Sson : Shared Services & Outsourcing Network

In SSON’s most recent state of the industry report, we found that 63% of shared services are providing Order to Cash services to their enterprise! So we wanted to provide some advice and best practice in this area. That’s why this week on the podcast we invited Keith Cowart, from FIS to talk about what he sees as the trends set to transform AR. Some of these trends are risks to consider and some are very much opportunities, but all will make your accounts receivable team more powerful, robust and ready for whatever life throws at them. To hear more on the topic of AR excellence, register for our webinar on March 21st focused on Accelerating Cash Flow & Reducing Risk with AI https://www.ssonetwork.com/finance-accounting/webinars/accelerating-cash-flow-reducing-risk-with-ai

Welcome back to a brand-new season of SSO Next. This season we’re talking to GBS C-Suite and global leaders about topics dear to their heart. Opening the series is Eckard Eberle, CEO, Siemens Global Business Services. Consistently one of the most innovative GBS’s in the world, Siemens are known for being at the forefront of digitalization and are one of the few to have applied Generative AI widely to their GBS. In this episode, Eberle talks us through how Siemens have applied Gen AI in their customer service and employee experience activities, giving his advice and vision for those wanting to tackle something similar.   

So, we’ve reached the time of year where we start looking forward to 2024, and examining how we spend our time, where our priorities should lie and what we’re aiming to change and achieve for the year ahead. This can be in terms of career goals or goals for your business. In order to kick start that conversation and provide some inspiration we invited Phil Searle, Founder of Chazey Partners, back on the podcast – Phil shares what he thinks are key trends and themes we should be focusing on for the year ahead. You can find out more about Chazey Partners here. Note: All listeners to SSO Next are eligible for 20% of the cost of the ticket price for select live SSON events. The next up is our SSO Week 2024. To find out more message me, Sally Fletcher on LinkedIn or check out our event website.   

In this week’s episode we talk to Cristina Duta, Director Intelligent Automation, Global Business Services, Aecom, about the topic of How To Embrace A “We Are All Digital” Ethos Through Citizen Developers & Low-Code Solutions. We discuss how, in 2023, the boundaries between IT and the business are rapidly diminishing. The truth is that now “we are all digital!.” The growth of low code/ no-code technology, increase in digitally skilled employees and use of technology in our personal lives, means that oftentimes your workforce are capable of supporting digitization in a much bigger way than before. This session discusses how to embrace a “we are all digital” concept throughout your workforce and what it can lead to.

Each year SSON run our Shared Services and GBS State of the Industry Survey. The survey provides crucial benchmarks on everything from people strategy to intelligent automation to what's driving shared services today. In this episode, SSON Research & Analytics, Chief Analyst, Barbara Hodge sits down with Tom Bangemann, Head of Data Development and Insight, to share their top 5 take-aways from last year's report and what to look for in the next. To take part in the 2024 survey click here https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/38ZFDZ6 Listeners of SSO Next can now get 20% of the ticket price for selected live events across the Americas, by quoting the code SSONEXT when you register or speak with one of our reps. For more details or to take advantage of this offer message Sally Fletcher on LinkedIn or by email at sally.fletcher@ssonetwork.com or visit our event website https://www.ssonetwork.com/events-shared-services-week    

This week Phil Searle, CEO and Chief Transformation Officer, Chazey Partners returns to the podcast along with Neil Spiers, SVP Global Business Services, Herbalife. In this conversation, the two dive into their lengthy partnership shedding light on “the art of the possible” in GBS. This includes, how Herbalife are now playing an increasingly strategic role in supporting the achievement of business goals and transformation agendas.   In the podcast we cover their service management framework, project governance structure and progress with Intelligent Automation.                                  Note: Listeners to SSO Next can get 20% of the ticket price for upcoming live events by quoting the code SSONEXT (this applies only to selected events, gold and platinum tier packages).  Catch Chazey Partners at IA Week, in Atlanta https://www.ssonetwork.com/events-intelligent-automation-event Or visit their website https://chazeypartners.com

In this episode we'll be talking about introducing Artificial Intelligence into the audit function.  And about how this concept is about enhancement of human skill not its displacement. Machine learning isn’t mimicry of human intelligence. It teaches machines to perform tasks and then to progressively improve their performance.    When we use AI and ML in the finance function we can expect speed, inexhaustible functionality, and constantly evolving improvements in data insights. Helping to ultimately make the finance function more visibly productive today and more influential tomorrow. I hope you enjoy this conversartion.    To hear more from Oversight, register for our AP Automation Digital Summit which takes place 1-2 November, online.  https://www.ssonetwork.com/events-ap-automation-november  

This week we're delighted to bring you an exclusive look at one of our top sessions from last month's online event, the Intelligent Automation World Series. In the session we spoke to Shail Khiyara, CEO, VOCAL , Amol Rajamane, Global Digital Automation Technology Leader, DuPont and Melanie Dunbeck, Automation Strategy & Enablement Lead, Kelly Services, about their vision and experience with Generative AI. As mentioned in the intro, if you are interested in the Generative AI bootcamps that SSON is running for the Finance & Accounting and HR functions, then you can view the agenda here https://www.ssonetwork.com/events-shared-services-week/agenda/day-one or enquire at sally.fletcher@ssonetwork.com.    

This week's episode sees the return of our popular GBS Careers Corner series, where Leigh Nicholson, Strategic Solutions Lead, Takeda Business Solutions, talks us through his career journey from consultancy to Global business services. We discuss the incredible possibilities that can be achieved within the GBS model, the skills new shared services professionals need to develop in other to further their careers and the importance of stakeholder management. We also discuss the many and varied paths someone can take within a shared services career, and what that can lead to.   If you enjoy this episode you can also catch Leigh and the team at SSO Europe Autumn in October, in London https://www.ssonetwork.com/events-sharedservicesautumn 

In this week's episode I interview Harsh Vasavada, Operations Leader (Americas) at Corning. Harsh led the team which were responsible for winning the Award for Customer Centricity at the SSON Impact Awards this year in March. In this podcast, we talk through the project, how Harsh got the buy-in, tracked results and how a focus on CX ultimately enabled the GBS to grow and take on more value-adding roles. If you're interested in applying for next year's awards, they are part of our flagship event SSOW North America, so keep an eye on the site for more details: https://www.ssonetwork.com/events-shared-services-week  

Generative AI has been the buzzword on everyone’s lips for the last few months, but as with any new solution, the more it’s talked about the more the conversation is diluted and the more difficult it becomes to distinguish fact from fiction, marketing spiel from the reality and so on. In this discussion SSON talks to Phil Searle, CEO, Chazey Partners about the opportunities Generative AI can provide for GBS, the risk factors people need to take into account, the processes that are most suited and how Gen AI fits into the solutions catalogue. To find out more about Chazey you can visit their website https://chazeypartners.com

SUMMER BONUS EPISODE! We're delighted to be able to bring you a fabulous bonus episode of SSO Next with Precisely. In this episode I talk to Tim Fujita-Yuhas, VP Product Management at Precisely, about data integrity (and how to get the accurate, consistent and contextualized data you need to make confident business decisions). We discuss how to get better data governance, fostering a data driven culture, master data management and how to use automation to assist throughout. If you enjoy this episode you can also join Precisely's webinar on the 26th July focused on "The Truth (And Myth) Behind Artificial Intelligence and Data Integrity," register here https://www.ssonetwork.com/intelligent-automation/webinars/the-truth-and-myth-behind-artificial-intelligence-and-data-integrity  

Last episode we shared a number of interviews gathered onsite at SSO Week Europe in Lisbon. This week is part 2, and I'll be speaking with representatives from Apex Analytix, Infosys, Fresinius Kabi, Experian, SSON Research & Analytics, Datamatics and Kone.  We discuss the commercialization of GBS, infusing purpose into the everyday, ERP transformation, data integrity and supplier relationship management.  If you were unable to attend our Lisbon event you can register here for our virtual summit https://www.ssonetwork.com/events-sso-digital-week-europe  

I was lucky enough to be onsite at SSOW Europe in Lisbon, Portugal last week. So I took the opportunity to speak to our sponsors, speakers and delegates about what they learnt. Key points discussed included: purpose, employee experience, digital business services, capabailities as a service and change management. This episode is part one and part two comes out next week. If you were unable to attend in Lisbon, then don't worry. You can register for our online edition here https://www.ssonetwork.com/events-sso-digital-week-europe which takes place in June.   

In this episode of GBS careers corner I talk to industry legend Deborah Kops. She's the founder or global business services consultancy Sourcing Change, an advisor in private equity the founder of the BPO Liberty Source and most recently she's focused on the crucial factor of talent. Deborah has a unique perspective on the global business, shared services and outsourcing industry, having served in provider, buyer, business founder, board and advisory roles. In this conversation she shares her invaluble insight on the capabilities needed to be a shared services leader, how to choose the right GBS organization to further your career, when to switch careers and how to build your leadership brand.   

SSON R&A reports that the three top priorities for shared services and GBS for impacting the overall workforce are driving headcount optimization, driving better integration and utilization of technology and driving enhanced performance.   On today’s episode we’ll be looking at How Connected HR processes and Insights can be the key to talent strategy and organizational growth.  Discussion will include: The key digital transformations HR need to prioritize in order to deliver a modern HR experience to employees How HR is well-positioned to provide strategic insight into opportunities for business growth Ways the employee experience from Hire-to-Retire can be better streamlined

As shared services continue to expand their scope of work, we see tremendous opportunities for HR services to integrate activities like employee relations. SSON Research & Analytics data confirms 17% of shared services plan to bring ER into scope this year. To better understand the pros and cons, Barbara Hodge, Global Editor at SSON asks Simon Brown, HR services expert, to explain…

As the workforce evolves from a static, in-office, 9-5 placement to a more global, digitally enabled and flexible environment, the work done by humans isn’t defined by their location or physical presence in the office. Sponsored by Brickwork, this episode of SSONext discusses how human-driven administration has been a previously untapped well for talent and business resilience. Joined by Sangeeta Kulkarni, the founder and CEO of Brickwork, we discuss:  The rising need for talent that is flexible and intuitive in a rapidly digitizing world How virtual administrative assistant can fill talent gaps in a competitive landscape The unique value human administrative assistants bring to the table  

Hear from the Best GBS and The Best Service Provider Impact Award Winners SSON's Impact Awards represent the highest level of recognition for the impact shared services have on enterprise.  The awards are open to shared services and GBS globally, with winners announced at SSON's flagship events. Impact Award winners represent shared services operating at the peak of their performance, and demonstrating leading practices.  At SSOW Orlando, Tesco Business Services took home the Impact Award for World's Best GBS, and Capgemini for Best Service provider. In this episode, hear from two award winning companies on what it takes to be the best of the best. This episode covers: The winning ingredients for high-value service delivery What it takes to mature a service center The importance of continuous improvement as a culture and strategy for change

In a special episode of SSONext, we sit down with a few of the solutions providers of SSOW Orlando to discuss key insights from senior executives.  Conversations covered some of the most pertinent topics of the event, including: Key takeaways from the Environmental Social Governance boardroom Top Insights into corporate spending trends and risk in 2023 and the power of analytics and AI to identify and navigate risk How AI is delivering the Future of Work and how it defines itself from automation Trends in the Future of Finance, from new skillsets, emerging tech and AP error detection and prevention Drilling down into the critical role process management will play in the modern shared service organization