Efficient and Global Control: How Sinch Manages Its Consultants with Inkopio

As Sinch rapidly expanded globally, they faced a significant challenge: gaining control over the consultant process. By implementing Inkopio’s CPro platform, Sinch was able to centralize, automate, and streamline their processes, while also ensuring compliance with local regulations worldwide.

As a leading global tech company in cloud communications, Sinch has seen enormous growth in recent years. However, with operations in over 40 countries and more than 4,500 employees globally, managing consultant procurement became a complex task. Three years ago, Sinch began a close collaboration with Inkopio, and today they have full control over their consultant management. Daniel Skowronski, Global Contingent Workforce Partner at Sinch, explains:

"After multiple acquisitions and rapid growth, managing consultants became particularly challenging. But today, Inkopio feels like an extended arm of our company. They’re always available and quick to find solutions, even for complex issues. This gives us better oversight and allows us to act more proactively.”

Before Sinch started using Inkopio’s system, consultant procurement was handled manually, often via Excel or email. Each manager was responsible for hiring consultants independently, which created major challenges for the company, especially amid fast growth and acquisitions.

“It was difficult to keep up both system-wise and process-wise. What we had one day could be outdated the next. Additionally, our acquisitions created a fragmented landscape, not only from a user perspective but also culturally and regionally, with different markets like India and the USA,” Daniel explains, adding:

“We realized we needed a system that could both centralize and automate the process. With Inkopio’s solution, we now have a clear overview of all consultants, and we can manage everything from requests and vendor selection to contract creation and cost tracking in one system.”

Adapting to Different Markets

One of Sinch’s major challenges is the regional differences in how consultant procurement is handled. Market conditions vary greatly between regions like Asia and the USA, with each having its own requirements and practices. In India, for instance, processes move quickly, sometimes within a single day, whereas in other countries, it can take weeks to find the right candidate. Here, CPro has been a vital solution to keep track of varying timelines and ensure that each manager has full insight into their process.

“It requires a structured approach, and here we’ve really seen the benefits of Inkopio’s system. It has simplified the entire process and created a global standard, giving us the confidence that we’re meeting regulatory requirements,” Daniel explains, continuing:

“We also have superusers placed in different regions who handle operational work and ensure compliance with local rules and requirements. In the USA, for example, there is an emerging requirement to evaluate suppliers based on diversity and inclusion, which is less common in other parts of the world.”

Increased Efficiency and Transparency

The simplicity and functionality of CPro are something Sinch truly values. The system covers the entire journey, from initial request to time tracking and invoicing, making it user-friendly and efficient for everyone involved.

“What we appreciate about CPro is how seamless and comprehensive the system is. It helps us manage everything from creating requests to tracking contracts and renewals. By having a clear overview of our contracts, including upcoming renewals, we can act before a contract expires, which has added great value. Instead of waiting for consultants to come to us, we can act proactively,” says Daniel.

The supplier module enables fast communication with vendors, who can easily access relevant information like job descriptions and rates. The statistics module allows Sinch to collect extensive data and analyze costs and trends in-depth, enabling the company to work in a more data-driven way than before. By accessing detailed statistics, Sinch can make strategic and well-informed decisions, optimize operations, and identify new business opportunities with greater precision and efficiency.

“The collaboration with Inkopio has also helped other departments, like HR and finance. By linking CPro to our forecasting tool, the finance department now has access to accurate real-time data, simplifying the budgeting process. Previously, we had to manually retrieve data, and we weren’t always sure if it was correct. Now we can make reliable assumptions and budget more accurately,” Daniel explains.

Opportunities for Other Departments

Looking forward, Sinch sees great potential to automate even further, such as by implementing CPro’s self-billing module, which would simplify invoice handling and save both time and resources.

“We’re only scratching the surface of what we can do with Inkopio. It’s exciting to see the growing interest among managers, leadership, and other departments who see new possibilities for their work. Our goal is to gain even better insight and use data to make informed strategic decisions,” says Daniel.

Sinch has set high standards for its suppliers, and Inkopio has delivered, something Daniel considers essential for a successful partnership.

“I would definitely recommend Inkopio to other companies, regardless of industry; if you handle a lot of consultants, you have a lot to gain by implementing their system. It gives you control over the entire process and helps you manage it, rather than letting the process manage you,” he concludes.

Daniel Skowronski, Global Contingent Workforce Partner at Sinch