Service Management 

Managing the client relationship is key to Centaurus Consulting and there is no better method to ensure professional, consistent and quality service than through the design and implementation of an effective and efficient Service Management culture.

Centaurus Service Management Specialists will implement the Service Management and Quality Frameworks for Offshore Outsourcing engagements through Proxima Performance, based in Tunisia. The Service Management Framework defines the services and service targets to be provided by our Operations Specialists and manages service interfaces between the Client and our Service Delivery Centre.

Our Service Management professionals take full ownership and accountability for this critical process. Setting up effective Service Management processes involves:

• Operating and Service Level Agreements
• Contractual Relationship
• Communication Lines Set Up and Agreed
• Development of Service Delivery Framework
• Change Control Process
• Quality and Control
• Escalation Procedures

Critical elements of an effective Service Management model include:

• Defined Scope of Work
• Detailed Process Mapping and Service Item Definition
• Defined Ownership of Service Management Roles
• Defined Single Point of Contact
• Centralized Source of Service Management Reporting

Service Management Model

Service Management is comprised of 5 critical components which exist to ultimately result in giving the client control over the continuous improvement of outsourced business processes.

	Define
	Measure
	Report
	Assess
	Change

Service Delivery Framework

The fundamental building blocks of Service Management actually begin during the Due Diligence Procedures on a client engagement. At this early onset in a client relationship, Centaurus Consulting will identify:

• Detailed Business Calendar
• Service Items
• Interdependency between Service Items
• Metrics
• Targets

These basic points form the basis for Service Level Agreements between the client and the outsourcing partner. Service Level Agreements ensure that expectations are met and provide basis for service reporting and service level management. In essense, Service Management ensures that services provided to the client are consistent and meet the Service Level Agreements.

Defining Service Items

A Service Item is the core of any outsourcing relationship. They are the scope descriptors for a given outsourcing engagement and are described in the following manner: 

• A Basic Description
• Frequency
• Quality Service Levels
• Business Volume Levels
• Criticality

Business Volume Indicators

Business Volume Indicators (BVIs) are an absolutely essential component when developing the Service Level Agreement structure of a Service Delivery Framework. This type of volume data serves to define not only baselines and targets but also capacity planning for the future outsourced operational unit.

Key Performance Indicators

The client and outsourcing provider agree on the most important service items which ultimately leads to the requirement of tracking and reporting on those items. These measurements are known in outsourcing based Service Management as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Measure

Once the Definition phase of the Service Delivery Framework is finalized and all the Operating and Sevice Level Agreements are formalized, Centaurus is prepared to initiate Offshore Outsourcing Processes for client service delivery.

The next step in the establishment of Service Management is to develop the capabilities that will enable Proxima Service Management Specialists to measure the defined service items. Targets are agreed as well as indicators such as Baselines and Service Management professionals are tasked with ensuring that efficient and accurate methods of repeatable measurement can be executed.

Centaurus believes that the method of measurement must be as automated, standardized and efficient as possible in each case. It is critical that this process not have any adverse effects on operational resources.

The findings are then supplied to the client in a number of ways, depending on the specifics of the outsourcing engagement. This is covered in the reporting component in more detail.

Service Management Reporting 

Centaurus believes that reporting to the client must be customized to the actually requirements of the engagement. However, there are two governing guidelines that must be respected:

• Centralized Source of Resulting Data
• Easily Accessible (optimally web-based)

Centaurus Service Management Reports are founded in the following principles:

• Easily accessible, single source reports focused on the minimum amount of relevant criteria 
• Ensuring that we demonstrate performance statisitics compared to contractually agreed Service Levels and Metrics
• Structured indicators and data in a manner which allows for easy drill down and identification of source issues 

Assess 

Structured and efficient communication is essential to the review of Service Management Reporting. Both the client and Proxima Specialists will utilize all methods available to minimize geographical distance and time difference to ensure the smooth operational consistency of the outsourced operations.

• Weekly, Bi-Weekly, or Monthly Conference Calls to review reported measures. Frequency will depend on project phase.
• Minuted including agreed actions are the outputs of the review and the inputs of the critical Change process.   

Change Request Process

Due to an effective Service Management Reporting process, both the client and Centaurus are able to assess the results and in the event of an issue, agree mutually on remediation measures. Clearly defined procedures for changs to existing processes and approval thereof must also be developed, formalized and agreed. Examples of typical change request measures may include: 

• Scope Enlargement
• New Metrics
• Re-Definition of Targets 

Continuous Service Process Improvement

This category of initiative resulting from Service Management Reporting may typically include:

• Collaborative and inclusive client projects
• Training within the outsourced operations unit 

Continuous Business Process Improvement

An effectively designed and executed Service Management culture within an outsourcing engagement will directly support the basis of an organic type of continuous improvement. This is exactly the result that Centaurus Consulting strives for when providing Offshore Outsourcing or Outsourcing related Consulting. Continuous Improvement is where the true value lies for our outsourcing clients. 

Business Process Outsourcing

Please feel free to browse the rest of our website, including our Business Process Outsourcing Service Lines.

We have a related section dedicated to the practice of Operational Excellence in our Service Delivery Centre as well as Centaurus application of Operational Excellence to our Business Process Improvement consulting. For more information on Centaurus Methodology please see our approach to Strategic Risk Management and Business Continuity Management.

As a potential client of Centaurus Consulting, you may be inspired to Contact Us after reviewing the diverse array of offshore outsourcing and consulting services that we offer.