呼叫中心外包已經(jīng)發(fā)展了許多年了。但是，呼叫中心外包也許不是機(jī)構(gòu)的正確選擇。最近在SearchCRM.com網(wǎng)站舉行的辯論中，專(zhuān)家Lori Bocklund說(shuō)，外包能夠幫助企業(yè)省錢(qián)和提供更好的服務(wù)。而專(zhuān)家Richard Snow爭(zhēng)辯說(shuō)，客戶是公司的最佳資產(chǎn)，應(yīng)該把客戶留在公司內(nèi)部。下面用SearchCRM.com網(wǎng)站的問(wèn)答測(cè)驗(yàn)對(duì)自己進(jìn)行一下測(cè)試，學(xué)習(xí)更多的有關(guān)外包的詞匯并且練習(xí)根據(jù)這些知識(shí)做出決策。

開(kāi)始進(jìn)行問(wèn)答測(cè)驗(yàn)：

1.創(chuàng)建這個(gè)詞匯是為了說(shuō)明與相鄰國(guó)家的人簽署外包合同而不是與遙遠(yuǎn)的國(guó)家的人簽署外包合同的做法。
答案：近岸外包（Nearshore outsourcing）

近岸外包是讓鄰國(guó)而不是本國(guó)的人完成工作和服務(wù)的做法。例如，美國(guó)的許多公司把工作外包給加拿大和墨西哥。地理位置近意味著旅行和通訊更方便和更便宜，而且至少在文化方面有共通性，人們很可能說(shuō)同樣的語(yǔ)言。

nearshore outsourcing

- Nearshore outsourcing is the practice of getting work done or services performed by people in neighboring countries rather than in your own country. Many companies in the United States, for example, outsource work to Canada and Mexico. Geographic proximity means that travel and communications are easier and less expensive, there are likely to be at least some commonalities between the cultures, and people are more likely to speak the same language.

2.這是一個(gè)企業(yè)擁有特殊實(shí)力的領(lǐng)域。企業(yè)可能把不重要的業(yè)務(wù)領(lǐng)域外包出去，以便把資源集中在這里。
答案：核心能力（Core competency）

核心能力是基本的知識(shí)、能力或者在具體學(xué)科方面的專(zhuān)長(zhǎng)或者一套技能。例如，一個(gè)獲得微軟認(rèn)證軟件工程師的人據(jù)說(shuō)就擁有在某些微軟系統(tǒng)和網(wǎng)絡(luò)方面的核心能力。在市場(chǎng)上擁有具體實(shí)力的公司，如數(shù)據(jù)存儲(chǔ)或者財(cái)務(wù)應(yīng)用程序開(kāi)發(fā)，就可以說(shuō)在那個(gè)領(lǐng)域具有核心能力。這個(gè)詞匯的核心部分指的是一個(gè)人擁有堅(jiān)實(shí)的基礎(chǔ)，并且從這個(gè)基礎(chǔ)出發(fā)獲得做一項(xiàng)具體工作的額外的能力，或者一個(gè)用堅(jiān)實(shí)基礎(chǔ)的公司從這個(gè)基礎(chǔ)出發(fā)開(kāi)發(fā)額外的產(chǎn)品。

core competency

A core competency is fundamental knowledge, ability, or expertise in a specific subject area or skill set. For example, an individual who becomes certified as a Microsoft Certified Software Engineer (MCSE) is said to have a core competency in certain Microsoft systems and networks. Companies with specific strengths in the marketplace, such as data storage or the development of accounting applications, can be said to have a core competency in that area. The core part of the term indicates that the individual has a strong basis from which to gain the additional competence to do a specific job or that a company has a strong basis from which to develop additional products.

3.這是一種把具體的商務(wù)任務(wù)（分類(lèi)為前臺(tái)任務(wù)或者后臺(tái)任務(wù)）外包給一個(gè)服務(wù)提供商的做法。
答案：商務(wù)流程外包（Business process outsourcing）

商務(wù)流程外包是把工資單等具體的商務(wù)任務(wù)外包給第三方服務(wù)提供商的做法。一般來(lái)說(shuō)，商務(wù)流程外包對(duì)于一家公司的非核心業(yè)務(wù)來(lái)說(shuō)是一種節(jié)省開(kāi)支的做法。商務(wù)流程外包通常分為兩種類(lèi)型：包括記賬或者采購(gòu)的內(nèi)部商務(wù)功能的后臺(tái)外包；包括市場(chǎng)營(yíng)銷(xiāo)或者技術(shù)支持的與客戶有關(guān)的前臺(tái)外包。

外包給國(guó)外的商務(wù)流程外包一般稱(chēng)作離岸外包。外包給鄰國(guó)的商務(wù)流程外包一般稱(chēng)作近岸外包。外包給公司自己國(guó)家的商務(wù)流程外包一般稱(chēng)作在岸外包。

business process outsourcing

- Business process outsourcing (BPO) is the contracting of a specific business task, such as payroll, to a third-party service provider. Usually, BPO is implemented as a cost-saving measure for tasks that a company requires but does not depend upon to maintain their position in the marketplace. BPO is often divided into two categories: back office outsourcing which includes internal business functions such as billing or purchasing, and front office outsourcing which includes customer-related services such as marketing or tech support.
BPO that is contracted outside a company's own country is sometimes called offshore outsourcing. BPO that is contracted to a company's neighboring country is sometimes called nearshore outsourcing, and BPO that is contracted with the company's own county is sometimes called onshore outsourcing.

4.有時(shí)候被當(dāng)作衡量管理效率的一般標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。這是一個(gè)金融詞匯，用于衡量花費(fèi)了一筆資金后獲得的利潤(rùn)或節(jié)省的成本。
答案：投資回報(bào)（ROI）

對(duì)于企業(yè)中指定的資金使用，投資回報(bào)是指它實(shí)現(xiàn)了多少利潤(rùn)或者節(jié)約了多少成本。投資回報(bào)計(jì)算有時(shí)候與其它方法一起使用以便為指定的建議制定一個(gè)商務(wù)實(shí)例。一個(gè)企業(yè)整個(gè)的投資回報(bào)有時(shí)候用于指導(dǎo)企業(yè)管理。

如果一個(gè)企業(yè)有增加市場(chǎng)份額、建立基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施、待價(jià)而沽等直接的目標(biāo)，投資回報(bào)的衡量標(biāo)準(zhǔn)是實(shí)現(xiàn)了其中的一個(gè)或者更多的目標(biāo)，而不是直接的利潤(rùn)或者所節(jié)省成本。

ROI

- For a given use of money in an enterprise, the ROI (return on investment) is how much profit or cost saving is realized. An ROI calculation is sometimes used along with other approaches to develop a business case for a given proposal. The overall ROI for an enterprise is sometimes used as a way to grade how well a company is managed.
If an enterprise has immediate objectives of getting market revenue share, building infrastructure, positioning itself for sale, or other objectives, a return on investment might be measured in terms of meeting one or more of these objectives rather than in immediate profit or cost saving.

5.為這些客戶服務(wù)的客戶服務(wù)代理可能在全球的任何一個(gè)地方工作，而不是在他的雇主所在的地方工作。
答案：虛擬呼叫中心（Virtual call center）

虛擬呼叫中心是機(jī)構(gòu)的代表在地理上比較分散的、不在這個(gè)機(jī)構(gòu)的辦公樓里的工作站中的呼叫中心。虛擬呼叫中心的雇員也許分成小組在許多小的中心工作，或者這些雇員經(jīng)常在家里工作。這對(duì)許多雇員來(lái)說(shuō)是一個(gè)誘人的工作安排：工作時(shí)間通常是靈活的，不需要著裝規(guī)范和通勤。對(duì)于機(jī)構(gòu)來(lái)說(shuō)，虛擬呼叫中心模式節(jié)省了房間和設(shè)備成本，減少了雇員的轉(zhuǎn)置率。轉(zhuǎn)置率在一般的呼叫中心是很高的。

轉(zhuǎn)換到虛擬呼叫中心模式有許多好處。例如，My Twinn（一家高端玩具娃娃廠商）在2000年采用了虛擬呼叫中心模式。那一年，30%以上的查詢(xún)電話轉(zhuǎn)化為了訂單，雇員轉(zhuǎn)置率下降了88%，需要轉(zhuǎn)到上一級(jí)的電話（由更高一級(jí)的雇員接聽(tīng)的）比1999年下降了90%。對(duì)于那些季節(jié)性比較強(qiáng)的公司來(lái)說(shuō)，虛擬模式還意味著這些公司不必整年保持龐大的設(shè)施。例如，My Twinn在繁忙的圣誕節(jié)期間需要400個(gè)客戶支持雇員。但是，在一年中的其余時(shí)間里，大約25個(gè)客戶支持雇員就夠了。

要顯示出專(zhuān)業(yè)性和提高客戶的信心，甚至磚和水泥的呼叫中心也試圖向客戶展示機(jī)構(gòu)的虛擬辦公室。撥打客戶服務(wù)或者技術(shù)支持電話號(hào)碼的客戶感覺(jué)他們的電話接到了這個(gè)機(jī)構(gòu)的一個(gè)部門(mén)，實(shí)際上，這個(gè)電話可能接到了把技術(shù)支持外包給幾個(gè)不同機(jī)構(gòu)的公司。在虛擬呼叫中心的案例中，客戶的印象可能更加虛幻，因?yàn)檫@個(gè)電話可能接到一位呆在家里的家長(zhǎng)的廚房或者一個(gè)大學(xué)生的宿舍里。

virtual call center

- A virtual call center is a call center in which the organization's representatives are geographically dispersed, rather than being situated at work stations in a building operated by the organization. Virtual call center employees may be situated in groups in a number of smaller centers, but most often they work from their own homes. This is an attractive arrangement for many employees: the hours are often flexible, and there's no dress code or commute. For the organization, the virtual call center model saves housing and equipment costs and can lead to lower employee turnover rates, which tend to be high for physical call centers.
Switching to a virtual call center model can be very beneficial. One example: My Twinn (a high-end doll manufacturer) went to a virtual model in 2000. That year, 30% more inquiry calls were converted to orders, employee turnover decreased 88%, and 90% fewer calls had to be escalated (transferred to a higher-level employee), compared to 1999. For companies whose business is highly seasonal, the virtual model also means that they don't have to maintain large facilities year-round. My Twinn, for example, requires over 400 customer support employees in their busy Christmas season, but only about 25 the rest of the year.

To appear professional and increase customer confidence, even bricks and mortar call centers attempt to present customers with a virtual representation of an organization's offices. The customer, dialing a customer service or technical support number, is given the impression that their call reaches a physical department within the organization, when in fact, it is likely to reach a company that outsources support for several different organizations. In the case of the virtual call center the customer's impression is even more illusory, as the number is quite likely to reach the kitchen of a stay-at-home parent, or the dorm room of a university student.

6.這是一個(gè)自動(dòng)的程序，設(shè)法提供與一個(gè)客戶服務(wù)代表為一個(gè)機(jī)構(gòu)提供的相同的服務(wù)。
答案：虛擬代理（Virtual agent）

1）在客戶關(guān)系管理中，虛擬代理（有時(shí)稱(chēng)作智能虛擬代理、虛擬代表）是一個(gè)聊天機(jī)器人程序，能夠充當(dāng)一個(gè)機(jī)構(gòu)的在線客戶服務(wù)代表。由于虛擬代理有人類(lèi)的面孔和恰當(dāng)?shù)鼗卮鹂蛻舻膯?wèn)題，它們能像人員服務(wù)一樣提供自動(dòng)的交流。把人工智能與圖形代表結(jié)合起來(lái)，虛擬代理越來(lái)越多地應(yīng)用在CRM中以幫助人們完成查找信息、下訂單和訂膳宿等任務(wù)。客戶對(duì)應(yīng)用虛擬代理的反應(yīng)基本上是積極的。一般來(lái)說(shuō)，人們與虛擬代理的談話時(shí)間要比同真人談話的時(shí)間長(zhǎng)一些，也許是因?yàn)榕c會(huì)回答問(wèn)題的人性化的計(jì)算機(jī)談話很新穎。虛擬代理一般都編輯了許多腳本能夠回答廣泛的問(wèn)題和發(fā)表評(píng)論。例如，虛擬代理偶爾會(huì)接到結(jié)婚的建議。如果客戶對(duì)腳本式的答復(fù)感到困惑而說(shuō)話粗魯，虛擬代理就會(huì)像人一樣失去耐心。例如，當(dāng)一個(gè)客戶說(shuō)虛擬代理是傻瓜時(shí)，這個(gè)虛擬代理可能的回答之一是：我是一個(gè)無(wú)生命的物體。你在侮辱一個(gè)無(wú)生命的物體。我們之中哪一個(gè)更適合韋伯斯特字典中愚蠢的定義？

據(jù)虛擬代理提供商eGain公司稱(chēng)，一個(gè)自動(dòng)的代表能夠減少技術(shù)支持成本，鼓勵(lì)自助服務(wù)，鼓勵(lì)客戶忠誠(chéng)并且可以成為企業(yè)的品牌工具。

2）虛擬代理還指在互聯(lián)網(wǎng)上工作的人類(lèi)代理。這些代理的工作地點(diǎn)與雇主的位置相距較遠(yuǎn)。

virtual agent

- 1) In customer relationship management (CRM), a virtual agent (sometimes called an intelligent virtual agent, virtual rep or v-rep) is a chatterbot program that serves as an online customer service representative for an organization. Because virtual agents have a human appearance and respond appropriately to customer questions, they lend automated interactions a semblance of personal service. Combining artificial intelligence (AI) with a graphical representation, virtual agents are increasingly used in CRM to help people perform tasks such as locating information or placing orders and making reservations.
Customer response to the use of virtual agents has been largely positive. Typically, people talk to a virtual agent longer than they do to an actual person, perhaps because talking to a responsive, personalized computer program is a novelty. Virtual agents are usually scripted to respond to a wide variety of questions and remarks. (For example, they occasionally receive proposals of marriage.) If a customer becomes frustrated by the scripted responses and is rude, a virtual agent, like its human counterpart, may appear to lose its patience. For instance, when a customer calls a virtual agent stupid, one of the possible responses is: "I'm an inanimate object. You're hurling insults at an inanimate object. Which one of us is more likely to fit Webster's definition of stupid?"

According to eGain, a virtual agent provider, an automated representative can reduce support costs, encourage self-service, encourage customer loyalty, and serve as a branding tool for the enterprise.

2) Virtual agent is also used to refer to a human agent who works over the Internet at some distance from the employer's organization.

7.這種類(lèi)型的外包公司為其它公司提供存儲(chǔ)空間和相關(guān)的管理職責(zé)，如備份和存檔等。
答案：存儲(chǔ)服務(wù)提供商（Storage service provider）

在互聯(lián)網(wǎng)上，存儲(chǔ)服務(wù)提供商是向其它公司提供計(jì)算機(jī)存儲(chǔ)空間和相關(guān)的管理的公司。除了存儲(chǔ)本身之外，存儲(chǔ)服務(wù)提供商還提供定期的備份和存檔，某些公司還提供把多家公司位置的數(shù)據(jù)整合在一起的能力，這樣所有地點(diǎn)都可以高效率地共享這些數(shù)據(jù)。客戶可以按月付費(fèi)或者按照存儲(chǔ)的數(shù)據(jù)量付費(fèi)。兩家主要的存儲(chǔ)服務(wù)提供商是StorageNetworks公司和Managed Storage International。

有些公司專(zhuān)門(mén)向個(gè)人計(jì)算機(jī)用戶或者小企業(yè)提供限定的存儲(chǔ)服務(wù)，如定期的遠(yuǎn)程備份等。

storage service provider

- Also see two related terms, application service provider and management service provider.
On the Internet, a storage service provider (SSP) is a company that provides computer storage space and related management to other companies. In addition to the storage itself, SSPs typically offer periodic backup and archiving and some offer the ability to consolidate data from multiple company locations so that all locations can share the data effectively. Customers may be billed a monthly rate and for each managed terabyte of storage. Two leading SSP companies are StorageNetworks and Managed Storage International.

Some companies specialize in providing limited storage service, such as periodic remote backup, to individual computer users and small businesses.

8.通過(guò)IP和公共電信系統(tǒng)，這種類(lèi)型的網(wǎng)絡(luò)把一家公司的內(nèi)部網(wǎng)延伸到供應(yīng)商、廠商、合作伙伴、客戶或者其它公司。
答案：外部網(wǎng)（Extranet）

外部網(wǎng)是一種使用互聯(lián)網(wǎng)技術(shù)和公共電信系統(tǒng)與供應(yīng)商、廠商、合作伙伴、客戶或者其它企業(yè)安全地共享企業(yè)信息或者其它經(jīng)營(yíng)信息的專(zhuān)用網(wǎng)絡(luò)。外部網(wǎng)可以看作是企業(yè)內(nèi)部網(wǎng)絡(luò)的一部分，是內(nèi)部網(wǎng)擴(kuò)大到了公司外部的用戶。人們一直把外部網(wǎng)描繪成一種心態(tài)”。內(nèi)部網(wǎng)被看作是以這種心態(tài)與其它公司做生意和向客戶出售產(chǎn)品的一種方式。

外部網(wǎng)需要安全和隱私。這包括防火墻服務(wù)器管理、發(fā)放和使用數(shù)字證書(shū)或者類(lèi)似的用戶身份識(shí)別、加密信息和使用像隧道一樣穿過(guò)公共網(wǎng)絡(luò)的虛擬專(zhuān)用網(wǎng)（VPN）。

企業(yè)可以使用外部網(wǎng)從事如下工作：

·交換大量的使用電子數(shù)據(jù)交換（EDI）的數(shù)據(jù)。

·與批發(fā)商或者參與交易的那些人獨(dú)家共享產(chǎn)品目錄。

·在聯(lián)合開(kāi)發(fā)方面與其它公司進(jìn)行協(xié)作。

·與其它公司一起開(kāi)發(fā)和使用培訓(xùn)計(jì)劃。

·提供或者訪問(wèn)一家公司向一群公司提供的服務(wù)，如一家公司代表關(guān)聯(lián)的銀行管理的在線銀行應(yīng)用程序等。

·與合作伙伴公司獨(dú)家共享共同關(guān)心的新聞。

extranet

- An extranet is a private network that uses Internet technology and the public telecommunication system to securely share part of a business's information or operations with suppliers, vendors, partners, customers, or other businesses. An extranet can be viewed as part of a company's intranet that is extended to users outside the company. It has also been described as a "state of mind" in which the Internet is perceived as a way to do business with other companies as well as to sell products to customers.
An extranet requires security and privacy. These can include firewall server management, the issuance and use of digital certificates or similar means of user authentication, encryption of messages, and the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) that tunnel through the public network.

9.通過(guò)把直接和間接的成本以及可量化的利潤(rùn)結(jié)合在一起，這種計(jì)算能夠創(chuàng)建一次采購(gòu)的實(shí)際成本的現(xiàn)實(shí)的預(yù)測(cè)。
答案：總擁有成本（Total cost of ownership）

總擁有成本（TCO）是旨在幫助客戶和企業(yè)經(jīng)理人評(píng)估采購(gòu)任何IT組件的直接和間接成本以及相關(guān)利益的一種計(jì)算方法。其目的是得到一個(gè)最終的數(shù)字，反映采購(gòu)的有效成本和考慮到的所有事情。當(dāng)你決定購(gòu)買(mǎi)一臺(tái)計(jì)算機(jī)的時(shí)候，你可以考慮進(jìn)行一次總擁有成本分析。例如，一臺(tái)高端計(jì)算機(jī)的更高的成本價(jià)格也許是一種考慮的因素，但是，你還必須考慮增加維修成本和早期更換的廉價(jià)品牌的采購(gòu)成本。

總擁有成本分析是Gartner Group幾年前開(kāi)始最先使用的，并且從那開(kāi)始發(fā)展了許多不同的方法和軟件工具。總擁有成本分析對(duì)任何采購(gòu)的擴(kuò)展成本進(jìn)行計(jì)算，這稱(chēng)作全面負(fù)擔(dān)的成本。對(duì)于消費(fèi)者購(gòu)買(mǎi)一臺(tái)計(jì)算機(jī)來(lái)說(shuō)，這個(gè)全面負(fù)擔(dān)成本可能包括采購(gòu)、維修、保養(yǎng)和升級(jí)的成本。對(duì)于企業(yè)購(gòu)買(mǎi)一臺(tái)計(jì)算機(jī)來(lái)說(shuō)，這個(gè)全面負(fù)擔(dān)成本還包括服務(wù)和技術(shù)支持、網(wǎng)絡(luò)、安全、用戶培訓(xùn)和軟件許可證等成本。總擁有成本要與總擁有利益（TBO）進(jìn)行比較以確定這個(gè)采購(gòu)的可行性。

TCO

- TCO (total cost of ownership) is a type of calculation designed to help consumers and enterprise managers assess both direct and indirect costs and benefits related to the purchase of any IT component. The intention is to arrive at a final figure that will reflect the effective cost of purchase, all things considered. When you decide to buy a computer you may go through a TCO analysis: for example, the greater cost price of a high-end computer might be one consideration, but one that would have to be balanced by adding likely repair costs and earlier replacement to the purchase cost of the bargain brand.
TCO analysis originated with the Gartner Group several years ago and has since been developed in a number of different methodologies and software tools. TCO analysis performs calculations on extended costs for any purchase - these are called fully burdened costs. For the consumer's purchase of a computer, the fully burdened cost may include costs of purchase, repairs, maintenance, and upgrades. For the business purchase of a computer, the fully burdened costs can also include such things as service and support, networking, security, user training, and software licensing. The TCO has to be compared to the total benefits of ownership (TBO) to determine the viability of the purchase.

10.有些時(shí)候稱(chēng)作apps-on-tap”，這類(lèi)解決方案提供應(yīng)用程序和服務(wù)的訪問(wèn)，這些應(yīng)用程序和服務(wù)本應(yīng)該是在你自己的計(jì)算機(jī)中的。
答案：應(yīng)用服務(wù)提供商（Application service provider）

應(yīng)用服務(wù)提供商（ASP）提供訪問(wèn)在互聯(lián)網(wǎng)上的應(yīng)用程序和相關(guān)的服務(wù)的公司。這些應(yīng)用程序和相關(guān)的服務(wù)本應(yīng)該在他們自己的個(gè)人計(jì)算機(jī)或者企業(yè)計(jì)算機(jī)中的。應(yīng)用服務(wù)提供商有時(shí)候稱(chēng)作apps-on-tap”。應(yīng)用服務(wù)提供商預(yù)計(jì)要成為一種重要的替代的公司，不僅服務(wù)于IT預(yù)算較少的小企業(yè)，而且還要作為一種外包模式服務(wù)于大型企業(yè)并且為個(gè)人提供許多服務(wù)。早期的應(yīng)用包括：

·為大型企業(yè)提供的遠(yuǎn)程接入服務(wù)。

·移動(dòng)用戶可以連接的住宅外的局域網(wǎng)，配置統(tǒng)一的文件服務(wù)器。

·專(zhuān)用的應(yīng)用程序。這種應(yīng)用程序在你自己的公司或者在你自己的計(jì)算機(jī)上安裝和維護(hù)是很昂貴的。

惠普、SAP和Qwest等公司已經(jīng)組建了提供ASP服務(wù)的第一個(gè)主要的聯(lián)盟。他們計(jì)劃把SAP流行的R/3應(yīng)用程序提供給網(wǎng)絡(luò)中心。網(wǎng)絡(luò)中心將把這個(gè)應(yīng)用程序提供給其它企業(yè)。微軟將允許某些公司以租賃或者按使用收費(fèi)等方式提供其BackOffice產(chǎn)品，包括SQL Server、Exchange和Windows NT Server。

雖然應(yīng)用服務(wù)提供商預(yù)計(jì)將按照使用收費(fèi)或者按年度許可證收費(fèi)等模式向小企業(yè)和個(gè)人提供應(yīng)用程序和服務(wù)，但是，大型企業(yè)都在內(nèi)部提供自己的這種服務(wù)，把應(yīng)用程序從個(gè)人計(jì)算機(jī)轉(zhuǎn)移到專(zhuān)用的服務(wù)器上。這種服務(wù)器可以處理簡(jiǎn)裝的瘦客戶工作站。這種做法能夠讓企業(yè)重新說(shuō)明集中管理應(yīng)用程序的成本和管理企業(yè)過(guò)去在計(jì)算機(jī)出現(xiàn)之前的那段時(shí)間的應(yīng)用。微軟的終端服務(wù)器產(chǎn)品和Citrix公司的WinFrame產(chǎn)品在瘦客戶機(jī)應(yīng)用服務(wù)器產(chǎn)品中處于領(lǐng)先的地位。

application service provider

-ASP is also an abbreviation for Active Server Page.

An application service provider (ASP) is a company that offers individuals or enterprises access over the Internet to applications and related services that would otherwise have to be located in their own personal or enterprise computers. Sometimes referred to as "apps-on-tap," ASP services are expected to become an important alternative, not only for smaller companies with low budgets for information technology, but also for larger companies as a form of outsourcing and for many services for individuals as well. Early applications include:

remote access serving for the users of an enterprise
An off-premises local area network to which mobile users can be connected, with a common file server
Specialized applications that would be expensive to install and maintain within your own company or on your own computer
Hewlett-Packard, SAP, and Qwest have formed one of the first major alliances for providing ASP services. They plan to make SAP's popular R/3 applications available at "cybercenters" that will serve the applications to other companies. Microsoft is allowing some companies to offer its BackOffice products, including SQL Server, Exchange and Windows NT Server on a rental, pay-as-you-use basis.

While ASPs are forecast to provide applications and services to small enterprises and individuals on a pay-per-use or yearly license basis, larger corporations are essentially providing their own ASP service in-house, moving applications off personal computers and putting them on a special kind of application server that is designed to handle the stripped-down kind of thin client workstation. This allows an enterprise to reassert the central control over application cost and usage that corporations formerly had in the period prior to the advent of the PC. Microsoft's terminal server product and Citrix's WinFrame products are leading thin-client application server products.