Last week I read an article on the ec-bp.org website titled "Difference Between Outsourcing and Managed Services" written by Ken Kinlock. Mr. Kinlock outlines his definition of outsourcing, as well as the variations in the definition of managed services. He further goes on to explain why a company would choose one versus the other.
I read the article several times because we also have a definition of managed services, and it didn't quite fit in any of the scenarios listed in the article.
Many of our customers ask for clarification on our managed services, and they assume outsourcing is the same as managed services. Basically, some think they are just handing over all of their EDI systems, processes, and responsibilities to us, which is not the case.
At Remedi, our EDI managed services offering is business-owned, contractor-operated. The amount that we would manage would be up to you. With all of our managed services agreements, our client would own the software and hardware, and from there, anything goes. Many of our customers like us to have the responsibility of software maintenance and upgrades and handling day-to-day support, while others would also like us to add new trading partners, map, and test. Of course, the amount of time would vary based on the needs of the customer, which could be from a few hours a week to a full-time consultant.
Sorry for throwing another definition into the mix!
