Learning from Santa...

Santa Claus is in for a pretty important Christmas this year. If it’s not the focus on reduced carbon emissions that is sure to impact the use of his sleigh, then it’s the furore over the outsourcing of his toy-making to specialist elves. Clearly, Santa was way ahead of the times when conducting the ultimate in business efficiency - why has it taken us so long to catch on?

2010 looks to be the year the UK fully embraces Santa’s business model. Only this week care homes outsourcing group, Caretech, announced it expects to see a boom in its business next year. The company attributes the rise in its use to the current climate and subsequent tightening of local authority finances. Old Saint Nic isn’t far off retirement. I am sure it will help him sleep easy in the knowledge that there are care home specialist providers on the market.

Although outsourcing is becoming more commonplace amongst the public and private sector alike, there are still those who are resistant to the concept of using offshore suppliers. It seems there is a growing trend in the US to bring call centre operations back into the country, having previously managed them offshore. Atlanta-based natural gas distributor AGL Resources is the latest to bring its call centre – which was operated by Wipro – back to the US, in a move which will create 75 new jobs locally.

In more positive news, car manufacturing giant Renault Group has not been deterred by the beckoning of process streamlining. Renault have signed a three year outsourcing contract with Capgemini which will see the service provider take responsibility for managing the car manufacturer’s application lifecycle. More than 180 Capgemini professionals will be involved in the project, including technical support, and applications development specialists.

I think we have all learned something from this week’s news round up. All you have to do is follow Santa’s business model and you are guaranteed a long, prosperous business life.