Both IT and Business Process Services (BPS) outsourcing are migrating to a new operating model, which we at Everest Group call BizOps. This model is a radical reconceptualization of how services are delivered and align with the business.
Many US and European businesses now recognize that their third-party services agreements are over-concentrated in some locations and are bundled in key areas such as manufacturing and IP development. In some key industries, companies are starting to unbundle those services and shift that work to other locations. This will trigger a set of consequences that affect the third-party services industry, and companies using those services need to understand the decisions in this process.
Part of the issue in bundled services is that many companies went “whole hog” (to the fullest extent) into third-party service agreements that feature joint collaboration with service providers in developing intellectual property. The advantages of such a relationship seemed worth the collaborative venture and, in some cases, even an incentive risk-reward structure. But the table turned, and the advantages turned to a disadvantage. Both the service provider and the customer want IP ownership and control.
When you outsource your wealth management function to a third-party service provider, you’re not responsible for handling day-to-day operations and client contact. But you still have a huge responsibility in making sure your provider is fully capable of serving your clients’ needs.
Here are five major market trends that are affecting the wealth management industry. Is your provider addressing them?
As the global crackdown on bank secrecy continues, wealth management advisory firms have no choice but to quickly move from secrecy-led tax services to a more holistic and comprehensive approach to investor portfolio management.
There’s a very different advisor-investor dynamic with millennials than with baby boomers. The younger investors, especially those of the entrepreneurial class, are looking for a much wider range of services from their wealth advisory partners. Beyond tax management and planning, millennial investors want:
Despite the robot versus human debate, robo-advisory platforms continue to gain prominence. And investors are increasingly embracing a hybrid approach where they can get low-cost advice from robo-advisors and leverage human advisor expertise when more nuanced investment decisions come into play.
A technology-enabled front-office certainly helps financial services firms achieve some of their efficiency and client service goals. But RPA in the back-office can make their operations even more efficient and effective, and analytics in the back-office can help them make faster, better investment decisions, and anticipate customer behavior with greater precision.
Evolving fee models
Facing diminishing returns, investors are increasingly demanding more transparency around the fees they are charged. In turn, the fee model is gradually moving from commission-based to performance-based. For example, some providers are charging their fees linked to how well they perform against a particular benchmark index or rate.
Despite rising costs, enterprises continue to remain skeptical and cautious about outsourcing large chunks of the compliance function. They’re increasingly outsourcing some transactional activities, such a regulatory reporting and basic documentation vetting, to their third-party providers. But they’re still holding more critical services, such as due diligence, end-to-end KYC, and AML processes, close to their vests. And this guarded position makes very smart business sense. Because they are ultimately responsible for correct compliance, and because so much is at stake, enterprises should only consider outsourcing these types of processes if they have full confidence in their providers’ expertise and ability to effectively fulfill their compliance obligations.
What trends are you seeing in the market? Is your wealth management provider able to keep pace with your evolving requirements? How are they charging you for the services? Please share your thoughts with me at [email protected].
Outsourcing contract third-party benchmark clauses: typically observed auto-adjustment scenarios
The pivot of third-party services firms to digital is disrupting the entire services industry. Times of disruption always give rise to new competitors, and challengers among service providers can shift share. This is clearly happening now in the demand for digital transformation services. The Big 4 accounting and auditing firms – Deloitte E&Y, KPMG and PwC – are emerging as formidable challengers to Accenture, IBM and the Indian service providers. Here’s what’s happening and what it means for competitors and enterprise customers.
IT services companies are looking to boost the number of senior executives who can sell their services to a growing number of clients who are assigning such work to in-house units based in India.
“The GIC marketplace is expanding rapidly and requires third-party support as it digests this growth. It is fair to say that the do-it-yourself movement is taking work away from the third-party providers as a whole, but as this work shifts, it is creating opportunities within GICs for those service providers which are willing to go after it,” Peter Bendor Samuel, CEO of consultancy Everest Research, told ET.
Which pricing mechanism should your company choose when buying third-party services? What is the optimal contract length? And what is the best way to manage switching costs? These questions are even more important today than in the past because the services industry is switching to new pricing mechanisms for digital services. Understandably, these changes create consternation and confusion for buyers of services. What comprises service prices? In this post, I’ll explain how pricing works and, hopefully, clear up confusion and help your company make optimal decision.
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