Whenever mergers and acquisitions take place, the systems integration process can be highly problematic and take months, says Amit Gupta, vice president of the Transportation Vertical at HCL Technologies, an IT outsourcer. In general, legacy systems can hinder customer on-boarding at any time.

Given the amount of activity in the M&A space, it's no wonder there is a fair amount of difficulty in integration from a technology standpoint. There is a great need for aligning the business with the underlying technology, Gupta says, but the vast amount of legacy systems that so many companies still rely on make that a challenge.

Of course, that's not the only pain point for companies being blended into one, so some type of IT outsourcing blueprint or framework often is necessary to smooth the transition, says Gupta.

Cloud computing is one of the answers that many companies are exploring. They see the cloud as enabling them to be more effective and agile in the marketplace.

Aside from the technology involved, says Gupta, it is vital to have solid relationships with partners and customers. That may mean focusing less on price and more on the value that your partner can deliver.

"You need a flexible partner, and if you can derive that from your relationship, that's good value. So, be engaged with your partner at all times and at all levels, from the C-level on down. That requires that a proper governance model be in place."

To view this video interview in its entirety, click here.