Everyone loves to stand on a soapbox now and then. No matter how active you are in Nearshoring, it’s important to talk about what you’ve seen, heard, or experienced, informing others of present and future trends, or pointing out where they might be going wrong.
Our Commentary section has always been a platform for front-line industry spectators and participants to stand on a digital soapbox and tell it like it is. We’ve received some fascinating perspectives on the nearshore service industry over the years, but in 2016 we have welcomed some of the best.
In no particular order, here are our choices for the most informative, thought-provoking Commentary submissions of the year (so far).
Before Blaming a Vendor for Sourcing Project Failure, Look in the Mirror
Director of Vendor Management at global logistics giant UPS, Tim Norton, slams buy-side clients with a truth that is difficult to hear: it’s not always the vendors fault when a project fails.
Norton expertly describes why clients can often be the root cause of project failure, and how best to avoid this issue in order to achieve optimum value from a client-vendor engagement.
Standout quote: “A common underlying problem in project failure isn’t characterized by “you get what you pay for.” It is rooted in the following phrase: “You get what you asked for.”
Reasons Why Your NDA May Not Be What You Think It Is
Gabriela N. Smith, Esq., Managing Partner at Gabriela Noemi Smith Law Firm, shares her legal insights into non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and their importance in maintaining confidentiality during a business partnership.
NDAs are essential documents that can help clients protect their confidential information, including trade secrets. You’d be wise to follow Smith’s advice before signing any new service contracts.
Standout quote: “Having a good NDA will help protect what could be the next billionaire-dollar idea.”
Dickens, CIOs, Nearshoring, and Why Context Matters
It’s not often we get to intertwine literary thinking to business journalism, but the two can blend perfectly when in the right hands.
In this Commentary, industry veteran Toby Redshaw takes one of Charles Dickens’ most famous paragraphs (“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”) and applies its various layers to the plight of the modern CIO.
Standout quote: “The climb ahead [for CIOs] used to be Mount Snowdon, now it is Kilimanjaro, soon it will be Everest.”
Is Latin America Ready to Embrace A Future of Remote Work Culture?
The remote working trend has become globally widespread, but how are countries in the Latin American region shifting their work culture in this direction, and can they ever expect to catch up?
According to Maiara Munhoz, Digital Transformation Senior Industry Analyst at Frost & Sullivan, many organizations have been unable to control the influences of technology on work culture, so business leaders in the region will have to adapt in order to sustain themselves in the market of tomorrow.
Standout quote: “While in Latin America the concept of working remotely or telecommuting is less widespread than in Europe or the United States, awareness of this new modality of work is starting to take shape.”
Offshoring & RPA: Deadly Divorce or Magic Marriage?
Roughly 40% of global firms have implemented an offshore or shared services strategy, and 25% of shared services centers have embraced some form of robotics process automation (RPA), so what are these firms seeing that others aren’t?
Focusing on the argument that pits offshoring against RPA, Jesus (Chuy) Michel explains that both avenues are viable and, in fact, highly complimentary of one another. It looks like RPA and offshoring might just be the perfect couple.
Standout quote: “This perfect combination will create a niche value to customers and stakeholders in ways that have never been seen before.”
Five Contact Center Trends That Will Dominate the Market by 2017
From the correct utilization of social media platforms, to the introduction of virtual agents, the biggest trends in the contact center business are already in the here and now, but will become far more prominent by next year, according to Lutz Remmers.
Omnichannel, cloud-based contact centers, virtual agents, social media, and self-service have all been trending as the industry evolves, but as customers begin to get used to them, expecting the benefits that these channels can bring, they will surely become commonplace.
Standout quote: “Keep in mind that today’s customers are more tech-savvy and can make or break a company’s reputation based on their experience.”
Latin American Startups have Become Top-Shelf Targets for Global Companies
Exit momentum has finally taken off in Latin America. Global companies are making valuable acquisitions in the region, and, according to Gonzalo Costa, Co-founder and Managing Partner at NXTP Labs, you don’t have to look hard to see why.
This Commentary breaks down the reasoning behind various tech acquisitions in the region, deals that are evidence of the talent and skills that Latin American entrepreneurs possess.
Standout quote: “Latin America is a land of lean, resilient innovators, and this is just a taste of the success stories we can expect to emerge over the next few years.”
Willing to share your experience as a Nearshore services customer? Reach out to matt@nextcoastmedia.com to discuss potential Commentary topics.
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