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InfoTrends Releases Vertical Market Study Defining Document Outsourcing Opportunity

(Weymouth, MA) July 17, 2009 . . . Companies in all vertical markets are looking for ways to reduce costs, eliminate overhead, and streamline operations with an eye on the bottom line. As has been the case during other recessions, document outsourcing has increased in popularity and is now a prominent discussion point among executives across most industries. Undeniably, lower spending on print, IT services, and discretionary work have made 2009 an unstable year for most document service providers. Nevertheless, the renewed focus on outsourcing resulting from the economic downturn should create opportunities for strong, well-positioned document service providers, particularly during the later part of 2009 and 2010.

New research from InfoTrends demonstrates that there is growing market demand for document outsourcing:

• 59% of respondents said the economic downturn has increased the likelihood they will outsource or keep current document outsourcing levels the same.
• 20% of respondents who do not currently outsource document services are now considering such services.

Clearly, there is a significant market for document outsourcing even under the current economic conditions. To gain access to this opportunity, however, it is crucial for service providers to develop an effective strategy that taps into the right customer segments. Michael O’Leary, Outsourcing Director at InfoTrends, commented, “Knowledge of the market you are selling into is a critical factor for success in a difficult economy. Service providers that have offerings tailored to solving a specific customer problem are the ones that will win their business. The most successful companies today are evaluating and choosing openings that they can own, and they are relentless in enforcing their market focus.”

InfoTrends has released a major multi-client study illuminating opportunities in the document outsourcing market. This study, The Document Outsourcing Evolution: A Vertical Market Analysis, provides detailed information on the needs and attitudes of a variety of vertical markets. This study answers key questions such as:

• What industries are more likely to outsource?
• What functional departments are involved with outsourcing and who are the primary decision makers?
• What metrics or value points do executives seek when it comes to outsourcing?
• What key document services are being outsourced today?
• What criteria do companies use when choosing an outsourcing provider?
• Why do companies choose not to outsource?
• What size organization is more likely to outsource?
• How are contracts being structured today in terms of length, pricing, and risk/reward?
• Do companies prefer providers that specialize or those that offer a broad range of services?
• How important is global reach?

InfoTrends conducted extensive primary and secondary research on each in-scope vertical industry. The primary research included in-depth personal interviews with small, medium-sized, large, and enterprise companies. The research spanned seven vertical industries and included companies that currently outsource document services as well as those that do not. These discussions covered current and future plans, key trends, planned spending for document outsourcing, the providers that companies are selecting, decision criteria, and the outsourcing benefits that are being realized. InfoTrends also administered structured surveys via live, telephone-based questionnaires as part of the project, with a total of 350 qualified respondents.

The results of this study are available for purchase. For more information, please contact Jennifer Skerrett at +1 ext. 111 or e-mail .

InfoTrends, a Questex company, is the leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the digital imaging and document solutions industry. We provide research, analysis, forecasts, and advice to help clients understand market trends, identify opportunities, and develop strategies to grow their businesses. Additional information about InfoTrends is available on the Web at www.infotrends.com.

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