Many companies view the outsourcer as a standalone entity that, once briefed, should be able to run with the particular project with minimal intervention, but outsourcing a process does not mean outsourcing accountability or competency. In order to succeed, the outsourcing provider will need regular, ongoing input and feedback from the client. to outsourcing success.

The best method to successfully move forward with an outsourcing project, no matter what your company's core business, is to develop a taskforce drawn from across the organisation, with a vested interest in making the project work. This team should bring together business functions adjoined to the outsourced project that can provide direction and ensure that the outputs are in line with their departments' needs.

Communication, in its many forms, is another critical component of a successful outsourcing project. It's no use putting together a taskforce designed to manage the implementation of a project if it meets irregularly or fails to communicate any problems or issues there may be. Encourage the team to meet and feed back as often as possible to ensure completely open lines of communication.

Employees and the knowledge they hold are the most valuable assets in most companies, so it is vital to look after them. This holds particularly true when undertaking an outsourcing engagement, as creating and maintaining employee engagement is one of the most important, yet most often overlooked, requirements for success.

During and immediately after the implementation of an outsourcing arrangement, employees remaining in the client company can often feel demotivated and unappreciated. To maintain staff morale it is important to ensure employees feel valued, so firms should not underestimate the importance of 'over-communicating' before, during and after the outsourcing effort. It should not be assumed that employees will immediately embrace the change. Companies should look to attain strong executive and staff buy-in early on in the project life-cycle -- engaging fully with the internal communications function to ensure that all staff are fully aware of what is happening at the earliest possible stage.