HYPERtext linking technology and communications

There is perhaps no hotter or more controversial subject in the media today than IT and Professional Services. Most companies that operate in this space have generated significant media coverage, and it’s not always been positive. Outsourcing and offshoring are regular topics of discussion in the news media, and the emotional side of this issue has often left little room for people to see the rational business proposition within.

As with every evolving industry, the services sector is seeing unique trends that drive and define its future growth. Over the next two-three years, an estimated $100 billion dollars worth of services contracts will be up for renewals. Large services customers are starting to take a mixed "best-of-breed" approach to their vendor selection. As these customers start parceling out larger contracts across a variety of vendors, industry consolidation will be on the rise. While M&A will see a marked increase, there will also be a rush to form an ecosystem of partnerships, where vendors will alternately compete and co-opt to win more and more contracts.

In this cluttered environment, creating mindshare unique to the company will be critical for continued survival. Managing communications in this dynamic scenario becomes key, and harnessing these trends through future-ready campaigns is the mantra to success. A strong corporate PR campaign, highlighting cross-partnership capabilities and showcasing customer wins will help build a company’s awareness. Creating a plan that dedicates silos to corporate PR and vertical industry PR allows companies to leverage each silo to build momentum for the other. Additionally, companies can develop a cross-industry image by differentiating themselves as the domain experts and visionaries.

Text 100's IT and Professional Services sector team is comprised of PR practitioners across North America. Each has direct experience helping services companies drive visibility and promote their unique offerings through executive tours, industry vertical campaigns, technology initiatives, solutions launches, partnerships, IPOs and more.

Our work has helped clients have a voice in the industry through coverage in publications from CIO to TechDecisions for Insurance, InformationWeek to eWEEK, and ComputerWorld to Forbes. A case study of our work follows:

• Taking Aim at Outsourcing: Text 100 and Patni take on the outsourcing challenge
• Beyond the Box: Text 100 helps Xerox move from hardware vendor to trusted advisor
• An Opportunity With A View: Text 100 builds awareness for Getronics