Automotive Outsourcing

Last updated: November 11, 2026

Automotive outsourcing means that OEM suppliers, Tier 1 and Tier 2 parts manufacturers, spare-parts distributors, authorised service networks and dealers hand over defined operations to an external team: warehouse operations, field technical service, customer and dealer support lines, ERP and EDI support, inventory counts, cyber security monitoring and carbon data. In automotive, the supply chain is planned in minutes. In just-in-time (JIT) or just-in-sequence (JIS) delivery, a single unprocessed EDI message can stop a customer’s production line. Outsourcing in this sector therefore needs discipline as much as speed.

360 Soft provides the process management and, where needed, the software, from Istanbul. The team can work remotely, at your plant, in your warehouse, at your service points, or in a hybrid model. This page covers the problems typical for the automotive sector, the work that can be handed over, how requirements such as IATF 16949 and TISAX affect the work, engagement models, SLAs and pricing factors.

Where the need for outsourcing comes from in automotive and spare parts

Volatile call-offs: OEM forecasts and call-offs change weekly, while staffing levels at the supplier do not.
EDI and portal load: each OEM has its own portal, message formats (VDA, EDIFACT, ANSI X12) and label rules; keeping up needs people who understand both the process and the systems.
Aftermarket complexity: spare-parts catalogues with hundreds of thousands of part numbers, cross-references and vehicle fitment data must be clean to sell online and through dealers.
Electrification and software: new skills in diagnostics, connected services and cyber security are needed faster than they can be hired.
Reporting pressure: customers ask for emission data, conflict-mineral and REACH declarations, and audit evidence on short notice.

Work and roles suitable for outsourcing

Area	Typical tasks	Roles
Supply chain and EDI	Monitoring incoming call-offs and ASNs, error handling, portal uploads, label checks	EDI analyst, supply chain coordinator
Warehouse and logistics	Receiving, picking, JIS sequencing support, packaging rules, returns	Warehouse team lead, operators, inventory controllers
Aftermarket data	Part-number cleansing, cross-references, fitment data, catalogue enrichment for e-commerce	Catalogue data specialist, data entry team
Dealer and customer support	Order status, parts availability, warranty pre-checks, technical hotline first level	Support agents, technical support specialists
Field technical service	Installation, preventive maintenance and diagnostics of workshop equipment	Field technicians, service coordinators
IT and software	ERP support (SAP, IFS, Logo, Microsoft Dynamics), MES integration, dashboards	ERP consultants, developers, BI analysts
Security and compliance	SOC monitoring, vulnerability management, carbon and CBAM data preparation	SOC analyst, sustainability data analyst

Technology and system scope

Our teams work in your systems rather than replacing them. Typical environments include ERP systems (SAP S/4HANA and ECC, IFS, Microsoft Dynamics, Logo, Netsis), EDI converters and OEM supplier portals, warehouse management systems, handheld barcode and RFID terminals, CRM and ticketing tools, and BI tools such as Power BI. Where a gap exists, for example an EDI error dashboard or an RFID counting process, we can build and maintain the software as part of the same engagement.

Standards and regulation: IATF 16949, TISAX and others

IATF 16949 requires you to control outsourced processes. Using an external team does not void your certificate, but the outsourced work must be defined in your quality management system: work instructions, competence records, monitoring and supplier evaluation. We work to your procedures and provide the records your auditors ask for.

TISAX assessments cover how information is protected, including prototypes and customer data. Team members working in TISAX scope follow your information security rules, use managed devices and access only the systems approved for them. Other frameworks that commonly shape the work are ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 at your sites, UNECE R155/R156 for vehicle cyber security and software updates, REACH and IMDS reporting, and the EU CBAM for emission data on certain imported goods. Turkish rules such as KVKK and occupational health and safety law apply where the team operates; local rules in your country also apply.

Engagement models

Model	How it works	Best for
Dedicated team	A named team works only for you, under your priorities, managed by our team lead	EDI desks, catalogue data, ERP support
Managed service with SLA	We take responsibility for an outcome (for example EDI response time) and staff it ourselves	24/7 monitoring, support lines
Project-based	Fixed scope and timeline, such as a catalogue migration or a new OEM onboarding	Launches, migrations, audits
On-site or hybrid	Team members work at your plant, warehouse or service network	Warehouse, field service, inventory counts

Process and typical timelines

Discovery (2–5 days): we map processes, systems, volumes and service levels with your team.
Proposal and contract (about 1 week): scope, KPIs, team structure and pricing model are agreed.
Recruitment and onboarding (1–2 weeks typical start): candidates are selected, you can interview key roles, and the team receives training on your procedures.
Shadowing and handover (2–4 weeks): the team works alongside your staff before taking over.
Stable operation: monthly reporting, KPI reviews and continuous improvement.

SLA and KPI examples

The values below are examples of what is commonly measured; actual targets are agreed per contract.

KPI	What it measures	Example target type
EDI processing time	Time from receipt of a call-off or error to action	Minutes to hours, by message type
Order picking accuracy	Correct part, quantity and label	Percentage agreed in SLA
Catalogue data quality	Records with complete fitment and cross-reference data	Percentage of active SKUs
First response time	Dealer or customer ticket answered	Hours, by channel
Field service first-time fix	Jobs closed on first visit	Percentage, reviewed monthly
Inventory count variance	Difference between system and physical stock	Agreed tolerance per location

Pricing models and factors

We do not publish fixed prices because cost depends on the scope. Common models are a monthly fee per FTE, a managed-service fee linked to volume and SLA, or a fixed project price.

Factor	Effect on cost
Roles and seniority	EDI or ERP specialists cost more than data entry roles
Coverage hours	24/7 or shift work increases headcount
Location	On-site work adds travel and site requirements
Languages	English, German or Arabic support needs specific profiles
Volume and variability	Peaks and seasonal flexibility affect team size
Security requirements	TISAX scope, managed devices and access controls

In-house staff, freelancers or outsourcing

Criterion	In-house	Freelancer	Outsourcing (360 Soft)
Speed to start	Slow	Fast for single tasks	Typically 1–2 weeks
Scaling	Hard	Limited	From 1 to 200+ people
Continuity	Depends on retention	Low	Replacement process included
Process control	Full	Low	Defined by SLA and reporting
Management effort	High	Medium	Low, team lead provided

Risks and safeguards

Knowledge loss: documented work instructions and a handover period protect against it.
Line-stop risk: escalation matrices and 7/24 shifts for critical EDI and logistics processes.
Staff turnover: backup staff and a replacement process keep service running.
Data leakage: role-based access, managed devices, NDA and logging.
Quality drift: monthly KPI reviews and joint audits.

Data security, GDPR, KVKK, NDA and IP

Drawings, prototype information, pricing and customer data are treated as confidential. Access is granted per role, preferably through your own systems and accounts, and removed at the end of the engagement. Personal data of drivers, dealers or end customers is processed only on your instructions.

Contract and legal note

We work under a B2B service agreement that defines scope, service levels, deliverables and acceptance. It comes with a mutual NDA and a clause that assigns intellectual property in all work products (documents, data sets, code, designs) to you. Where our team processes personal data on your behalf, we sign a GDPR data processing agreement (DPA) with the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, or the UK IDTA/Addendum for UK data; our own processing in Turkey follows KVKK (Law No. 6698). For TISAX-scoped work, information security requirements are added to the agreement as an annex.

360 Soft employs its team members under Turkish labour law and remains responsible for their payroll, social security and supervision. The engagement is a service, not the hiring-out of workers: you define the outcomes and priorities, and we manage the people. Local rules in your country, such as worker classification or agency-work rules, should be checked with your own legal adviser before signing.

Illustrative scenario: new OEM customer at a Tier 2 supplier

Illustrative scenario. This is not a client case; it shows how such an engagement could be set up. A Tier 2 supplier of plastic parts wins a new OEM programme. The OEM requires daily EDI call-offs, ASNs within minutes of dispatch, its own label format and monthly emission data. The supplier’s planning team is already at capacity. A three-person EDI and supply chain desk is set up: one analyst covers the morning shift at the plant, two work remotely in a staggered schedule so that messages are monitored from early morning to late evening, with on-call cover at weekends. A catalogue specialist cleans the part master data in the ERP. After a four-week handover, the desk follows a written escalation matrix agreed with the plant manager and reports monthly on response times and errors.

Supplier selection checklist

Does the supplier understand EDI, JIT/JIS and OEM portal processes, not only general back office?
Can it work within your IATF 16949 procedures and provide competence records?
Can it meet TISAX or customer information security requirements?
Is 7/24 coverage possible for critical processes?
Is there a written replacement and backup process?
Are KPIs, reporting and escalation defined in the contract?
Are NDA, IP assignment and a GDPR DPA included?
Can the team scale up for launches and down after them?

Frequently asked questions

Which work can automotive suppliers outsource?

EDI and supply chain desks, warehouse and inventory operations, spare-parts catalogue data, dealer and customer support, field technical service, ERP support, SOC monitoring and carbon data preparation.

Does outsourcing affect our IATF 16949 certificate?

No, as long as the outsourced process is controlled in your quality system. We work to your procedures and provide records for audits.

Can your team work inside our TISAX scope?

Yes. Team members follow your information security rules, use managed devices and access only approved systems.

Can you monitor EDI messages 7/24?

Yes. We can organise shifts and on-call cover for critical message types, with an agreed escalation matrix.

Can you clean and enrich our spare-parts catalogue data?

Yes. We handle part-number cleansing, cross-references, fitment data and product content for e-commerce and dealer portals.

Do you decide on warranty claims?

No. We prepare and pre-check claims according to your rules; the decision stays with you or the OEM.

Do you support emission data for CBAM?

Yes. We collect and prepare activity data and reports; responsibility for submissions stays with the declarant.

Where can field technical service be provided?

Field service is planned per project across Turkey; for other countries we discuss options case by case.

How is pricing calculated?

By FTE per month, by managed-service volume and SLA, or as a fixed project price, depending on scope.

How quickly can we start?

A typical start is within 1–2 weeks after the contract, followed by a handover period.

Is this temporary agency work?

No. It is a B2B service; 360 Soft employs and manages the team and is responsible for the outcome agreed in the contract.

Can you support us during customer audits?

Yes. We prepare records, explain our processes to auditors and implement corrective actions in our scope.

Contact us

Tell us which automotive processes you want to hand over, your volumes and service levels, and we will propose a team and a model. Call or WhatsApp us on +90 850 335 10 87, write to info@360-soft.com, message us directly on WhatsApp, or use the form on our contact page. 360 Soft Marketing Yazılım ve Danışmanlık Ltd. Şti., Nidakule Ataşehir Batı, Barbaros Mah. Begonya Sk. No:1 D:2, 34746 Ataşehir/İstanbul.

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