This document discusses factors to consider when deciding if a shared services center (SSC) model is right for an organization. It outlines four main factors: 1) having a clear business case beyond just cost savings, 2) engaging stakeholders to gain their support for potential changes in service, 3) ensuring strong leadership and structure are in place to manage the SSC successfully, and 4) being prepared to invest in change management resources and skills training. The document also provides tips for a successful SSC implementation such as piloting the first transition, planning for extensive post-go live support, focusing on developing people, and limiting the initial scope.

1. Is the SSC model right for
Your Organization?
- the key SSC checklist & factors
- main factors to consider
-Q&A
Jamie Davies
Finance SSC Manager,
Computacenter

2. 22 years in finance, consulting & SSC practice
And still learning...

3. • Transactional process 3rd party outsourcing to Accenture
in Prague and Chennai (200 fte)
• First line analysis & Reporting outsourcing to Accenture
in Chennai (150 fte)
• Captive SSC set up in Budapest for EMEA (175 fte)
• Captive SSC set up in Argentina for LATAM (50 fte)
• In sourcing of all Accenture activity to 3 centres
• Evaluation of Global Business Services (GBS) with KPMG
• Captive SSC set up in Budapest for transactional process
& Collections (100 fte)
Last 10 years at BT & CC

4. Regional /
Functional SSCDiscrete
SSC
Multi – Function
SSC
Integrated
GBS
Time
Benefits&Complexity
Delivery of
discrete back
office
transactional
activity
Regional
delivery centres
typically more
than one
function
Consolidation of
multiple SSCs
into multi-
functional
strategy
Single GBS
function
integrated end to
end process
ownership
Large variety of SSCs versions

5. Your
Organisational
Goals
Process &
Service
Management
People
processes &
Talent
Defining your strategy & vision
Defining your scope
Developing your operating model
•Current trends in the “industry”
•What are others already doing
•How to engage your customers
•What risks / reward /service balance
do I want to take?
•What skills do I have / need to source
•What is my current level of process &
system maturity
Planning Objective Planning Key Steps Key Questions to ask
Developing a transition methodology
Developing a location and sourcing strategy
Planning overview - basics
As-is process and cost benchmarking
Stakeholder engagement / service impact
Standardisation programme
•How do we benchmark against best
practice in cost and service?
•Do we want to standardise first or after
transition?
•How resistant will our internal
customers be?
Leadership sourcing and role design
Sourcing strategy (experience v develop)
Talent, competency and mindset
•Do we have existing leadership talent?
•Blend of experience & talented
millenials?
•Do we have competency in people
development?

6. Your strategy sets the tone
•Neutral Exec
•Slow to
implement
•High cost
•High SLA
•High negotiation
• High exec
engagement
• Business value
focus
• Ability to plan
• High service culture
• Medium Speed
• Strong governance
•Rapid
•Cost focused
•Task focused
•Limit negotiation
•Leaders
motivated
•Slower to
implement
•Exec set policy &
direction
•Ability to plan
•Some drive to
standardise Central &
BU
Negotiated
Mandated
to
Country /
BU
Country /
BU
Led
Global
Business
Service
(or MFS)
•Staff overwhelmed
•Passive resistance
•Training gaps
•Service risks
Crisis mode,
Need for Speed or
Functional Pilot
•Lack of
standardisation
•Higher cost
operation
•Low power of SSC
•Unclear SSC culture
Decentralised operations, low
need for rapid change
•Contractual / market
based feel
•Change can take a
long time
Stable organisation,
general consensus, mutually
beneficial
•Organisational
maturity and skills
gap
•Cost to implement
•Governance / GPO
model is not easy
Centralised business decision making,
Customer service focus & long term vision
Adapted from CIMA

7. Risk Rating
1 2 3 4 5
Latam 24 countries big bang
EMEA 2 country Pilot
Functional
Challenge Process changes risk
System changes & risk
Context
Challenge
Past change success/failure
Business cultural differences
Social impact of loss of people
Team
Challenge
Skills and project team
Active executive sponsorship
Clear and agreed case/scope
No. countries/cultures
and context defines risk

8. 8
So what are the main
factors to consider?
We are going to focus on
4 key factors which can be
considered when making a
decision whether to go to an
SSC model

9. 1. are you clear about why
you want to do this?
A clear business & strategy case
has to go far beyond cost benefits
- Cost
- Quality of service
- Controls & Audit
- Business Process benchmarks
Leading practice starts with process and service, not just costs. You need
a compelling reason beyond cost to go through the pain of transition and
something you can remind stakeholders when its gets tough. It’s a journey

10. 2. how are you going to take
your customers with you?
Your stakeholder will have
expectations of what service will
be provided. If you don’t take
them on the journey, you will start
fast, but regret it later.
If you don’t engage and involve your stakeholders, you will send a
message that service is secondary to cost. Without focus on customer
engagement and service mentality, there is no SSC.

11. 3. how seriously will you take the
need for structure and leadership?
Find a solution which can blend the best of tried and tested SSC skills and
experience, together with key talent & business/relationship knowledge
you already have.
Running an SSC is not the same
as running a finance department.
The skills, operating model and
attitude to service is very different
and your new SSC will compete
just to retain talent and skills.

12. 4. are you prepared to invest in
change & PM resources and skills
To create a successful SSC, you
need to bring together a great
team, from the business, SMEs,
communication and change leads,
PMs and external advisors.
There is a great temptation to cut out costs when pulling together the
business case, especially for seemingly expensive resources which the
CFO might challenge, stick firm and get external references.

13. Finally, some personal tips
...by learning through others mistakes
Pilot your first transition to
learn and de-risk
Plan extensive hypercare after
go-live
People and development may be
far higher on agenda than
before
Create the right service culture
from day 1
Don’t try and go to fast, wide or
deep too soon. Better to limit
process and do that well.
Make your new SSC staff feel
they really belong, not out of
sight out of mind

14. Questions & Feedback