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11th July 2005
ibd launches OUTSOURCING service for small firms
Outsourcing — the provision of goods and services by external
suppliers replacing those previously provided internally —
is not new. The East India Company pioneered outsourcing in the
17th century. Today, outsourcing embraces more than buying products
from abroad, indeed its growth has contributed to the huge expansion
of the services sector in the UK.
Outsourcing can be a very successful competitive strategy, which
is why it has been adopted by most, if not all, UK large companies.
Now Britain’s small firms can take advantage of the opportunities
that outsourcing offers, thanks to an initiative by business advisor
network Initiatives in Business Development Group Ltd. (ibd).
Piloted in the Netherlands and led in the UK by Angela Knox, ibd
OUTSOURCE offers UK smaller firms help and advice with outsourcing
on three levels. Firstly by helping owners and managers to identify
which products or services can be outsourced, secondly by help providing
qualified suppliers and thirdly with support in managing the new
relationships.
ibd, launched in the UK in 2002, is dedicated
to serving the needs of smaller firms. It successfully exported
its approach across Europe by opening a network in Benelux in 2003,
in Poland in 2004 and in Ireland earlier this year.
Thanks to the efforts of its 500 plus international business adviser
network, ibd has contacts with over 10,000 smaller firms in the
UK and overseas. These networks lie at the heart of the new outsourcing
service.
Angela Knox explains how the ibd service works practically, “We
have an experienced team of outsourcing experts in place based throughout
the UK. ibd agents access a world wide portfolio of suppliers who
fit strict qualification criteria. They first meet the client company
to establish the facts and to understand its requirements. The agent
then selects suitable suppliers from the ibd database or via the
OUTSOURCE network and provides quotations. ibd advisors stay in
contact to help owners and managers gain maximum benefit from the
process ”
Not all outsourcing programmes necessarily use overseas suppliers
and ibd’s OUTSOURCE team all have proven local supplier networks.
They all have hands-on experience of doing business in their home
region and have the contacts and the infrastructure necessary to
facilitate the outsourcing processes - whether it be helping with
customs clearances or sorting out transport and distribution. Overall,
ibd’s objective is to help owners of small firms improve their
company’s competitiveness, to enable them to focus on their
core business and profitably to grow their companies.
More information about ibd and its OUTSOURCE programmes can be
found at www.ibd-uk.com.
--- ENDS ---
Editors Notes
Terry Forrester – now the group managing director- and marketing
director, Alan Ford, founded initiatives in Business Developments
Ltd. (ibd) in 2002. ibd works with start-ups and small to medium
sized businesses offering hands on business development advice and
implementation support.
ibd members typically are experienced, senior managers who bring
maturity and experience and who have previously held senior level
positions in business. ibd operates throughout the European Union
and a South African operation will be launched in 2005.
ibd has built a number of innovative partnerships with some of
the UK’s largest banks and financial institutions including
HSBC, Nat West, PwC, venture capital providers Angel Bourse and
EurExel. This enables owner managers in small firms more easily
to access specialist expertise when they need it.
ibd provides a high quality, full service to SMEs. All ibd members
have to go through a stringent recruitment programme, attend comprehensive
and continuing training programmes and adhere to the organisation’s
ethical policy.
More information is available from Alan Ford on 01529 413595, from
Rosie Featherstone on 01332 862 073 or from Angela Knox on 07810
828415.
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