No two clients are alike. It would be easier if there was a magic formula or at least a manual that would enable the outsourcer to determine what exactly their clients expect, but unfortunately something like that does not exist. The only way of knowing what a client expects is to actually sit down and talk to them.
Thankfully, it is possible to determine in general what a client expects, based on what type of business they are involved in and how large the company is. Equipped with this knowledge, you can pretty much discern what a client wants and pitch yourself accordingly.
These categories of various client types are a product of a study in the University of Munich. While this study was done in Germany, studies in other countries are being done currently and we should have results soon. But this German study is enough to give one an idea.
According to this study, there are four types of prospective clients: Business-efficiency clients, cost-conscious small shoppers, strategists and innovation seekers, and IT excellence and reliability clients. Their differences and what they expect from outsourcers are as follows:
Business-efficiency Clients
Business-efficiency clients are usually the big companies who employ more than 5000 people, with revenues amounting well into the billions. They come from varied types of industries, including banking, insurance, and the finance industry. These types of clients are service-oriented. They expect flexibility as well as quality improvement.
Cost-conscious Small Shoppers
These types of clients are focused on cost reduction, and could be mid-size to bigger companies with about 2000-5000 employees.
Strategists and Innovation Seekers
These companies are from the automobile industry, engineering, and the public sector. These are the small to mid-sized companies with under 2000 employees. What these companies expect are IT and service innovations, joint product and service development, knowledge transfer from the provider, and access to qualified personnel.
IT Excellence and Reliability
IT focus, including better and modern information technology and cutting-edge technology, as well as business focus (quality improvements, risk avoidance, and quality personnel) are what companies of this type expect from an outsourcing firm. Companies that belong to this type typically belong to the manufacturing industry and employ a staff of 500 or less.
With these categories and groupings in mind, the idea of providing excellent service is not so farfetched.
