Negotiate A Successful IT Services Outsourcing Contract

Outsourcing contract negotiation is the most important step in the sourcing life cycle. The negotiation phase defines and confirms the whole outsourcing relationship and determines the outsourcing life after the contract has been signed. It is very complex and needs special expertise and skills. While this is routine for providers, clients rarely negotiate outsourcing contracts more than once every few years. And sourcing and vendor management (SVM) professionals who don't prepare enough for the negotiation will find their negotiation process filled with errors and increased time pressures. That is the reason why clients need to start with their sourcing activities as early as possible to build the basis for the negotiation process upfront. What should SVM professionals prepare before the negotiation process starts? What skills and experiences are necessary for outsourcing contract and price negotiation? What are the right objectives for the negotiation team? These are the questions SVM professionals ask Forrester to get best practices for successful outsourcing contract negotiation. This report is designed to help SVM executives negotiate a successful IT services outsourcing contract.