Not all BPO service providers are created equal.  The RFP process, though time consuming to be sure, can ultimately save time otherwise spent in prolonged and costly implementations.  This process can also be an exercise in thought and internal due diligence - what are the business, technical and disaster recovery requirements associated with the work? Better definition of requirements presented to potential vendors in the form of an RFP that includes a complete Statement of Work will enable vendors to more accurately assess and bid. 

Potential vendors should be asked to submit responses to the RFP within specified guidelines.  Review of the RFP responses should also include site visits to the proposed vendor locations, to verify capacity and scale.  While sourcing your BPO service provider, other factors to consider are:

• Price
• Geographic location stability
• Capacity to scale
• Financial stability of the company
• Talent of local management of BPO sites
• Attrition rates of local BPO sites

The time and effort spent to intelligently source your BPO Service Provider will ensure a more successful transition of work, as well as better long term results.