Loyalty & Ecosystems: A Conversation with Dan McCue of Sutherland Global

One of the challenges facing the enterprise today is maintaining loyalty in the rapid shift from analog to digital business models. As we shift into the As-a-Service Economy, the way consumers engage with brands, and the way users engage with partners, must be redefined across the ecosystem. The familiar touch-points are now increasingly digital, and the reliance on technology alone to “connect” is often not enough.

During our recent HfS Working Summit on the rise of the As-a-Service Economy (May 12th, 2015 in Dallas, TX), I had a chance to sit down with Dan McCue, SVP of F&A BPO, Sutherland Global Services. We discussed a number of issues facing both the enterprise and the provider, as they both seek to become more nimble and agile, and redefine the way they approach loyalty, partnerships, and the end-to-end business ecosystem.

Dan’s thoughts on the disruptive nature of the As-a-Service Economy, and how it can both bring greater value to, and potentially disrupt, the provider-enterprise partnership model can be applied across the BPO and digital business spectrum.

A few key themes of our conversation include:

On defining As-a-Service: It’s a nimble, faster, more client-centric way to provide a solution. It can allow a much faster implementation – and value — when it leverages an “out of the box” solutions-oriented approach. 

Discussing the issue of Loyalty: Digital hasn’t changed loyalty — it’s still about flawless execution – making sure you’ve got the right talent, the right upgrades, and the right transparency.  

Regarding partnerships: The market is becoming increasingly tactical, but the value of strategic – particularly with partnerships – has never been greater.  If the customer isn’t engaged with you, they’re never going to see the value. Areas like governance need to be rethought, allowing the enterprise and provider to maintain relevancy to each other in the As-a-Service Economy.

Thanks again to Dan and Sutherland Global Services for their sponsorship of this Working Summit, and for sharing their insights with the HfS global community.