Japan Outsourcing User Survey 2008: Customer Perception and Needs

This IDC study (which is a translation of the Japanese report IDC #J8450104) analyzes the results of the Japan Outsourcing Survey conducted in April 2008. It compares this survey's results with those of similar surveys in the past and analyzes the annual trends.

According to the survey, the implementation rate of IT outsourcing services among companies hovered at 30%. There were no major changes in the rate from the last two surveys (April 2007 and April 2006). The survey also found that the increase in IT outsourcing investment per company is slowing down, suggesting that the market is approaching maturity. "There is a high level of dissatisfaction among user companies toward IT outsourcing service prices. Meanwhile, there are signs that user companies are increasing their use of small-scale IT outsourcing services, which is expected to affect vendors' revenue and profits. Vendors need to promote the acceptance of their prices among users by visualizing the effects of their services and enhancing the services themselves as well as improving the efficiency of their service delivery. In particular, it is important for them to strengthen their consulting ability in areas such as IT security that can lead to the increased use of IT outsourcing services," says Akiko Takei, market analyst, IT Service Research, IDC Japan.