Advising on the commercial impact of technology and
    market changes in telecoms, software and IT services

Unique market insight
As an analyst house we advise providers how to develop their businesses through bringing new technologies to market. Through this work, we have the ability to cut through the marketing jargon to reveal a grounded and independent view of providers' capabilities.

Commercial insight
We structure contracts for suppliers, so we understand how to negotiate with the industry. Ovum consultants can help you define and procure a competitive service that suits your business.

Fair value market expertise
We employ analysts who track the market day in day out. Our benchmarking consultants have unique access to the latest market pricing and SLAs. Our independent analysis will ensure the contract you sign provides optimum value for money.

Technology expertise
As analysts we critique the latest technologies and market developments. We help our clients distinguish the hype from the reality, devising solutions that support your business and deliver the return on investment your require.

Track record
Our experience in this field has been built over many years, meaning that you have access to market leading best practice expertise with which to support you across the sourcing process.

Clients who have benefited from our sourcing expertise include:

These are just a few examples of the clients we have helped with the different stages of the sourcing lifecycle:

• STRATEGY
  
  Client: Global oil and gas company
  Challenge: With 19,000 users of business intelligence software using multiple versions, the client wanted to shift to an outsourced business model for business intelligence software.
  How we helped: We benchmarked peer organisations to highlight efficiency gains and cost savings achievable through moving to a shared services business model.
  
  Client: Asian government agency
  Challenge: To reduce costs in the prison services through the introduction of technology for presence management and secure voice recognition
  How we helped: We evaluated and assessed the available technologies to meet the business requirements. We assessed the risk and benefits of using technology with this particular set of circumstances and provided our expert opinion on the operational effectiveness of the technology in this environment.
• SELECTION
  
  Client: International manufacturing/Engineering
  Challenge: To outsource non core-competence to gain operational efficiency.
  How we helped: We codified the client requirements for an outsource network supplier and advised on the RFP process for outsourcing. The annual contract value to the outsourcer was around $1m. The client wanted assurance of stability, reliability and quality of service from the short listed suppliers. With a short list of 3 we reviewed the RFPs and advised the client on the most appropriate choice to meet their business needs.
  
  Client: Metropolitan Transit Authority
  Challenge: To replace inefficient and outdated systems for enterprise resource planning
  How we helped: With our experience in vendor products and system architecture we guided the client through the selection process from planning and defining the ITT (Information to tender) documentation through to assessing the responses and recommending which products/suppliers to invite to the next phase of the project, RFP submission.
• NEGOTIATION
  
  Client: International logistics organisation
  Challenge: To outsource European network services
  How we helped: We identified the requirements for a European outsourced network supply contract, selected appropriate suppliers and negotiated contracts to deliver the efficiency and cost controls required by the business.
  
  Client: International Airline
  Challenge: To control escalating data communication costs
  How we helped: We devised a data comms strategy to control the costs of messaging and negotiated supplier contracts to ensure the strategy was successfully implemented.
• IMPLEMENTATION
  
  Client: Global pharmaceutical company
  Challenge: Business efficiency gains through outsourcing to a supplier
  How we helped: We defined the strategy for the outsource contracts. We negotiated with the suppliers to ensure that their reporting processes were clear and concise. We ensured that the client was aware at all times of the status of the contract and the costs being incurred and regularly reviewed the pricing structures to ensure they were competitive and remained valid throughout the outsourcing contract lifetime.
  
  Client: International education body
  Challenge: Single point of knowledge across the whole organisation
  How we helped: We identified the current environment and guided the client through the transformation project to provide a single consistent platform and processes. This required project management of suppliers, and change management within the organisation to ensure successful rollout.
• GOVERNANCE
  
  Client: International FMC group
  Challenge: Disagreement between supplier and client of service pricing
  How we helped: Our expert acted as an independent impartial arbitrator between the two parties. Our knowledge of the supplier pricing strategies and of the clients contractual requirements led to agreement of a revised pricing structure for the remainder of the contract.
  
  Client: Global Health Insurance company
  Challenge: Understanding of costs and pricing structure of outsource suppliers
  How we helped: Our expert reviewed the outsourced network supplier pricing structures and reporting processes. This resulted in a significant refund to the client from the service supplier and more clarity in the invoicing and better understanding of the costs to the business for this communication channel.
• REVIEW
  
  Client: National Government Agency
  Challenge: Impact of M&A activity to a key supplier to the agency
  How we helped: We provided an independent, instant answer on the sale of a key supplier. This showed the impact to the organisation and the market overall. It helped the client to understand the short term and the longer-term effects this acquisition would have on the business.
  
  Client: National railway
  Challenge: Understanding of supplier costs
  How we helped: The client wanted to know exactly what was spent on what network service and to be able to apportion costs to the appropriate operating units. Our expert reviewed the cost based structure, billing invoice systems and provided a procurement process to meet the requirements of the business and the operating units.

If you would like to contact our Sourcing experts, please click here.