Innovative outsourcing in action

The proof, as they say, is in the pudding. And here are a few examples of companies that have opted out of the "one company does it all" approach to outsourcing to notable success.

When General Motors' $5 billion contract with EDS came up for renewal, GM decided to instead divide the pie of about $7.5 billion among six vendors, including EDS.

Each provider, however, was awarded a worldwide contract in order to facilitate a "globally standardized work process," according to Lowes.

Moreover, the package features five-year contracts, instead of the typical 10-year contract, to spread risk while maintaining standards across global operations.

An even more unique approach to multisourcing comes from Xchange. This one will really keep the lawyers busy as well.

Xchange has what it calls an Enterprise Partnership model that involves the creation of a third entity, co-owned by the customer and the service provider.

The partnership is structured "though the use of a shareholders' agreement to govern the relationship between the customer and the service provider at a strategic level. "

The customer transfers relevant personnel to the new entity and becomes the new entity's first customer. In the future, the entity, which includes the original customer, has the option of providing service to new third-party customers.

If you thought outsourcing was just a way to reduce the costs and stress of completing a project, guess again. Ensuring a satisfactory outsourcing experience takes work before, during, and, when necessary, after separation to ensure that your company is getting the most value for its dollar.