In this rapidly-growing company, priority was given to services that involved customer relations. But internal services also had to permanently adapt themselves - outsourcing appeared as the obvious solution. BPI organised the transfer - specifications, invitation for tender and social communication.

Context
Accelerated Growth
56 shops at the end of 1997, nearly 200 in 1999. The administrative services followed suit - the workforce at headquarters doubled between 1997 and 2000. However, in its ways of working and its size, the company maintained all the characteristics of an SME. These conditions made it difficult to play the role of "base camp" needed to develop the distribution network. The idea of entrusting a service provide with some of the activities conducted at headquarters was therefore considered.

Task
Preparing the Transfer
BPI began the outsourcing procedure with the general services before the summer: mail, reception, switchboard, cleaning, maintenance. A tight schedule had the transfer planned for September. The specifications were written, an invitation for tender was launched, the supplier was chosen, and the message to be communicated to employees was prepared. Everything was ready on time, but&sales have priority - the company had to operate at maximum capacity for the end of the year. The operation kick-off was to be given at the beginning of January.

Technical Specifications and Social Contract
While the invitation for tender was being prepared, ten employees were to be affected.
> The supplier would take over activities which had doubled in the meantime. At the same time as the technical specifications, BPI prepared a "social contract" defining the conditions of transfer for employees and guaranteeing that the new employer would honour commitments made.
The invitation for tender was successful - twelve companies submitted bids, and there were twelve complete proposals. The choice was made following a "viva" with which the company executives were associated.

Communication with Employees - a Sensitive Step
This was prepared in advance, and communication of the changes to the employees began in January. The transfer was to be a significant event in the career of the employees concerned - a subject for preoccupation and apprehension on the part of the managerial team.
Whether sent by the company or the supplier, for all employees or personnel representatives, regulatory or general information, every communication was examined by the BPI project leader with a fine toothed comb.
Image is of the essence in this context. Everything has to be perfect.

Perspectives
Transfer(s)
The most important step - starting a dialogue, remained to be taken. As work meetings took place, the employees gradually accepted the project. Individual interviews were an important complement to collective actions. At the end of April, the works council approved the whole project and the effective transfer of the employees on June 1st. In parallel, the management team entrusted BPI with the outsourcing of the logistics department. This time, 120 employees were affected.