Research Process Outsourcing (RPO)

Searching for the right information is an activity that can be easily outsourced - the first step in research process outsourcing or RPO. Business information requires careful study and sifting before value-added analysis can be done. But the deluge of information available today requires an inordinate amount of time to wade through before business executives can derive value from it. RPO enhances productivity in your workplace, enabling you to handle more business. For example, a market researcher can quickly gather competitive intelligence about a product or service, a legal consultant can process more patents, an investment analyst can process more stocks, a pharma company can conduct contract research outsourcing, enabling faster time-to-market for new drugs. the list goes on. India has become a preferred R&D destination with its pool of knowledge workers with specialized skills.

Outsource2india’s Research Process Outsourcing Services

O2I offers Research Process Outsourcing Services in the following verticals:

Financial research, financial analysis and modeling
Business research - competitive intelligence, preparation of company profiles, data analytics
Life sciences research
Legal research
Intellectual Property research

Three business models

The value created by the outsourcing partner and the complexity of the project determines the business model chosen for research process outsourcing.

Transactional model: Lower value, less complex projects help to showcase the vendor’s capability before proceeding to higher-level projects
Relationship model: Contracts are typically larger and last longer as the outsourcing client develops a relationship with the RPO vendor
Partnership model: The client-vendor relationship evolves into a long-term partnership. Recurring gains accrue to both parties through learning, resulting in higher productivity and value-addition and streamlining of business processes

Some things to keep in mind

It helps to start with a trial program and ramp up in stages. Get involved in the process; give it some thought, time and effort, just like any other business activity. This makes for a successful outsourcing relationship and better results.

Be clear and specific in your requirements and deliverables. Your vendor can’t second-guess the results you expect. Invest time especially in the initial phase of the outsourcing process and ensure that you and the vendor are on the same page.

Business research services based on secondary research sources like the internet are a good bet for outsourcing.

Cost savings can go up to 40% and a long-term relationship with your offshore partner can give you added value in terms of innovations and productivity enhancement.