Comments on: Outsourcing Analyst Relations: A viable option?

By: Marjorie Clayman

Marjorie Clayman — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 21:58:00 +0000

Seems like integration is the answer to everything, eh?

I’m still waiting for my “AR for Dummies” post, but this was a very good perspective. Thanks!

By: Cece Salomon-Lee

Cece Salomon-Lee — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 19:57:00 +0000

Fred – you raise an interesting question about the role and value of AR. I’ve previously been involved in AR as part of a PR agency and as an in-house function. I think another component is what emphasis does the company put on AR? Generally speaking, if they place emphasis on PR, AR tends to be highly rated as well. This makes going in-source or outsource easier.

By: Marcduke

Marcduke — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:17:00 +0000

Great piece, nice summary, in my experience never outsource the value, but outsource the execution where time/resources are limited. As for the AR outsourcer just be aware of where the lines are to ensure you maximise value on all sides.

By: Fred McClimans

Fred McClimans — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 01:50:00 +0000

Phil – I understand exactly where you are coming from (and I don’t mean Australia). Firms that move into new, different or emerging regions (especially if there is a cultural or language barrier) are doing themselves a disservice if they do not leverage the expertise of a local firm – even if for nothing more than basic advice or business credibility. Perhaps many are shy about this due to the point you raised – AR often gets PR advice in this area. But I agree with you: any engagement is better than no engagement….!

By: Fred McClimans

Fred McClimans — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 01:47:00 +0000

Thanks Julie – The problem is that the “R” teams are often separated by more than just function, by chain of command (the “C-suite”) as well. I think that this has, along with competition for Corp attention and funding, led to an ongoing turf battle that only reinforces the wall between AR, IR, PR and MKTG. I think it is about time we started seriously looking at all of these functions as part of a larger “Integrated Marketing” function – the benefits could be amazing.

By: Julie

Julie — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 00:27:00 +0000

Nice post, Fred. Getting the in house team who handles “-R’s” to work together (aka “cross-function insourcing”) sounds like a smart and sensible move.

By: Phil Hassey

Phil Hassey — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 00:25:00 +0000

Hi Fred, Interesting post as ever.
Outsourcing of AR happens of course regularly in the Asia Pacific region. Whilst any AR is better than no AR, and there are some great examples here where it has worked well, the biggest problem that you see with outsourced AR is the lack of ongoing engagement. The outsourced AR functions are typically part of PR companies, so this can cloud the experience. However, I tend to take the view that any engagement is better than no engagement ….

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Tue, 12 Oct 2010 16:16:31 +0000

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