More than ever before ... companies will be on the look-out for partners that can provide extra value, innovative services that are outside the traditional, and companies with visionary leadership.

... companies must link with BPO partners that are able to see and sustain beyond the ordinary and lead into new market areas.  And, in fact, there´s a crop of BPO firms that´s positioning itself to do exactly that.

Another hot corporate prospect for the early-recovery period is Annex Global Holdings. Headquartered in Celebration, Florida — just outside Orlando — with a growing footprint in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and both North and South America.  This new-comer is intriguing not only because of its wide range of traditional outsource service offerings but also because of its innovative approach to content management as a well-rounded provision for each individual client. They have recently landed some huge global companies out of the gate, and are expected to make a major splash in the market throughout Q1-Q2/2010.

Notice anything about these OSPs? All are aggressively marketing their placement in new nearshore locations in the southerly Americas, maximizing geographic advantages in places like Monterrey (Mexico), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Heredia (Costa Rica), São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) … even in Celebration, Florida.

New players like Annex may find that a much friendlier USA market is ready to embrace a nearshoring model.

More flexible business models, a greater focus on innovation, up-and-coming trendsetters and fresh outsourcing destinations — even in an environment of fragile recovery, 2010 could be a pretty exciting ride.

Except from Up-Periscope Magazine February 2010, by Dr Alan G. Downe