Strategic partnership management enables enterprises to collaborate with partners, improving in-house efficiency. Partners identify productivity opportunities, such as transitioning in-house agents to the providers’ care. This approach fosters long-term, mutually beneficial relationships between providers and enterprises by engaging key stakeholders. These relationships transcend traditional engagement approaches and prioritize outcomes to maximize benefits for both enterprises and providers. The strategic partnership management approach empowers account management teams to deliver personalized services to enterprises and meet their evolving demands. In this report, we assess the significance of the strategic partnership management approach in managing complex partnerships effectively within the business landscape. The report also analyzes the key benefits for enterprises and providers, along with its impact on management decisions. Scope All industries and geographies Contents In this report, we examine: Strategic partnership management’s role in unlocking long-term value for enterprises and influencing vendor decisions Key parameters of strategic partnership management Strategic partnership management as a differentiating factor Impact of dynamic BPS trends on strategic partnership management Membership(s) Customer Experience Management (CXM) Services, including Contact Center Outsourcing CX Excellence Sourcing and Vendor Management

In March 2024, US-headquartered HR solution provider Deel, which started out as an Employer of Record (EOR), announced the acquisition of a prominent Africa-based payroll and HR software and services company, PaySpace. The acquisition holds significant market implications: it signals a shift in EOR providers’ ambitions to develop global payroll capabilities and could spur similar M&As in the market. Additionally, we anticipate that the acquisition will propel Deel closer to its goal of creating a full-suite HR platform that addresses employees' payroll, HR, performance, and compliance needs. In this report, we analyze the acquisition’s background and context and its benefits for Deel and PaySpace. We also explore its implications for the EOR and Multi-country Payroll (MCP) markets, including a rise in investments in global employment platforms and intensification of competition in the market. Scope All industries and geographies Contents In this report, we examine: Key trends in the HR outsourcing space Background and context of the acquisition Benefits of the acquisition for Deel Benefits of the acquisition for PaySpace Market implications of the acquisition Membership(s) Human Resources Outsourcing Excellence

The impact of generative AI on the Trust and Safety (T&S) Business Process Services (BPS) space has been significant and transformative. While generative AI can enhance efficiencies in T&S teams for content moderation, the sheer volume of content it generates poses a threat to existing moderation efforts. In this report, we explore generative AI’s impact on the evolution of content in digital platforms within the T&S industry. We also examine the industry-specific challenges posed by AI-generated content and discuss the short-term and long-term considerations necessary to future-proof T&S strategies for enterprises. Additionally, the report explores the benefits of outsourcing and provides detailed insights into the capabilities that enterprises should look for when selecting providers to manage AI-generated content. Scope All industries and geographies Contents In this report, we: Generative AI’s impact on digital platforms Industry-specific T&S challenges that generative AI poses Current enterprise measures to tackle AI-generated content Short- and long-term considerations to future-proof enterprise’s T&S capabilities Capabilities to look for when selecting a T&S service provider Membership(s) Trust and Safety Sourcing and Vendor Management

Digital platforms use various AI-enabled technologies such as ML and Natural Language Processing (NLP) for content moderation, user authentication, and fraud prevention. However, AI’s potential to address the entire spectrum of safety concerns is yet to be explored. Additionally, the emergence of generative AI necessitates a shift in our approach to content moderation, compelling increased investments to develop a robust safety infrastructure. In this report, we explore the current state of technologies in the Trust and Safety (T&S) landscape and highlight AI’s vast potential in enhancing user safety. We also propose an AI investment strategy based on a holistic platform-based approach. This approach encompasses both the right tools and solutions and adheres to responsible AI principles to ensure ethical and sustainable content moderation practices. Scope All industries and geographies Contents In this report, we: Explore the current state of technologies in the T&S landscape Discuss AI’s potential in enhancing user safety Propose an AI investment strategy for enterprises Membership(s) Trust and Safety Sourcing and Vendor Management

Amid reduced enterprise spending and surging content volumes, the Trust and Safety (T&S) services segment is struggling to maintain safety in the online community. Megamergers between key industry players are reshaping the competitive landscape, while there is a noticeable shift toward platform-based solutions that integrate advanced AI algorithms for automated moderation. At the same time, organizations are increasingly realizing the need for human intervention, especially in handling nuanced and context-dependent content. In this report, we explore the emerging trends – from mega mergers to generative AI and their impact – in the T&S landscape. As organizations respond to these trends, they will have to recalibrate their sourcing strategies to offer cost-effective solutions without compromising quality. Scope: Service: T&S All industries and geographies Membership(s) Trust and Safety Sourcing and Vendor Management

The global gaming industry has evolved from traditional video games and arcade games to online mobile gaming, cloud gaming, and Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games (MMORPG). This shift can be attributed to the increasing proliferation of the internet, smartphones, and other connected devices. The shift also signals that game studios, which traditionally focused on game development, including game design, coding, and quality assurance, now have other concerns and player expectations to manage, such as player safety, financial fraud, data privacy, and online child safety. In this report, we discuss how game studios need to think beyond game design to deliver differentiated Player Experience (PX), outline the PX life cycle, and list key focus areas for game studios to deliver superior PX. We also discuss the importance of people, processes, and technology for gaming studios to reduce the gap between their offerings and player expectations. Additionally, we outline the advantages of third-party partnerships and recommend a framework to assist game studios in choosing the right partner to deliver differentiated PX. Scope Industry: customer experience management, trust and safety, gaming Geography: global Contents In this report, we: Provide an overview of the game development life cycle Elaborate on the importance of the PX life cycle Discuss the key features of holistic PX Recommend strategies for collaborating with third-party providers to deliver differentiated PX Membership(s) Trust and Safety CX Excellence Customer Experience Management (CXM) Services, including Contact Center Outsourcing Sourcing and Vendor Management

With the surge of online content, the universe of harmful material is expanding rapidly, making it necessary for enterprises to implement real-time content moderation and robust safety measures. To ensure user safety, there is a pressing need for a Trust and Safety (T&S) tech-based solution that streamlines the moderation process and reduces the need for manual intervention. Although the current third-party technology for T&S is still not highly advanced and only offers a basic filtering layer, we are experiencing gradual shifts that are leading us toward a holistic, end-to-end platform-based solution. In this report, we examine the current T&S technology landscape and explore the evolving market trends that are shaping the future. The report also features 19 technology providers and provides valuable insights into their leadership, funding, growth, technology capabilities, market recognition, partnership ecosystem, and innovation. Scope Services: T&S All industries and geographies The report is based on interactions with T&S technology providers and Everest Group’s tracking of the T&S technology landscape Contents In this report, we examine: The current and future state of the T&S technology market Evolving trends in the T&S technology market The technology provider landscape Profiles of T&S technology providers Membership(s) Trust and Safety Sourcing and Vendor Management

In recent years, content moderation has scaled tremendously due to rising content volumes and technical limitations in filtering objectionable content. Regular exposure to disturbing content is causing psychological and emotional distress in content moderators, necessitating the need for well-being support. As the industry advances to new forms of immersive content, enterprises and providers are transitioning from reactive strategies to robust well-being programs to promote moderator well-being and support. In this viewpoint, we explore the current trends and future concerns of content moderator well-being in the Trust and Safety (T&S) landscape. Scope Services: T&S All industries and geographies Contents In this report, we examine: Well-being in content moderation Challenges to moderator well-being Industry-wide practices for moderator well-being Membership(s) Trust and Safety Sourcing and Vendor Management

The marketing industry is experiencing strong headwinds from the demise of third-party cookies to rapidly evolving customer preferences. To remain relevant, enterprises need to embrace first-party data, orchestrate customer-centric marketing strategies, and improve operational efficiencies. This can be achieved through intelligent automation backed by next-generation technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Natural Language Processing (NLP). Marketers should have a long-term plan for implementing intelligent automation based on broader business goals, customer preferences, and talent availability. In this viewpoint, we explore the applications of intelligent automation in the marketing services industry, highlight challenges in its adoption, and recommend strategies to effectively utilize next-generation technologies to achieve hyper-personalization and enhanced cross-channel engagement. Scope Industry: marketing services Geography: global Contents In this viewpoint, we: Examine intelligent automation in the marketing services industry Explore various use cases of intelligent automation in marketing Outline the trends shaping the marketing service provider landscape Discuss the challenges of leveraging intelligent automation Suggest best practices for implementing intelligent automation Membership(s) Marketing and Interactive Experience Sourcing and Vendor Management

Social platforms are dealing with an explosion of digital content, which is generated in multiple formats and languages and over several channels. This content needs to be moderated to ensure the safety of users, establish the liability of harmful content, protect user data privacy, ensure workforce wellbeing, and safeguard children from online misconduct. In recent years, international and local regulators have enacted many laws to this end. Enterprises and providers need to stay updated with these laws and proactively orchestrate policies and standards to ensure conformity with local laws for content moderation and data privacy, among others. Moreover, as the demand for content moderation increases due to increasing localization, proliferation, and consumption of content, organizations need to ensure they source the right talent for content moderation and conform to local and international labor well-being laws. In this research, we recommend that enterprises should proactively track the evolving regulatory landscape, collectively brainstorm best practices, leverage technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP), and explore low-cost delivery models to overcome the challenges of the content moderation regulatory landscape. Scope Industry: trust and safety Geography: global Contents In this report, we: Examine the content moderation regulatory landscape Describe the challenges for enterprises in a strict regulatory landscape and best practices for risk mitigation Provide a brief overview of the metaverse and its implications on the content moderation regulatory landscape Membership(s) Trust and Safety Sourcing and Vendor Management