European Media Service Sets Stage For Future Growth

Outsourcing Arrangement Enables Company to Expand into New Markets

Challenge

With dozens of daily newspapers, regional publications and trade and business magazines to scan for references to client companies, the staff of a European-based media service stayed busy round-the-clock clipping, copying and forwarding hundreds of news and advertising items each month to its customers key executives.

They also provided a value-added service by generating media analysis reports geared to help clients track public opinion or identify emerging trends. The key, however, was to turn this information around quickly and deliver it via e-mail or the Web within extremely tight deadlines – two or three hours, or even as short as 15 minutes.

To meet its growth objectives, however, the company realized that it needed to expand beyond its home country. But this wasn’t feasible with their current in-house staff. Hiring additional staff would consume most of the revenue generated by the expanded service. On the other hand, attempting to do the added work at current staffing levels would impair their ability to provide fast-turnarounds and other value-added services...