We are excited to announce a major development in our journey to be a truly distinctive analyst voice in the global services industry. Today, we are officially engaged in a research alliance with global business advisory firm EquaTerra to develop a new category of data-driven research, ‘Actionable Intelligence’.
Actionable Intelligence
We are combining the immediacy of social networks with industry and advisory insight to provide technology services and BPO executives knowledge for improved decision making. We are not merging our organizations, moreover, we are dedicating resources to develop research that we believe will fill intelligence needs in the industry that are currently under-served. You can read the full press release here.
As new research clearly demonstrates, enterprise sourcing and shared services practitioners are increasingly using social networks for insight and knowledge-sharing, and we feel we are creating a compelling platform to take actionable research to an entirely new level with this alliance.
On behalf of HfS, I would like to issue a personal thank you to so many of you who have been coming here over the last three years, now we have reached this exciting point in our evolution. It has been your willingness to engage in our research studies, engage in our discussion and provide so many views and experiences, which has made it possible to take actionable, rapid intelligence and insight to an entirely new level. Combining the talents of our analyst team and our quantitative research, with such an innovative advisor as EquaTerra, is a testament to the power of social networks, and the collective desire of our community to share knowledge and constantly seek to improve everything we do.
Why are we forming a research alliance?
Enterprises are in desperate need of rapid, actionable, forward-looking intelligence. HfS provides a unique platform to rapidly study enterprise and industry dynamics, with a proven team of research analysts. EquaTerra has unrivalled advisory talent close to the enterprise buyer, which lives and breathes sourcing issues every day. Delivering joint research products will provide enterprise with the insight they need in a market that is currently moving at a relentless pace. There has been a strong desire between our firms to increase our level of collaboration – and you may recall the recent paper we co-wrote with EquaTerra’s Bob Cecil.
What are the added benefits to EquaTerra and HfS?
EquaTerra will have access to HfS research depth and vast industry network; HfS has access to key EquaTerra advisor talent and global resources to augment its research.
What will the research products look like?
We will be rolling out some new research products we are co-developing, that will provide rapid, immediate insight and knowledge. These research deliverables will cover buy-side strategies and tactics, service provider performance and satisfaction studies, industry-specific dynamics, and market analyses in key and emerging services and technology domains.
A sneak preview of what you can expect to see unveiled include:
• “Rapid Intelligence” Sessions: designed to provide clients with highly impactful insight, advice and data, supported by combined analyst and advisor experts from both HfS and EquaTerra.
• Expanded Industry Pulse: HfS will jointly develop and co-brand EquaTerra’s existing, established and very successful Industry Pulse survey to encompass an unprecedented view of buyer dynamics, advisor insight and service provider intelligence.
• Service Provider Performance and Satisfaction Studies: HfS and EquaTerra will jointly develop and co-brand these across some critical market domains, such as ITO, Cloud services, Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Multi-process HR Outsourcing and Finance & Accounting Outsourcing. EquaTerra has already been delivering these studies in Europe. We will broaden these into new domains at the global level.
• Joint market studies: We will also be combining resources to explore emerging market domains, such as real estate management, and established markets, such as public sector and financial services
How does this impact existing research clients of HfS?
There is no change to HfS’ existing subscription research services, simply added value and insight provided from EquaTerra. The new products that both HfS and EquaTerra are rolling out are adjunct data services that clients can choose to purchase. Similarly for EquaTerra clients, there is no change to services beyond the added enhancement of HfS research and the ability to select the new adjunct services.
What is the proposed duration is this alliance?
The initial agreement is for one calendar year. There is no co-ownership of equity, with both parties continuing to operate as individual organizations.
Does this impact HfS’ independence?
Absolutely not! This is purely an initiative to develop rapid, data-driven actionable and compelling research. HfS will continue to provide independent guidance to clients when seeking to select a consulting firm for outsourcing and shared services support. Naturally, EquaTerra believe that delivering compelling insight will encourage clients to select their services.
Where can I learn more about this alliance?
Drop us an email and we’ll attempt to get back to you soon with more information
Posted in : Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Captives and Shared Services Strategies, Cloud Computing, Finance and Accounting, HR Outsourcing, HR Strategy, IT Outsourcing / IT Services, kpo-analytics, Outsourcing Advisors, Procurement and Supply Chain, SaaS, PaaS, IaaS and BPaaS, Social Networking, Sourcing Best Practises
Congratulations Phil and team on a very exciting new venture. EquaTerra will bring some great knowledge to the party as you develop your research. I very much look forward to seeing the research you develop,
Bill Donovan
Have found the research and insight that you’ve been putting out to be timely, and very interesting, Phil. Having the resources of Equaterra to support your team will be a great asset as you grow your team.
Good luck!
Amanda
Congrats to the Horses! What an excellent research partner to have,
Eric
Phil and team – and Equaterra,
I look forward to reading your new research. Congratulations!
Ian
You must be very proud! I love the insights that Horses for Sources puts out and look forward to even more with your new partnership,
Many congratulations,
Clare
Horses and EQ? Now that’s some serious horse-power 🙂
Good luck guys!
Charles
Does this mean that HFS will also do advisory work on deals?
Joe Simmons
Joe
Good question. HfS provides research support and analyst expertise on all aspects of sourcing (pre, post and even during transaction). We do not engage in hourly-billing consulting, but provide expert insight on an “on-demand” basis when clients need us, which tend to be in the form of 60 minute phone calls, or an in-person strategy session. That’s why we can work so effectively with advisors such as EquaTerra – they focus more on the consulting gigs, and we provide additional data and knowledge to supplement them,
PF
[…] press release describing this exciting alliance here, and Phil’s Horses for Sources blog post here. I am proud to have played some small part in making this happen, alongside two real luminaries […]
[…] enable EquaTerra and HfS to create. Please contact me if you have questions or comments, and click here to read how Phil defines the value proposition for this alliance. Share and […]
Nice!
Sounds like a great move for the Horses! This is easily the most informative blog in the outsourcing business – having access to these experts at EquaTerra will only add to the quality of work you do.
Congratulations and good luck to both firms on this exciting new vendure,
Carl
Excellent, Phil! Smart move by Horses and EQ – will be excited to see the new research you produce,
G.
Congratulations Phil! A true example of Synergy.
[…] What was amazing, was the sheer speed with which EQ caught up their industry to become, initially, the leading advisor for HRO and F&A BPO engagements, while quietly developing its competency in ITO. From there, the firm had excited Glen Davidson so much, he publicly resigned from his Accenture job during an awards dinner acceptance speech to announce the establishment of “EquaTerra’s Public Sector” organization. From that moment on, the firm knew no bounds, establishing its software process evaluation tool, EquaSiis and taking over Morgan Chambers’ European advisory organization. They even reached the spectacular heights of doing some research with us! […]
[…] What was amazing, was the sheer speed with which EQ caught up their industry to become, initially, the leading advisor for HRO and F&A BPO engagements, while quietly developing its competency in ITO. From there, the firm had excited Glen Davidson so much, he publicly resigned from his Accenture job during an awards dinner acceptance speech to announce the establishment of “EquaTerra’s Public Sector” organization. From that moment on, the firm knew no bounds, establishing its software process evaluation tool, EquaSiis and taking over Morgan Chambers’ European advisory organization. They even reached the spectacular heights of doing some researchwith us! […]
[…] What was amazing, was the sheer speed with which EQ caught up their industry to become, initially, the leading advisor for HRO and F&A BPO engagements, while quietly developing its competency in ITO. From there, the firm had excited Glen Davidson so much, he publicly resigned from his Accenture job during an awards dinner acceptance speech to announce the establishment of “EquaTerra’s Public Sector” organization. From that moment on, the firm knew no bounds, establishing its software process evaluation tool, EquaSiis and taking over Morgan Chambers’ European advisory organization. They even reached the spectacular heights of doing some research with us! […]