The value of benchmarks when outsourcing

A key aspect in any outsourcing effort is making sure you're getting all the bang for your buck, and one good strategy is the use of benchmarks. However, both vendors and clients are sometimes leery of initiating such project work for various reasons. The vendor might not want the client to know it's not hitting all the service levels and contractual agreement points; the IT leader may not want to expend tight resources or more money on the outsourcing effort. Yet in today's tough budget climate, benchmarking analysis is nearly a must for tech departments and a valuable tool for making sure every penny is paying off. The first step is making sure that benchmarking becomes part of the outsourcing contract from the start. Don't take an offered discount on services to leave it out either.

For more on the value of benchmarking in outsourcing:
- read this CIO article