by fao today staff

Their numbers are growing, thanks to avery robust FAO market that some analystssay is expanding by 30 percent a year.That’s why many providers are attracted tothe segment—all hoping to sell their expert-ise to hungry buyers.

So when we set out to choose this list oftop enterprise providers, it was apparentthat it would be a difficult task. After all, themarket is still divided into traditionalWestern Hemisphere-based providers suchas Accenture, Capgemini, and IBM in solidmarket leadership positions. On the otherhand, an entire new generation of offshorevendors such as Genpact, OPI, and WNSappear ready to jostle for their share of the

FAO riches. And because so many of theseBPO providers have a rich, established ITheritage, they come well-backed by theirparent companies.

In the end, we settled on some familiarnames that almost always appear at the topof buyers’ RFP list, as well as upstarts whoare showing they can close on deals. Mostlikely, if you have been around the industry,you’ll recognize the names on our baker’sdozen of enterprise FAO providers.

What’s their secret to success? In everyinstance, being able to deliver on a globalbasis with service centers in key marketshas given these providers an important costadvantage. Furthermore, they are deliver-

ing a big bucket of services, from transac-tion-heavy processes such as accountspayable and accounts receivable to morestrategic functions such as consolidationand general ledger work. Another edge:strong leadership helping to guide their wayin this still-maturing market. If they canfurther elevate customer satisfaction, thesecompanies will continue to stay on our list.

In compiling our list, we’d like to thankthree highly knowledgeable consultants inthe industry—Bob Cecil of EquaTerra, LisaRoss of FAO Research, and KatrinaMenzigian of Everest Research—for theirvaluable insights and help with our finalselection.

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Accenture www.accenture.com

A global brand, Accenture is one of the top end-to-end FAO providers in the market. According to Everest Research, the provider has about 11 per-

cent of the North American supplier market share and a 20-percent global share. Also a provider of outsourced HR services, Accenture’s business

in FAO is divided into two lines: enterprise services delivered by Accenture Finance Solutions and mid-market services delivered by Accenture BPO

Services (formerly Savista). While its enterprise FAO business has delivered standalone deals, BPO Services engages most of its client in bundled solu-

tions that encompass both HR and F&A. Servicing clients around the world, the company has delivery centers located in most major markets, includ-

ing China, Czech Republic, Italy, India, Poland, the Philippines, Romania, Slovakia, the U.K., and Houston, TX. Last year, it named Mike Salvino

the head of its finance BPO business.

Recent Deals: Crestline Hotels & Resorts (Accenture BPO Services); Microsoft Europe; and National Australia BankQuality

Client(s): BP North America, Delta Air Lines, Exel PLC, Rhodia, Talisman Energy U.K., Thomas Cook U.K., Microsoft, National Australia Bank,

and Wyeth among enterprise clients

Services: Procure-to-pay; order-to-cash; assets acquire-to-retire; cash and banking; document management; finance application management;

profit recovery and analytics; income statement; cash flow and balance sheet optimization; business analytics; performance management; finance strat-

egy and organization design; finance skills and competency; and finance change management

Company URL

16 :: FAO Today :: May/June 2007 www.faotoday.com

T O P E N T E R P R I S E P R O V I D E R S

Aided by a healthy market, the list of enterprise FAO service providers continues to grow. We look at a baker’s dozenof the leading global providers helping to make outsourcing a positive experience.

By FAO Today Staff

The Lucky

P. 16-22 (Top Enterprise) 629-2.qxd 6/29/07 1:45 PM Page 2

ACS, Inc. www.acs-inc.com

Another multi-domain global outsourcing provider, Dallas-based ACS is also considered a Tier 1 service provider offering a range of end-to-end serv-

ices. With 2006 sales of more than $5 billion and more than 4,000 employees engaged in FAO, the company can provide a host of services spanning

F&A, HR, and IT. Offering proprietary technology and employing strategic business units dedicated for each client, ACS recently has more aggres-

sively sought after business through point-solution engagements that it hopes will lead to a broadening of their contracts. In the large-buy global mar-

ket, Everest Research estimates that the company has about an eight-percent market share. Delivery centers are located in Brazil, the U.K.,

Guatemala, India, Jamaica, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, and Spain. The company is currently considering a nearly $6 billion offer by its chair-

man and Cerberus to take ACS private. This follows unsuccessful discussion of a takeover of ACS last year by a consortium that included the Blackstone

Group.

Recent Deals: American Standard, United Technologies

Client(s): General Electric, General Motors, MetLife, Metromedia Restaurant Group (MRG), Motorola, Office Depot, and United Technologies

Services: Accounts payable, accounts receivable, billing, general accounting, tax management, treasury and risk management, credit and debit card

processing, check processing, clearinghouse services, loan origination, loan servicing, and other finance tasks

Capgemini www.capgemini.com

Paris, France-based Capgemini is in the same class of top-tier providers as Accenture, IBM, and ACS. With about 3,500 employees serving the FAO

market, it evenly divides its revenues in this segment among the three major geographic regions: 35 percent each in North America and Asia and 30

percent in EMEA. With a majority of its business in the manufacturing and retail sector, the company also has a number of clients in the energy and

utilities sector and financial services. To differentiate its services, the company promotes a RightShore service delivery strategies, offering clients a

choice from where their services will come. Facilities are located in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Poland, and the U.S. Last year, the com-

pany acquired a majority stake in Unilever’s F&A business, Indigo, which added about 6,000 employees to its operations in India. Also in 2006, the

company opened a third service center in Kolkata, India.

Recent Deals: Tetra Pak, SKF, Hindustan Lever Limited (Unilever), and Zurich Financial Services

Client(s): Blue Scope Steel,Dairy Farm, Danfoss, Hydro One, International Paper, Syngenta, TXU, Zurich Financial Services, SKF, and Tetra Pak

Services: General ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash and asset management, planning and budgeting, management reporting, finan-

cial analysis, payroll, order management, tax, and compliance services

EXL Service www.exlservice.com

This Indian pure-play BPO provider is a surging new competitor to the BPO space. Like other offshore firms, the company’s strongest offering is the

labor arbitrage from its seven service centers in India. With more than five years of experience in FAO, the NASDAQ-traded company has extensive

experience with various F&A processes and supporting versatile imaging and document management requirements for clients. Last year, the com-

pany acquired Inductis, a strategy and analytics company serving the financial services and insurance industries, for an undisclosed amount. Now

a wholly owned and independent subsidiary of EXL, the analytics services provider caters to clients in India, the U.S., and Singapore.

Recent Deals: N/A

Client(s): Norwich Union, Prudential Financial

Services: Procure-to-pay, bill-to-cash, payroll, general accounting, financial closing, research and reconciliation, cash management and treasury,

compliance support MIS and decision, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, internal audit, technology risk solutions, and risk services.

Company URL

May/June 2007 :: FAO Today :: 17www.faotoday.com



Genpact www.genpact.com

In the midst of issuing its IPO, this former shared-services unit of GE could be looking at a huge market cap when shares finally roll out (it filed

its registration on May 11). Of all the India-based FAO service providers, Genpact may be the most polished thanks to its GE heritage. Since 2006,

the company has signed on a number of brand-name clients and sharpened its image since changing its name from GECIS, a holdover from its spin-

off from GE. Owned by GE (a minority stake) and General Atlantic and Oak Hill Capital Partners, Genpact recently announced that it was acquir-

ing Axis Risk Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd, an independent India-based risk consulting firm that provides a wide range of risk assurance services,

including internal audit, business performance improvement, Sarbanes-Oxley documentation and compliance testing, and enterprise risk man-

agement. In 2005, the company entered into a unique outsourcing arrangement with Wachovia in which the scope of service was not determined

until after the deal was signed.

Recent Deals: Hercules, Kimberly-Clark, and GlaxoSmithKline

Client(s): Wachovia, Linde Group, Hercules, Kimberly-Clark, and GlaxoSmithKline

Services: Accounts payable, T&E, accounts receivable including order management and invoice-to-cash, general accounting, fixed assets, payroll,

management reporting and analysis, budgeting/forecasting, and internal audit. In addition, the company has a knowledge process outsourcing unit

that supports its clients.

HP www.hp.com

With plans to aggressively grow headcount at its BPO unit from 6,500 to 7,800, HP is hoping to increase its share of the global enterprise FAO market

(Everest estimates that it has just four percent). As is the case with many FAO providers, HP has strong IT roots supporting its BPO operations. As the

biggest technology company in the world, HP’s FAO unit is just a small part of the overall business. Nevertheless, the company has plans to quickly grow

the business. In addition, it recently expanded its F&A contract with Nestlé into the HRO domain by taking on payroll and other services. As a global

provider, HP has delivery centers in China, Costa Rica, India, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Singapore, and Spain.

Recent Deals: Nestlé

Client(s): Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, the Gillette Company.

Services: Vendor data maintenance, procurement services, accounts payable, T&E accounting, accounts receivable, general accounting, fixed asset

accounting, treasury accounting, management and financial reporting, and advanced analytics.

IBM www.ibm.com

The market leader in FAO, Big Blue commands a 22-percent share of global enterprise deals, according to Everest. In North America, its lead is com-

manding with a 35-percent share. However, in both segments, IBM has seen its share eroded by new entrants to the market as well as greater com-

petition from existing suppliers. One of the strengths of IBM as an FAO provider is a large global footprint that boasts more delivery centers than anyone

else in this market segment. Facilities are located in Argentina, Canada, China, Hungary, India, Ireland, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the Philippines,

Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, and the U.S. It employs some 5,000 in its FAO practice. Last year, the company announced plans to acquire Delft,

Netherlands-based Consul, a software company. This acquisition builds on IBM’s service management initiative by adding key data governance and

compliance monitoring and auditing and reporting capabilities across mainframe and distributed environments. Other key past acquisitions include

a 2005 purchase of Equitant, an order-to-cash service provider.

Recent Deals: Unilever, Colgate Palmolive

Client(s): Omron Corp., Eastman Kodak, Unilever, NiSource, BP, Marathon Oil, Williams, Lam Research, Dun & Bradstreet

Services: Transactional processes (accounts payable and T&E, accounts receivable, general accounting, fixed assets, payroll, and tax) and value-added

processes (management reporting and analysis and internal audit).

Company URL




Company URL

May/June 2007 :: FAO Today :: 19www.faotoday.com


Infosys BPO www.infosys.com/bpo

Infosys BPO (formerly Progeon) was started as the business outsourcing subsidiary of Infosys Technologies in 2002. Today, the company said it has

moved more than 500 processes from client locations across various industries. With service centers in India, the Czech Republic, China, and the

Philippines (through a partner), the company is focused on engaging clients in end-to-end services rather than voice-based services. It employs about

3,000 workers in the FAO business and caters to mostly the high-tech and telecom sectors. Some of its clients include a U.S. media conglomerate, an

oil and gas company, a software reseller, and others. Additional outsourced services provided by Infosys BPO include procurement, knowledge process

outsourcing, and order management.

Recent Deals: N/A

Client(s): N/A

Services: Accounts payable, accounts receivable, collections and credit management, billing and invoicing, fixed assets, intercompany accounting,

general ledger, finance planning and analysis

Outsource www.opiglobal.comPartners International

An up-and-coming provider with a strong offshore component, OPI has the advantag of being a low-cost FAO service provider that comes from a big

accounting firm lineage. The company was born out of KPMG LLP’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) division and itAccounts, a finance and account-

ing business process outsourcing company. Even though OPI was formed in 2002 when the two companies merged, KPMG’s BPO group began in the

outsourcing space in 1997. The merger with itAccounts then added an established offshore F&A outsourcing facility in Bangalore, India. Although

it services multibillion-dollar clients, OPI has mostly a mid-market bent, catering to businesses as small as $100 million in revenues. It also straddles

many verticals, including service, manufacturing, financial services, technology/telecommunications, energy, logistics/transportation, hotel/restau-

rant, retail, and nonprofit. Privately held, OPI’s investors include Cargill Ventures, Trident Capital, and Winston LP.

Recent Deals: N/A

Client(s): Service Corp. International, Trinity Industries, and Mirant Corporation

Services: Order-to-cash, purchase-to-payment, hire-to-retire, general accounting, consolidation and management reporting, intercompany allocations,

activity-based costing, reconciliations, project accounting, tax compliance, compliance and control, cash management, research services, cash dis-

bursement, FAS 123R stock option accounting, tax compliance services, and contract management.

Tata Consultancy Services www.tcs.com

With a heritage stemming from its IT roots, this India-based provider serves numerous industries including banking and financial services, retail and con-

sumer goods, telecom and media, energy and utilities, travel and hospitality, insurance, life sciences and healthcare, government, and manufacturing.

Unlike other IT and BPO providers, TCS also provides engineering and industrial services, so its focus is broader. But with revenues of $4.3 billion, TCS

is considerably larger than other narrowly focused providers to this segment, and its strategy includes bundling IT and BPO services together for its glob-

al clients, most of whom are in the financial services sector.

Recent Deals: Saudi Telecom and Pearl Insurance

Client(s): Saudi Telecom and Pearl Insurance

Services: Securities back-office processing,statistical analysis, third-party administration (life and pensions), customer analytics, accounts receiv-

able, fixed asset accounting, financial planning and analysis, payroll processing, customer interaction center, credit card operations, claims

administration, revenue assurance, revenue management, accounts payable, general ledger accounting, and passenger and cargo revenue account-

ing and fare audit.


Wipro BPO www.wipro.comA highly recognized offshored provider of IT services, the company’s BPO services business benefits from its parent company’s technological strength.

Key to the BPO offering are three components—business process reengineering, technology integration, and knowledge services. With 17,000 employ-

ees in nine locations throughout India and Eastern Europe, the company serves the banking and capital, insurance, travel and hospitality, technology

manufacturing, telecom, and healthcare sectors. Its offerings include F&A, procurement, HR , loyalty, and knowledge services. Wipro has quickly gained

momentum in the BPO space, considering it only entered the market in 2002 with the acquisition of Spectramind.

Recent Deals: N/A

Client(s): Delta Airlines

Services: Order-to-cash (credit management, order management, invoicing, collections, helpdesk, dispute resolution, and banking and cash

application); procure-to-pay (purchase order validation, invoice verification, accounts payable, vendor payments, employee T&E, vendor management,

reconciliation); plan-to-result (fixed asset accounting, project accounting, general ledger, ledger and balance sheet reconciliations, and cash flow

forecasts); compliance reporting (SOX, GAAP, and VAT requirements); and financial analysis and management (analysis, expense monitoring against

budget, tax compliance and planning, internal audit, and risk management).

WNS www.wnsgs.com

The offspring of British Airways, WNS, which was initially set up as a captive, is now traded on the New York Stock Exchange as a provider of FAO

services to a customer base that has diversified from a base of mostly airline clients to a diversified group spanning numerous industries. Shares began

trading on NYSE last year following a successful IPO, and during the past four years, the company has grown to a client base of 125 and an employ-

ee base of 12,000 during a four-year period. Revenues have also ballooned to $202 million. Its successful market debut may have inspired other providers

in the FAO space to follow down the space. Shortly after, WNS’ IPOoffshore provider EXL Service began trading on the NASDAQ, and Genpact recent-

ly filed its public registration. Since its early days as a one-vertical-trick pony, the company has now captured clients in other industries such as man-

ufacturing and retail, financial services, and others. Last year, it signed a notable contract with Church’s Chicken to provide all of its finance and

accounting processes for restaurants it owns throughout the world, including locations in 16 countries and Puerto Rico.

Recent Deals: Church’s Chicken, Centrica

Client(s): Aviva, British Airways, Centrica, Tesco, Travelocity

Services: Purchase-to-pay cycle, order-to-cash cycle, account-to-report, banking and treasury cycle, fixed assets cycle, general accounting cycle, and

management reporting cycle.

XANSA www.xansa.com

Although it’s mostly a U.K.-based provider, Xansa has a significant presence in the world’s second largest outsourcing market. Having entered the

BPO business in 2001, the company is a major provider of FAO services to both the private and public sectors. In 2005, the company entered into a

joint venture with the U.K. government’s NHS, the largest healthcare provider in the country, to provide outsourced F&A and HR services to NHS

organizations such as member hospitals. It caters to clients in industries such as banking, insurance, the public sector, retail, telecoms, transport,

travel and logistics, and utilities. In 2006,sales were £357 million, and it employed 8,000.

Recent Deals: The BBC

Client(s): BT, MyTravel, NHS Shared Business, the BBC

Services: Finance, accounting, payroll, energy management, credit and debit card processing, disputes/chargebacks, applications processing, excep-

tion handling, billing, financial reconciliation, supplier invoice management, reporting, and analytics.

Company URL




by fao today staff

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