A Definition Shared Services is a business model that enables resources to be leveraged across an entire organization resulting in lower costs with agreed-upon customer-service levels. In many instances, It is a separate business unit created within a company or agency accountable for delivering a suite of services to both the operating business units and […]
Introduction The Shared Services model, when you include more recent descriptors like Global Shared Services, Global Business Services, and Global Integrated Services, has been a staple of large global companies for decades. Looking at a profile of member companies participating in collaborative best practice research to discover leading practices paints a picture of a Shared […]
Introduction As mature Shared Services organizations look to expand their suite of service offerings, one area that seems to be well-suited is Data Mining & Analytics. Being able to provide this type of expert service to the company as a whole can help to position Shared Services as much more than a transactional services provider […]
Introduction A document management system or “Document Repository” is a computer system used to track and store electronic documents. Many companies have implemented a Centralized Document Repository to facilitate global access and real-time updates of documents. Shared Services can be a key user of a Document Repository, and, in many cases, can play a pivotal […]
While individual process areas often have very detailed performance measurements related to cost, productivity, quality, and customer service, many times the overall Shared Services operation struggles to present its overall results in a concise and effective manner. The challenge for any Shared Services organization is to develop and maintain a cohesive reporting package that meets […]
In a world of heightened security, where any access to a company’s systems risks introducing security breaches or viruses, carefully evaluating and setting a policy for the authorized use of employee-owned devices isn’t a trivial exercise. A decision to allow personal devices triggers a series of additional decisions, including what systems or applications to make […]
Transitioning decentralized processes to a Shared Services design can be challenging regardless of which functional areas are being consolidated. Even companies with prior consolidation experience can run into roadblocks that cause added complexity and delays, with each new project having its own unique twists and nuances, regardless of the quality of the project plan or […]
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are a common tool used during the implementation of Shared Services to set service and performance expectations with operating units. Over time, the focus and structure of SLAs may change or, in some cases, the use of SLAs may be discontinued. Many factors influence the best type of SLA to use […]
With the great success experienced by companies across the globe in consolidating and streamlining processes through the use of the Shared Services model, those skill sets are becoming quite valuable to companies as they strive to simplify the operations across the company as a whole. Such complex initiatives as major system implementations, process mapping, and […]
When we look at the lifecycle stage for our member companies, while 14% consider themselves “New & Emerging”, another 78% report they are either “Fully Operational” or “Mature”. So if you’re like most of our members, there is every chance that it’s been years since your company’s Shared Services organization was first created, and there […]