{"id":16768,"date":"2024-05-30T18:44:24","date_gmt":"2024-05-30T18:44:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/?p=16768"},"modified":"2025-11-26T13:37:01","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T13:37:01","slug":"from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/blog\/from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing\/","title":{"rendered":"From Roman Tax Collectors to Global Business Partners: A History of Outsourcing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 fusion-flex-container nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"max-width:1216.8px;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\"><p class=\"bp-fnt\">Outsourcing, the practice of contracting out business processes to external providers, has a long history that spans centuries. Initially, it involved basic tasks but has evolved into a complex strategy integral to modern business operations, including Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), which encompasses contact centers and back-office functions.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-1 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-two\" style=\"--awb-margin-top-small:10px;--awb-margin-right-small:0px;--awb-margin-bottom-small:10px;--awb-margin-left-small:0px;\"><h2 class=\"fusion-title-heading title-heading-left fusion-responsive-typography-calculated\" style=\"margin:0;--fontSize:42;line-height:1.2;\">Key Takeaways<\/h2><\/div><ul style=\"--awb-margin-top:20px;--awb-margin-bottom:20px;--awb-item-padding-top:10px;--awb-item-padding-right:10px;--awb-item-padding-bottom:10px;--awb-item-padding-left:10px;--awb-odd-row-bgcolor:var(--awb-custom12);--awb-even-row-bgcolor:var(--awb-custom12);--awb-line-height:30.6px;--awb-icon-width:30.6px;--awb-icon-height:30.6px;--awb-icon-margin:12.6px;--awb-content-margin:43.2px;--awb-circlecolor:var(--awb-custom_color_3);--awb-circle-yes-font-size:15.84px;\" class=\"fusion-checklist fusion-checklist-1 type-numbered key_takeaways\"><li class=\"fusion-li-item\" style=\"\"><span class=\"icon-wrapper circle-yes\">1<\/span><div class=\"fusion-li-item-content\">Outsourcing Has Ancient Roots \u2013 The Roman and Byzantine Empires outsourced tax collection.<\/div><\/li><li class=\"fusion-li-item\" style=\"\"><span class=\"icon-wrapper circle-yes\">2<\/span><div class=\"fusion-li-item-content\">The 1776 &#8220;<b>Wealth of Nations<\/b>&#8221; laid the foundation for outsourcing by promoting specialization and division of labor.<\/div><\/li><li class=\"fusion-li-item\" style=\"\"><span class=\"icon-wrapper circle-yes\">3<\/span><div class=\"fusion-li-item-content\">Countries like the <b>Philippines, Pakistan, and China<\/b> emerged as outsourcing hubs.<\/div><\/li><li class=\"fusion-li-item\" style=\"\"><span class=\"icon-wrapper circle-yes\">4<\/span><div class=\"fusion-li-item-content\">Today, outsourcing is a strategic partnership powered by digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and automation.<\/div><\/li><li class=\"fusion-li-item\" style=\"\"><span class=\"icon-wrapper circle-yes\">5<\/span><div class=\"fusion-li-item-content\">Outsourcing is no longer just about cost savings; it helps businesses boost quality and stay competitive.<\/div><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-2\"><p class=\"bp-fnt\">\n<h2 style=\"color: #121365; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><strong>Empires Outsource for Efficiency<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"bp-fnt\">Outsourcing can be traced back to ancient civilizations. During the Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire (from 476 AD to the late 1400s), various tasks such as tax collection and food supply were outsourced to private contractors, enabling the empire to focus on governance and military affairs.<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 550px; object-fit: cover; object-position: bottom center;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27647%27%20height%3D%27647%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20647%20647%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27647%27%20height%3D%27647%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Roman-Empire-and-Byzantine-Empire-from-476-AD-to-the-late-1400s.jpg\" alt=\"Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire\"><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"color: #121365; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><strong>Division of Labor Fuels Outsourcing<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat( auto-fit, minmax(350px, 1fr) ); gap: 20px;\">\n<p class=\"bp-fnt\">In 1776, Adam Smith touched on the theory of competitive advantage in his book, &#8220;The Wealth of Nations,&#8221; which highlighted the benefits of specialization and division of labor, concepts that underpin outsourcing. He wrote, &#8220;It is the great multiplication of the productions of all the different arts, in consequence of the division of labor, which occasions, in a well-governed society, that universal opulence which extends itself to the lowest ranks of the people.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"min-height: 320px; object-fit: cover;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27627%27%20height%3D%27351%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20627%20351%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27627%27%20height%3D%27351%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Adam-Smith.jpg\" alt=\"Adam Smith\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 style=\"color: #121365; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><strong>Specialization Drives Outsourcing Boom in the Industrial Revolution<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"bp-fnt\">The Industrial Revolution (1760s till about 1850s) marked a significant expansion in outsourcing. Factories began to outsource parts of their production processes to specialized firms. For instance, textile manufacturers outsourced cotton spinning to small workshops or individual workers. Similarly, in the burgeoning railway industry, companies would outsource the production of specific components like wheels or rails to specialized firms, ensuring faster and more efficient production.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"color: #121365; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><strong>Professional Services on Demand<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat( auto-fit, minmax(350px, 1fr) ); gap: 20px;\">\n<div><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27350%27%20height%3D%27350%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20350%20350%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27350%27%20height%3D%27350%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Dun-Bradstreet.png\" alt=\"Dun Bradstreet\"><\/div>\n<div>\n<p class=\"bp-fnt\">Economic and industrial development caused the rise of legal and accounting outsourcing jobs, mainly in Great Britain. William Deloitte opened his office in London in 1845, and he was the first to be appointed as a private auditor of a private company. In the years to come, he opened offices in New York and many other locations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"bp-fnt\">In the 1840s, the company, later known as Dun &amp; Bradstreet, provided credit reporting services to businesses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 style=\"color: #121365; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><strong>From Factory Floors to IT: Outsourcing Gains Momentum for Efficiency<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat( auto-fit, minmax(350px, 1fr) ); place-items: center;\">\n<p class=\"bp-fnt\">The concept of outsourcing continued to evolve with the rise of manufacturing hubs. In the early 1900s, Henry Ford outsourced parts of the automobile production process to streamline operations and reduce costs. He summarized the relationship between business partners by saying, &#8220;Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignnone\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27300%27%20height%3D%27236%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20300%20236%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27300%27%20height%3D%27236%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Men_with_Henry_Ford.jpg\" alt=\"Henry Ford\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"bp-fnt\">Outsourcing gained momentum as companies sought efficiency and cost savings. Initially, it involved peripheral activities such as cleaning and maintenance. The 1980s and 1990s saw a surge in Information Technology (IT) outsourcing, with companies like IBM and EDS leading the way. This era laid the groundwork for the modern BPO industry. The rise of toll-free numbers led businesses to set up dedicated centers to handle customer calls.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"color: #121365; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><strong>From Answering Services to Contact Centers<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"bp-fnt\">Business Process Outsourcing began to take shape in the 1950s. Companies started outsourcing more complex functions such as payroll, human resources, and customer service.<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"height: 400px; width: 100%; object-fit: cover; object-position: center center;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271024%27%20height%3D%27819%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201024%20819%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271024%27%20height%3D%27819%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Accounting_Office.jpg\" alt=\"Accounting Office\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"bp-fnt\">Answering services entered the business world in the 1940s and 1950s, particularly to address after-hours calls or surges in call volume. Coupled with IVR (interactive voice response) in the late 1980s, contact centers became a prevalent service component of the BPO sector.<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: minmax(300px, 1fr) auto; gap: 20px; place-items: center;\">\n<p class=\"bp-fnt\">Contact centers handle customer interactions, while back-office functions include finance, accounting, and data processing. In the 1990s, Jack Welch of General Electric famously championed outsourcing as a strategic move, stating, &#8220;You can&#8217;t grow long-term if you can&#8217;t eat short-term. Anybody can manage short. Anybody can manage long. Balancing those two things is what management is.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"max-width: 500px;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27601%27%20height%3D%27601%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20601%20601%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27601%27%20height%3D%27601%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Jack_Welch.jpg\" alt=\"Jack Welch\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat( auto-fit, minmax(350px, 1fr) ); gap: 20px; place-items: center;\">\n<p><img class=\"lazyload\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"min-height: 300px; object-fit: cover;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27587%27%20height%3D%27330%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20587%20330%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27587%27%20height%3D%27330%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Peter_Duck.jpg\" alt=\"Peter Duck\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"bp-fnt\">Peter Drucker, a renowned management consultant, emphasized the strategic importance of outsourcing. He stated, &#8220;Do what you do best and outsource the rest.&#8221; This quote encapsulates the modern philosophy of outsourcing, where businesses focus on their core competencies and outsource non-core activities to specialized providers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 style=\"color: #121365; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><strong>A Global Industry: The BPO Boom in the Philippines and Beyond<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"bp-fnt\">The BPO industry expanded globally, with countries like the Philippines becoming major hubs due to their skilled workforce and cost advantages. Technological advancements, particularly in telecommunications and the internet, have enabled the BPO industry to be genuinely global in countries such as Pakistan, which leverages a highly educated workforce. As businesses seek more skills and language, technology has made it possible to seamlessly outsource to countries such as China while keeping links to U.S. and U.K.-based organizations.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"color: #121365; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><strong>AI and Automation Reshape Outsourcing<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"bp-fnt\">The BPO industry continues to grow, marked by digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and automation. These technologies are reshaping how businesses operate and outsource their processes. The relationship between businesses and BPOs has evolved into a strategic partnership rather than just cost reduction. Today, BPOs help companies improve their quality, enhance customer satisfaction, and use insights to help their brands thrive and compete.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-2 fusion-flex-container nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"max-width:1216.8px;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-1 fusion_builder_column_1_3 1_3 fusion-flex-column no-spacing-image\" style=\"--awb-overflow:hidden;--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-box-shadow:0px 0px 4px 0px rgba(0,0,0,0.2);;--awb-border-radius:12px 12px 12px 12px;--awb-width-large:33.333333333333%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:5.76%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:0px;--awb-spacing-left-large:5.76%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-image-element\" style=\"--awb-margin-top:0px;--awb-margin-bottom:0px;--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);\"><span class=\"fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-1 hover-type-none\"><a class=\"fusion-no-lightbox\" href=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/first-time-outsourcer\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"Call center scene, people taking calls\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1001\" alt=\"Call center scene, people taking calls\" src=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-working-call-center.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-working-call-center.jpg\" class=\"lazyload img-responsive wp-image-25746\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271500%27%20height%3D%271001%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201500%201001%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271500%27%20height%3D%271001%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-working-call-center-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-working-call-center-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-working-call-center-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-working-call-center-1200x801.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-working-call-center.jpg 1500w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/div><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-builder-row-inner fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"--awb-flex-grow:0;--awb-flex-grow-medium:0;--awb-flex-grow-small:0;--awb-flex-shrink:0;--awb-flex-shrink-medium:0;--awb-flex-shrink-small:0;width:104% !important;max-width:104% !important;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column_inner fusion-builder-nested-column-0 fusion_builder_column_inner_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column fusion-column-inner-bg-wrapper column_hover_effect\" style=\"--awb-padding-top:15px;--awb-padding-right:15px;--awb-padding-bottom:15px;--awb-padding-left:15px;--awb-inner-bg-color:#ffffff;--awb-inner-bg-color-hover:#ffffff;--awb-inner-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:0px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\" data-scroll-devices=\"small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility\"><span class=\"fusion-column-inner-bg hover-type-none\"><a class=\"fusion-column-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/first-time-outsourcer\/\"><span class=\"fusion-column-inner-bg-image\"><\/span><\/a><\/span><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-2 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-center fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-div\" style=\"--awb-text-color:var(--awb-custom13);--awb-margin-top:0px;--awb-margin-bottom:0px;--awb-margin-top-small:10px;--awb-margin-right-small:0px;--awb-margin-bottom-small:10px;--awb-margin-left-small:0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-title-heading title-heading-center title-heading-tag fusion-responsive-typography-calculated\" style=\"margin:0;--fontSize:18;--minFontSize:18;line-height:1.6;\">Start Outsourcing with Confidence<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-2 fusion_builder_column_1_3 1_3 fusion-flex-column no-spacing-image\" style=\"--awb-overflow:hidden;--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-box-shadow:0px 0px 4px 0px rgba(0,0,0,0.2);;--awb-border-radius:12px 12px 12px 12px;--awb-width-large:33.333333333333%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:5.76%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:0px;--awb-spacing-left-large:5.76%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-image-element\" style=\"--awb-margin-top:0px;--awb-margin-bottom:0px;--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);\"><span class=\"fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-2 hover-type-none\"><a class=\"fusion-no-lightbox\" href=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/services\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"Office scenes\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" alt=\"Office scenes\" src=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/medium-shot-woman-working-laptop.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/medium-shot-woman-working-laptop.jpg\" class=\"lazyload img-responsive wp-image-25725\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271500%27%20height%3D%271000%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201500%201000%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271500%27%20height%3D%271000%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/medium-shot-woman-working-laptop-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/medium-shot-woman-working-laptop-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/medium-shot-woman-working-laptop-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/medium-shot-woman-working-laptop-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/medium-shot-woman-working-laptop.jpg 1500w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/div><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-builder-row-inner fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"--awb-flex-grow:0;--awb-flex-grow-medium:0;--awb-flex-grow-small:0;--awb-flex-shrink:0;--awb-flex-shrink-medium:0;--awb-flex-shrink-small:0;width:104% !important;max-width:104% !important;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column_inner fusion-builder-nested-column-1 fusion_builder_column_inner_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column fusion-column-inner-bg-wrapper column_hover_effect\" style=\"--awb-padding-top:15px;--awb-padding-right:15px;--awb-padding-bottom:15px;--awb-padding-left:15px;--awb-inner-bg-color:#ffffff;--awb-inner-bg-color-hover:#ffffff;--awb-inner-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:0px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\" data-scroll-devices=\"small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility\"><span class=\"fusion-column-inner-bg hover-type-none\"><a class=\"fusion-column-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/services\/\"><span class=\"fusion-column-inner-bg-image\"><\/span><\/a><\/span><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-3 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-center fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-div\" style=\"--awb-text-color:var(--awb-custom13);--awb-margin-top:0px;--awb-margin-bottom:0px;--awb-margin-top-small:10px;--awb-margin-right-small:0px;--awb-margin-bottom-small:10px;--awb-margin-left-small:0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-title-heading title-heading-center title-heading-tag fusion-responsive-typography-calculated\" style=\"margin:0;--fontSize:18;--minFontSize:18;line-height:1.6;\">Transform Your Business: Act Now<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-3 fusion_builder_column_1_3 1_3 fusion-flex-column no-spacing-image\" style=\"--awb-overflow:hidden;--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-box-shadow:0px 0px 4px 0px rgba(0,0,0,0.2);;--awb-border-radius:12px 12px 12px 12px;--awb-width-large:33.333333333333%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:5.76%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:0px;--awb-spacing-left-large:5.76%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-image-element\" style=\"--awb-margin-top:0px;--awb-margin-bottom:0px;--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);\"><span class=\"fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-3 hover-type-none\"><a class=\"fusion-no-lightbox\" href=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/blog\/one-of-the-best-strategic-business-decisions-outsourcing\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"people-creating-new-project\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/people-creating-new-project.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/people-creating-new-project.jpg\" alt class=\"lazyload img-responsive wp-image-28043\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271500%27%20height%3D%271000%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201500%201000%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271500%27%20height%3D%271000%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/people-creating-new-project-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/people-creating-new-project-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/people-creating-new-project-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/people-creating-new-project-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/people-creating-new-project.jpg 1500w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/div><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-builder-row-inner fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"--awb-flex-grow:0;--awb-flex-grow-medium:0;--awb-flex-grow-small:0;--awb-flex-shrink:0;--awb-flex-shrink-medium:0;--awb-flex-shrink-small:0;width:104% !important;max-width:104% !important;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column_inner fusion-builder-nested-column-2 fusion_builder_column_inner_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column fusion-column-inner-bg-wrapper column_hover_effect\" style=\"--awb-padding-top:15px;--awb-padding-right:15px;--awb-padding-bottom:15px;--awb-padding-left:15px;--awb-inner-bg-color:#ffffff;--awb-inner-bg-color-hover:#ffffff;--awb-inner-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:0px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\" data-scroll-devices=\"small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility\"><span class=\"fusion-column-inner-bg hover-type-none\"><a class=\"fusion-column-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/blog\/one-of-the-best-strategic-business-decisions-outsourcing\/\"><span class=\"fusion-column-inner-bg-image\"><\/span><\/a><\/span><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-4 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-center fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-div\" style=\"--awb-text-color:var(--awb-custom13);--awb-margin-top:0px;--awb-margin-bottom:0px;--awb-margin-top-small:10px;--awb-margin-right-small:0px;--awb-margin-bottom-small:10px;--awb-margin-left-small:0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-title-heading title-heading-center title-heading-tag fusion-responsive-typography-calculated\" style=\"margin:0;--fontSize:18;--minFontSize:18;line-height:1.6;\">Unlock Growth: Outsource Strategically<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-4 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:20px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div ><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat fusion-button-default-size button-default fusion-button-default button-1 fusion-button-default-span fusion-button-default-type\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/contact-us\/\" id=\"clr-ct\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text awb-button__text awb-button__text--default\">Contact Us<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16781,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[421],"webevents":[],"post-industries":[522,528],"post-services":[576,577],"post-solutions":[],"class_list":["post-16768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bpo-blog","tag-all-blogs","post-industries-financial-services","post-industries-tech","post-services-first-time-outsourcers","post-services-strategic-operations"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Global Business Partners: A History of Outsourcing<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Outsourcing, the practice of contracting out business processes to external providers is encompasses contact centers and back-office functions.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Global Business Partners: A History of Outsourcing\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Outsourcing, the practice of contracting out business processes to external providers is encompasses contact centers and back-office functions.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/blog\/from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Premier NX\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/premier.nx\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-05-30T18:44:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-26T13:37:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/History-of-Outsourcing-blog.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1309\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/History-of-Outsourcing-blog.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Global Business Partners: A History of Outsourcing","description":"Outsourcing, the practice of contracting out business processes to external providers is encompasses contact centers and back-office functions.","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Global Business Partners: A History of Outsourcing","og_description":"Outsourcing, the practice of contracting out business processes to external providers is encompasses contact centers and back-office functions.","og_url":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/blog\/from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing\/","og_site_name":"Premier NX","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/premier.nx","article_published_time":"2024-05-30T18:44:24+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-11-26T13:37:01+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2500,"height":1309,"url":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/History-of-Outsourcing-blog.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_image":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/History-of-Outsourcing-blog.png","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Estimated reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/blog\/from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/blog\/from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing\/"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/#\/schema\/person\/8bba5eeee525ab5b65b86dc98f717546"},"headline":"From Roman Tax Collectors to Global Business Partners: A History of Outsourcing","datePublished":"2024-05-30T18:44:24+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-26T13:37:01+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/blog\/from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing\/"},"wordCount":4201,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/blog\/from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/History-of-Outsourcing-blog.png","keywords":["All Blogs"],"articleSection":["BPO Blog"],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/blog\/from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing\/","url":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/blog\/from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing\/","name":"Global Business Partners: A History of Outsourcing","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/blog\/from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/blog\/from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/History-of-Outsourcing-blog.png","datePublished":"2024-05-30T18:44:24+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-26T13:37:01+00:00","description":"Outsourcing, the practice of contracting out business processes to external providers is encompasses contact centers and back-office functions.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/blog\/from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/premiernx.com\/blog\/from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/blog\/from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/History-of-Outsourcing-blog.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/History-of-Outsourcing-blog.png","width":2500,"height":1309},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/blog\/from-roman-tax-collectors-to-global-business-partners-a-history-of-outsourcing\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"From Roman Tax Collectors to Global Business Partners: A History of Outsourcing"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/","name":"Premier NX","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/#organization","name":"Premier NX","url":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Premier-NX.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Premier-NX.png","width":1296,"height":369,"caption":"Premier NX"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/premier.nx","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/premier-nx\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/#\/schema\/person\/8bba5eeee525ab5b65b86dc98f717546","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/313a9561a19746699c949cd08a6b4dd57c3dd97abd04197d4279c0c6d8817fa8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/313a9561a19746699c949cd08a6b4dd57c3dd97abd04197d4279c0c6d8817fa8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/313a9561a19746699c949cd08a6b4dd57c3dd97abd04197d4279c0c6d8817fa8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/premiernx.com"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16768"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16768\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33855,"href":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16768\/revisions\/33855"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16768"},{"taxonomy":"webevents","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/webevents?post=16768"},{"taxonomy":"post-industries","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-industries?post=16768"},{"taxonomy":"post-services","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-services?post=16768"},{"taxonomy":"post-solutions","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/premiernx.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-solutions?post=16768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}