Case: how to prepare a model for outsourcing services

This company's IT department decided to use an outsourcing model to optimize support costs. But because of the increasing information security risks, the refusal of some Western vendors to support IT systems, and the sanctions pressure, we had to develop our own models for process optimization, including internal sourcing. For this purpose, they invited experts from one of Russia's leading IT companies — ICL Services, whose experts offer solutions based on various factors: from the competence of customer employees to compliance with information security policies and economic benefits. As a result, the customer receives not just IT consulting, but also advice in terms of process organization, segregation of duties, and financial management.

"AS IT IS" and "AS IT SHOULD BE"

The key task is to audit the IT infrastructure of the project company and determine which services can be identified and outsourced.

The ICL Services team analyzed all of the in-house IT unit's services, from in-house software development to IT resources procurement and accounting, and updated the catalog of IT services. The most promising areas, the outsourcing of which would entail minimal risks and maximum savings, were identified. The last stage was the preparation of a roadmap and tender documents for finding an IT partner.

The work began with collecting all the documents and interviews with key IT staff and specialists from various business units. The result of this step was a service catalog for each unit and service. A total of 1,000 pieces of authorized software were listed in the documents.

Once the "as it is" model was made, it was time to describe the "as it should be" structure of the IT service. The services and services that can be outsourced were selected based on the following criteria: the complexity of support, information security, business process reliability, specificity of the software used, and other factors.

While working on the project, ICL Services experts ruled out a subjective assessment of IT services as much as possible and checked all data for decision-making. To do this, for instance, the data from all the collected documents from employees and interviews were checked against the data obtained from ITSM, configuration management systems, staff schedules, and historical reports. The information validated in this way became the basis for subsequent economic calculations and analysis.

The project company involved IT managers, team leaders, and leading experts, while the working group consisted of about 20 line managers and two representatives of the company's board. All the work on the service catalog took about 3 months. 

SAVINGS OVER 10 MILLION

The project resulted in a ready-made sourcing model for the IT service, a feasibility study, and a set of recommendations that will set up processes according to international standards and significantly improve the efficiency of the internal IT service.

ICL Services experts' recommendations have enhanced the efficiency of internal services, saving the company at least RUB 10 million in the first year of working in the new format and at least RUB 45 million over the next 2 years.