India Emerges as a Global Hub for Shared Services: The Rising Trend Redefining Global Business Operations
Ashish Bansal, a strategic IT leader with 21 years of proven track record of driving customer-focused digital transformations, M&A IT integrations, and global enterprise technology infrastructure and application service delivery. Extensive industry exposure in Pharma/Healthcare, Energy/Petrochemical, CPG /Retail, ITES (Analytics-/KPO/BPO), and Consulting industry.
In conversation with Charulatha, Correspondent, Siliconindia Magazine. Ashish Bansal shared his views about the role does technology play in the evolution of Shared Service Centers and actions or strategies are involved in fostering a collaborative and inclusive work culture within a geographically dispersed Shared Service team.
Can you explain the concept of a Global Shared Service Center and its significance in the business world today?
A Global Shared Service Center (GSSC) serves as a centralized unit within a company that delivers shared services to various business units or locations worldwide. Its primary objective is to consolidate and streamline support functions, including IT, finance, human resources, procurement, and other operational services, into a single entity. GSSCs hold substantial significance in today's business world for several reasons. Firstly, they contribute to cost efficiency by leveraging economies of scale, reducing redundancy, and optimizing resources, leading to lowered operational expenses. Additionally, these centers ensure consistency and standardization across diverse regions or business units, enhancing operational efficiency, ensuring compliance, and elevating service quality.
Furthermore, GSSCs drive operational excellence by centralizing expertise, enabling the implementation of efficient practices, and maintaining high service standards. By allowing local business units to focus on core activities and strategic initiatives, GSSCs promote business growth and flexibility. Moreover, these centers facilitate global operations by providing round-the-clock services across different time zones, offering seamless support to various geographical locations. They also enable quick adaptation to changing business needs and scalable operations, fostering agility and efficient responses to market demands. Another vital aspect is their role in talent development, providing opportunities for skill enhancement, career advancement, and knowledge sharing. This factor aids in attracting and retaining top talent within the organization.
In summary, GSSCs play a crucial role in enhancing operational efficiency, standardization, and centralized services, enabling companies to focus on core competencies while achieving cost savings and operational excellence in a globally connected business environment.
What role does technology play in the evolution of Shared Service Centers, and how do we stay abreast of technological advancements in this field?
Technology serves as a fundamental driver in the evolution and effectiveness of Shared Service Centers (SSCs), enabling increased efficiency, streamlined operations, and improved service delivery. It plays a pivotal role in various aspects. Embracing technological advancements and proactively staying informed and innovative enables SSCs to evolve continuously, improve operational efficiency, and provide increased value to the organization.
1.Automation and Digital Transformation: Technology enables the automation of routine tasks like transaction processing and document management within SSCs. Robotic Process Automation (RPA), AI-driven tools, and workflow automation streamline operations, reduce errors, and boost productivity.
2.Cloud-Based Solutions: Leveraging cloud technology offers flexibility, scalability, and accessibility for SSC operations. Centralized data storage, collaboration, and remote access across dispersed teams are facilitated by cloud-based solutions.
3.Data Analytics and Insights: Advanced analytics tools help extract valuable insights from SSC data. Predictive analytics, data visualization, and reporting tools aid in informed decision-making, process enhancements, and identifying areas for optimization.
To stay updated on technological advancements:
1.Industry Engagement:Attend conferences, seminars, and forums centered on shared services, technology, and digital transformation. Networking with industry peers and experts offers insights into best practices and emerging trends.
2.Collaboration with Technology Providers: Work closely with technology vendors, participate in product demonstrations, and engage in discussions to understand how new technologies can integrate into SSC operations, enhancing efficiency.
3.Promote Internal Innovation: Cultivate an environment of innovation within the SSC by encouraging employees to propose and experiment with new technologies or process enhancements to improve operations.
"Investing in ongoing training programs for employees to update skills and encouraging a culture of continuous learning further supports adaptation to evolving needs"
What actions or strategies are involved in fostering a collaborative and inclusive work culture within a geographically dispersed Shared Service team?
Creating a collaborative and inclusive work culture within a geographically dispersed Shared Service team requires intentional actions and strategies as follows. By implementing these actions and strategies, organizations can cultivate a collaborative and inclusive work culture within geographically dispersed Shared Service teams, promoting engagement, cohesion, and productivity across diverse locations.
1.Shared Goals and Objectives: Establish clear team goals, objectives, and key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with the organization's mission. Ensure that every team member understands their role in achieving these objectives, fostering a sense of shared purpose.
2.Cultural Sensitivity and Awareness: Promote cultural sensitivity and awareness among team members by celebrating diverse perspectives, customs, and traditions. Encourage sharing cultural experiences and educate team members about different cultures within the team.
3.Encourage Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: Foster a culture of collaboration by encouraging team members to share knowledge, best practices, and insights. Utilize collaborative platforms to share resources, documents, and information among team members.
4.Flexible Work Arrangements: Acknowledge and accommodate different time zones and work preferences within the team. Offer flexibility in work hours or schedules to accommodate diverse geographical locations.
5.Inclusive Decision-Making: Involve all team members in decision-making processes, regardless of their location. Encourage diverse viewpoints and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to contribute their ideas.
Which strategies might be implemented for the ongoing enhancement of efficiency and effectiveness within a Global Shared Service Center?
Certainly, to continually enhance efficiency and effectiveness within a Global Shared Service Center (GSSC), several strategies can be implemented. Adopting these strategies fosters a focus on continuous improvement, consistently elevating the GSSC's efficiency, effectiveness, and overall value proposition to the organization.
A customer-centric approach is crucial, emphasizing understanding customer needs and tailoring services accordingly based on active feedback and insights. Additionally, process optimization and standardization should be regularly reviewed to eliminate redundancies, reduce bottlenecks, and ensure consistent procedures across regions for enhanced clarity and efficiency. Continuous evaluation and integration of new technologies, such as automation tools and AI-driven solutions, are essential for improving operational efficiency and productivity. Investing in ongoing training programs for employees to update skills and encouraging a culture of continuous learning further supports adaptation to evolving needs.
Robust quality assurance processes and performance metrics are integral for monitoring service levels and measuring efficiency, accuracy, and customer satisfaction regularly. Furthermore, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among GSSC teams and locations through regular meetings, virtual forums, and centralized platforms helps leverage collective expertise, contributing to ongoing improvements in service delivery and efficiency.
From your viewpoint, which key performance indicators(KPIs) are crucial for evaluating the success of a Shared Service Center?
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) serve as crucial benchmarks for evaluating the success of a Shared Service Center (SSC). Among the essential KPIs are Cost per Transaction/Service, measuring cost efficiency; SLA Compliance, indicating adherence to service standards; Cycle Time/Processing Time, reflecting process efficiency; Error Rates/Accuracy, ensuring service quality Customer Satisfaction, gauging stakeholder happiness; Employee Productivity/Satisfaction, assessing workforce effectiveness; Process Improvement Metrics, reflecting innovation efforts; Cost Savings/ROI, showing value generation; Adoption of Technology and Innovation, indicating adaptability; and Compliance/Risk Management, ensuring regulatory adherence and risk mitigation. These KPIs collectively provide a holistic view of the SSC's performance, covering cost-effectiveness, service quality, efficiency, customer and employee satisfaction, innovation, and risk management, guiding ongoing improvements and alignment with organizational goals.
In conversation with Charulatha, Correspondent, Siliconindia Magazine. Ashish Bansal shared his views about the role does technology play in the evolution of Shared Service Centers and actions or strategies are involved in fostering a collaborative and inclusive work culture within a geographically dispersed Shared Service team.
Technology enables the automation of routine tasks like transaction processing and document management within SSCs
Can you explain the concept of a Global Shared Service Center and its significance in the business world today?
A Global Shared Service Center (GSSC) serves as a centralized unit within a company that delivers shared services to various business units or locations worldwide. Its primary objective is to consolidate and streamline support functions, including IT, finance, human resources, procurement, and other operational services, into a single entity. GSSCs hold substantial significance in today's business world for several reasons. Firstly, they contribute to cost efficiency by leveraging economies of scale, reducing redundancy, and optimizing resources, leading to lowered operational expenses. Additionally, these centers ensure consistency and standardization across diverse regions or business units, enhancing operational efficiency, ensuring compliance, and elevating service quality.
Furthermore, GSSCs drive operational excellence by centralizing expertise, enabling the implementation of efficient practices, and maintaining high service standards. By allowing local business units to focus on core activities and strategic initiatives, GSSCs promote business growth and flexibility. Moreover, these centers facilitate global operations by providing round-the-clock services across different time zones, offering seamless support to various geographical locations. They also enable quick adaptation to changing business needs and scalable operations, fostering agility and efficient responses to market demands. Another vital aspect is their role in talent development, providing opportunities for skill enhancement, career advancement, and knowledge sharing. This factor aids in attracting and retaining top talent within the organization.
In summary, GSSCs play a crucial role in enhancing operational efficiency, standardization, and centralized services, enabling companies to focus on core competencies while achieving cost savings and operational excellence in a globally connected business environment.
What role does technology play in the evolution of Shared Service Centers, and how do we stay abreast of technological advancements in this field?
Technology serves as a fundamental driver in the evolution and effectiveness of Shared Service Centers (SSCs), enabling increased efficiency, streamlined operations, and improved service delivery. It plays a pivotal role in various aspects. Embracing technological advancements and proactively staying informed and innovative enables SSCs to evolve continuously, improve operational efficiency, and provide increased value to the organization.
1.Automation and Digital Transformation: Technology enables the automation of routine tasks like transaction processing and document management within SSCs. Robotic Process Automation (RPA), AI-driven tools, and workflow automation streamline operations, reduce errors, and boost productivity.
2.Cloud-Based Solutions: Leveraging cloud technology offers flexibility, scalability, and accessibility for SSC operations. Centralized data storage, collaboration, and remote access across dispersed teams are facilitated by cloud-based solutions.
3.Data Analytics and Insights: Advanced analytics tools help extract valuable insights from SSC data. Predictive analytics, data visualization, and reporting tools aid in informed decision-making, process enhancements, and identifying areas for optimization.
To stay updated on technological advancements:
1.Industry Engagement:Attend conferences, seminars, and forums centered on shared services, technology, and digital transformation. Networking with industry peers and experts offers insights into best practices and emerging trends.
2.Collaboration with Technology Providers: Work closely with technology vendors, participate in product demonstrations, and engage in discussions to understand how new technologies can integrate into SSC operations, enhancing efficiency.
3.Promote Internal Innovation: Cultivate an environment of innovation within the SSC by encouraging employees to propose and experiment with new technologies or process enhancements to improve operations.
"Investing in ongoing training programs for employees to update skills and encouraging a culture of continuous learning further supports adaptation to evolving needs"
What actions or strategies are involved in fostering a collaborative and inclusive work culture within a geographically dispersed Shared Service team?
Creating a collaborative and inclusive work culture within a geographically dispersed Shared Service team requires intentional actions and strategies as follows. By implementing these actions and strategies, organizations can cultivate a collaborative and inclusive work culture within geographically dispersed Shared Service teams, promoting engagement, cohesion, and productivity across diverse locations.
1.Shared Goals and Objectives: Establish clear team goals, objectives, and key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with the organization's mission. Ensure that every team member understands their role in achieving these objectives, fostering a sense of shared purpose.
2.Cultural Sensitivity and Awareness: Promote cultural sensitivity and awareness among team members by celebrating diverse perspectives, customs, and traditions. Encourage sharing cultural experiences and educate team members about different cultures within the team.
3.Encourage Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: Foster a culture of collaboration by encouraging team members to share knowledge, best practices, and insights. Utilize collaborative platforms to share resources, documents, and information among team members.
4.Flexible Work Arrangements: Acknowledge and accommodate different time zones and work preferences within the team. Offer flexibility in work hours or schedules to accommodate diverse geographical locations.
5.Inclusive Decision-Making: Involve all team members in decision-making processes, regardless of their location. Encourage diverse viewpoints and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to contribute their ideas.
Which strategies might be implemented for the ongoing enhancement of efficiency and effectiveness within a Global Shared Service Center?
Certainly, to continually enhance efficiency and effectiveness within a Global Shared Service Center (GSSC), several strategies can be implemented. Adopting these strategies fosters a focus on continuous improvement, consistently elevating the GSSC's efficiency, effectiveness, and overall value proposition to the organization.
A customer-centric approach is crucial, emphasizing understanding customer needs and tailoring services accordingly based on active feedback and insights. Additionally, process optimization and standardization should be regularly reviewed to eliminate redundancies, reduce bottlenecks, and ensure consistent procedures across regions for enhanced clarity and efficiency. Continuous evaluation and integration of new technologies, such as automation tools and AI-driven solutions, are essential for improving operational efficiency and productivity. Investing in ongoing training programs for employees to update skills and encouraging a culture of continuous learning further supports adaptation to evolving needs.
Robust quality assurance processes and performance metrics are integral for monitoring service levels and measuring efficiency, accuracy, and customer satisfaction regularly. Furthermore, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among GSSC teams and locations through regular meetings, virtual forums, and centralized platforms helps leverage collective expertise, contributing to ongoing improvements in service delivery and efficiency.
From your viewpoint, which key performance indicators(KPIs) are crucial for evaluating the success of a Shared Service Center?
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) serve as crucial benchmarks for evaluating the success of a Shared Service Center (SSC). Among the essential KPIs are Cost per Transaction/Service, measuring cost efficiency; SLA Compliance, indicating adherence to service standards; Cycle Time/Processing Time, reflecting process efficiency; Error Rates/Accuracy, ensuring service quality Customer Satisfaction, gauging stakeholder happiness; Employee Productivity/Satisfaction, assessing workforce effectiveness; Process Improvement Metrics, reflecting innovation efforts; Cost Savings/ROI, showing value generation; Adoption of Technology and Innovation, indicating adaptability; and Compliance/Risk Management, ensuring regulatory adherence and risk mitigation. These KPIs collectively provide a holistic view of the SSC's performance, covering cost-effectiveness, service quality, efficiency, customer and employee satisfaction, innovation, and risk management, guiding ongoing improvements and alignment with organizational goals.
