'Too often, outsourcing relationships are formed based on price, but fall apart based on chemistry. Price and service levels are just the beginning – outsourcing revolves around people, and relationship skills are paramount'.

There a number of factors that clients need to consider when taking the decision to outsource their business functions such as Sales and Merchandising. Sudden growth within successful companies now seems to be a defining trigger for outsourcing, as their ability to spare resource for non-core business functions becomes more difficult. Other reasons are a desire to bring in the specialist skills and knowledge that was not available in-house. Many companies now look for and expect access to world-class capabilities.

And, although the vast majority of reasons for outsourcing focuses on financial or strategic benefits, the research also reveals that one of the major resistance factors to outsourcing came from the fear that employees would lose their jobs or see a fundamental change in their working conditions.

More and more companies are coming to the conclusion that their employees' expertise and time is better focused on core business functions. All non-core functions are candidates for outsourcing. Xcelerate believes that it is vital the clients receive the appropriate advice on the factors that can influence a company's decision to outsource.

1. Cost considerations and savings
2. Time saving and efficiencies
3. The need to concentrate on the company's core business functions
4. Part of an ongoing continual assessment on the need to outsource
5. To bring in skills and knowledge that are lacking in-house
6. To replace a poor internal service
7. Company relocation prompted the outsourcing question as staff didn't want to relocate
8. Loss of existing staff
9. Growth of company made functions unmanageable in-house
10. Other similar businesses seems to outsource successfully

It is the belief of Xcelerate Marketing Services that whilst companies in many sectors are interested in outsourcing some or all of their in-house activities, a lot of them do not know where to start. In addition, there are a number or considerations that are not immediately obvious that will undoubtedly need to be taken into account when making such decisions.

Xcelerate will assist clients in the initial rationale behind the decision to outsource and in the implementation of that decision. The management at Xcelerate are very familiar with the issues associated with outsourcing to a third party. Sometimes it may be more appropriate (a) not to outsource, (b) to outsource only some of the operation and combine the approach with some in-house resources or (c) to completely outsource and have little or no involvement in the day-to-day running of the business.

Xcelerate believes it has the experience and capability to address these issues for clients.