase in available service providers all over the world. These demands are also a product of the desire of certain companies to reduce expenses, improve performance and have access to new technologies, which are basically three of the many benefits of IT outsourcing.

Creating an outsourcing contract doesn’t happen in the blink of an eye. It requires adequate and probably more planning, commissioning and implementation than a normal commercial contract. And if it’s an IT outsourcing contract, it means there are more things to consider. Those aspects include deliverables, security and confidentiality of information, transfer of assets, ownership of intellectual property rights, dispute resolution, warranty and liability.

A good contract is one of the keys to a lasting professional relationship. One of the known reasons outsourcing contracts are created is because it becomes the only mechanism to ensure that customer expectations are met. As a result, clients who see bigger and better results based on contracts tend to continue their relationships with their outsourcing partners and continue or add more outsourcing projects in the future simply because they were satisfied.

Technical factors are not only what complete long-lasting and successful outsourcing contracts and projects, ideal principles also polish them. There are common values ​​that should not be missing before and during the implementation of such contracts and outsourcing projects: excellent communication, be reliable and flexible. BPO companies that provide IT outsourcing services focus more on becoming the best partner for their clients, and to be successful with that, they need to excel at those three values.

There’s this great example of a long-standing IT outsourcing relationship from Oakwood Healthcare and CareTech Solutions. Last November, his contract was renewed and continued for another five years. Considering the fact that a new service has also been added to this contract, it is safe to say that CareTech Solutions, as a BPO company, has maintained its flexibility, reliability, and communication with its client, Oakwood Healthcare, since 1998.

This can also be an encouragement for many BPO companies to go to great lengths to maintain the trust of their clients. And vice versa, companies that outsource their IT should do the same too. Outsourcing has always been a win-win situation, especially when contracts are well defined, plans are carried out in the best way, and processes and projects are supported.

Can you add more principles that both parties should apply to make an IT outsourcing contract last?