Our President & CEO spoke to Fortune after CGI was recognized for “sustained excellence” in the Global Outsourcing 100.
In today’s business world, organizations with strong IT outsourcing partnerships are positioned to not just survive, but thrive, as what was once considered mainly a cost-cutting measure has become an effective way to increase business agility and resiliency.
In an article published on Fortune.com, “Outsourcing’s new role in digital transformations,” Schindler notes CGI’s preference for the term managed services to describe what is traditionally called outsourcing.
“Rather than taking something out of the client’s organization,” he explained, “we are an extension of their team, managing the complex makeup of their technology and business processes, systems, and software to help optimize operations and drive forward business and IT priorities.”
The article says partnerships that extend a client’s in-house IT capacity are proving more valuable than ever. For example, such partners provide access to a wealth of technical expertise as well as transferable insights from their experiences in other client situations.
“A good outsourcing partner is bringing ideas from others — best in class in your own industry and best in class from other industries,” Schindler noted in the article.
The Fortune article was published in conjunction with the 2021 Global Outsourcing 100 rankings by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP). CGI is ranked as a leader on that list, which, in its 15th year, recognizes the world’s best outsourcing service providers, advisors and consultants. CGI has been included in the list all 15 years.
Tapping into CGI’s managed IT services has been particularly important for clients during the COVID-19 pandemic and will remain so in a post-pandemic world. In the article, Schindler tells the story of a large retailer that saw its online orders increase by 60% one month into the pandemic, including adding 4 million new customers. It was able to scale quickly by drawing on its longstanding partnership with CGI, which has been supporting the retailer’s e-commerce operations for more than 10 years.
He noted another business – a large financial services company in Europe – that expanded its CGI contract during the pandemic beyond infrastructure, cybersecurity and service desk services to include data analytics and enhanced app experiences for both customers and employees.
“IT is now woven seamlessly into the company’s ongoing business transformation plan,” the article notes.
In addition to the Sustained Excellence honor, CGI is on Global Outsourcing 100 sub-lists for All Stars (earning a high score in each of the five judging categories), Top Customer References, Top Awards & Certifications, Top Programs for Innovation, Top Programs for CSR (corporate social responsibility), Information/Communications Technology and Industry-Specific Services. CGI is one of a handful of companies to receive a star representing high scores in all major judging categories.
