Sson : Shared Services & Outsourcing Network

What Can Intelligent Automation do for GBS? Beyond Transactional Efficiency to Digital Transformation In this episode of SSONext, host Barbara Hodge sits down with Lee Coulter, a veteran of GBS and deeply versed in Intelligent Automation as an enabler of transformation. Lee’s background includes CIO, COO, CEO and he was an early adopter of RPA in addition to leading the IEEE standards workgroup for IA. This offers an improved perspective on IA “capabilities” as a means of driving cost and operational transformations; as well as new operating models to reshape both workforce and work-flow in complex global environments when the stakes are high.  Lee is a visionary leader, passionately committed to positive impact. In this episode he explains why “IA is not a strategy” – and that it needs to be considered in the broader context of reimagined operating models Lee and Barbara dissect:  ✅ The opportunities GBS teams face to create enterprise transformation that can help weather recessions. ✅ A 10-step approach for

In this episode of SSONext, host Barbara Hodge sits down with Matt Wright, Senior Vice President, Customer Success, at AppZen Inc.  Matt is a seasoned leader with over 26 years in the field of customer success management. Matt’s passion is working in organizations that are focussed on deriving as much value from technology platforms as possible to serve their customers better. Matt and Barbara dig into details on why it’s vital for global business services (GBS) to focus on institutional knowledge as it relates to technology: ✅ How technology is pushing shared services and GBS forward✅ The benefits of AI (artificial intelligence) to GBS✅ The factors that drive true success for businesses choosing to use AI  For the full details on that and a lot more,

Welcome back to SSONext! Hosts Barbara Hodge and Jordan Mullins sit down to chat about DATA on this episode. Specifically, how SSON uses all that data it collects through surveys over the year. The fact is, it’s all reflected back to the market to support shared services and GBS. Listen to this episode for the inside scoop on ‘the why’, and ‘the how’ of finding and using data to your advantage.  Jordan and Barbara dig specifically into: ✅ How SSON shares the data it collects with the shared services industry ✅ What future the research points to, and how to get ahead of these topics   ✅ How to get an edge through data  This episode is also an opportunity for us to express our deep gratitude to the shared services and GBS industry. Thank you for always taking the time to respond and provide the input we need to keep bringing you the industry statistics you need to fuel smart decision-making and innovation.  For the full details on that and a lot more,

Welcome back SSONext! In this episode, you’ll find host Barbara Hodge in conversation with Sandeep Poddar, Head of the AkzoNobel GBS India Center and responsible for managing the BPO relationships, too. Sandeep is a GBS executive with decades of experience in designing and leading Global Business Services teams. His speciality is leading teams in virtual environments, implementing intelligent automation, driving business transformation and cross-functional collaboration. Sandeep and Barbara dig into: ✅ Why it might be risky to neglect business process outsourcing ✅ Insights into why 6 out of 10 GBS/SSOs are actively outsourcing✅ How outsourcing has moved up in the delivery value chain✅ Where ‘Centers of Excellence’ come into play✅ Getting clarity on how to measure success in outsourcing For the full details on that and a lot more,

In this episode of SSONext, host Jordan Mullins ​​sits down with Tim Johnson, Head of Automation for the Suncorp Group, to talk about the blurring lines between the disciplines of shared services and IT. Tim and Jordan dig into: ✅ How technology serves as a major driver, and the importance of rigour as organizations scale automation.  ✅ The rise of the ‘citizen developer’ - and why more roles are being filled with talent that does not have a technical background  ✅ Why the value IT delivers to the business is much more important than the software it oversees  ✅ What shared services and IT leaders can do to chip away at the barriers to integration For the full details on that and a lot more,

In this episode of SSONext, host Barbara Hodge sits down with Volker Schrank, Senior Director of Global Employee Experience, Processes & Technology, at Mondelez. Volker’s body of work covers multi-industry HR transformation with a focus on HR diagnostics, strategy development and implementation, organization design, and talent management.  Volker and Barbara dig into: ✅ The definitions of a successful digital HR services✅Why HR needs to focus – now more than ever – on human relations✅ How to connect a good HR operations with better employee experience✅ How to know what can be achieved For the full details on that and a lot more,

Today, on SSONext, host Jordan Mullins takes a deep dive into the unique nature of the predicted recession and its impact on both talent and accounts payable. Our guest is Emily Nash-Walker, Director of Partner Enablement at Tradeshift. Emily is an expert in enterprise digital transformation and shared services with experience gained at various blue chip organizations where she enables partners to automate, digitize, and grow.  Emily and Jordan dive into: ✅ How the recession will be shaping businesses decisions in the next 12 months ✅ The importance of the way that financial teams respond and the impacts to anticipate ✅ Mistakes that (accounts payable) AP teams could be making right now and what they could be doing better to prepare for the future ✅ What metrics to use as a North star as businesses pursue transformation projects in a recession This episode is brought to you by Tradeshift. They help businesses connect with their suppliers digitally, remove paper and manual processes across procurement and pa

Today on SSONext, host Barbara Hodge sits down with Sameer Jalundhwala, a global Shared Services leader with expertise in building Global Business Services (GBS) operating models and transforming processes and systems, leveraging exponential technologies (automation, AI, analytics, blockchain) and new ways of working. He is SVP, GBS Operations & Outsourcing at NTT Ltd where he’s responsible for building and managing Global Business Services operations across 40+ countries, covering back and mid-office processes and delivered through two world class outsource providers. As an IBM Executive Partner he has led sales, solution and consulting teams building and delivering transformative solutions that have achieved improved client satisfaction and business outcomes. Sameer and Barbara dig into: ✅ The state of outsourcing today… Sameer paints a picture of what it’s like to go from BPO to BPM and back to BPO; but with a difference.✅How is outsourcing still relevant?✅The difference between BPO and BPM For the ful

Today on SSONext, host Barbara Hodge sits down with Tom Bangemann, Head of Data Development & Research at SSON Research & Analytics. Tom is one of the most experienced market analysts in the GBS space, and a thought leader in service delivery, business support, and GBS development. He talks about the need to retain the stability to deliver what’s required – but be agile enough to react to change, internal or external. His expertise is in benchmarking and KPI models. Tom and Barbara dig into: ✅ Why the current insecurity drives risk and how GBS can counter this ✅ The future of GBS and what you can expect to see over the next 5 years ✅ How to move from efficiency to effectiveness to experience in an organization ✅ Why technology and talent are two sides of the same coin For the full details on that and a lot more,

Today on SSONext, host Jordan Mullins sits down with Manisha Singh, the executive partner for talent transformation at IBM, to talk about how we can provide a better employee experience – and why it's so important! In a power-packed 20-minute conversation, Jordan and Manisha dig into: ✅ Why employee experience is important to organizational success✅ What employee experience looks like in practice ✅ How experience translates to day-to-day in hybrid vs. in-office vs. remote working models ✅ Manisha's inside-track on what IBM is working on in the next five years from an employee experience perspective – which other organizations can emulate For the full details on that and a lot more,

Today on SSONext, host Barbara Hodge sits down with Venkat Raghavan - a leader in the analytics industry who started as a Java developer and went on to work with some top retailers including Best Buy, Walgreens, and Walmart to solve their problems through the power of data and algorithms. His passion is setting up analytics as a capability.  Venkat serves as Associate Director & Global Head of Enterprise Analytics at Tesco Venkat and Barbara dig into: ✅ Why communication is the most challenging piece✅ How to discover and solver for pain points✅ What is good talent in the GBS industry and how to recognize it For the full details on that and a lot more,

Today on SSONext, host Barbara Hodge sits down with Suzanne Haenen, PMO Director of the Global GBS-PMO Team at AkzoNobel.    Suzanne and Barbara dig into: ✅ The vital importance of speaking with a lot of people to truly understand current struggles✅ Why Master Data Management is key✅ A case for letting go of the fear of being transparent about where things might go a bit off-track For the full details on that and a lot more,

Today on SSONext, host Jordan Mullins sits down with Lori Pon - an experienced project manager and insurance professional successful in leading major system implementations and multiple business units. Lori is Director of Claims Strategy & Innovation at AAA Auto Club Group and possesses strong management and leadership skills, with the ability to motivate and develop high-performing employees, solid planning and organizational skills, including the oversight of key technology initiatives and management of profit and loss objectives.  Lori and Jordan dig into: ✅ The importance on making initiatives more customer centric✅ Why “You will never have amazing CX if your EX is lacking.” ✅ Insurer tech and its benefits to make work agile✅ How customer-centricity has influenced the way technology partners are chosen✅ How to use customer centric metrics to measure the success of functions✅The benefits of design thinking and great attitude in insurer tech For the full details on that and a lot more,

Today on SSONext, host Barbara Hodge sits down with Deborah Kops - Advisor to global business services organizations committed to survive and thrive. Deborah is now focused on their single most critical success factor -talent. She is Managing Principal of Sourcing Change dedicated exclusively to shared services and outsourcing change management strategy. With experience as a shared services executive, buyer, provider, and private equity adviser, Deborah works with leading companies to manage globalization challenges. Deborah and Barbara dig into: ✅ Why talent functions hardwired but models are agile ✅ What’s behind talent shortage in the shared services space? ✅ How COVID has affected the delivery models of organizations, making them lose the sense of entity ✅ The capabilities (not skills) and mindsets that shared services professionals need to focus on For the full details on that and a lot more,

Today on SSONext, host Barbara Hodge sits down with Jaco Van Der Merwe - ‘the payroll pundit’ - a passionate payroll professional who promotes collaborating with senior management to plan a more strategic payroll that supports and furthers corporate goals. He has deep experience with payroll accounting procedures as well as in designing and implementing internal controls. Jaco and Barbara dig into:  ✅  The advancements and importance of technology in the payroll industry. ✅ How the payroll department gives leadership exact ideas of how many people are employed in an organization, as well as what the profiles and opportunities are.✅ The opportunity at hand to raise the profile of payroll from experts in ‘pay execution’ to influencers in ‘pay equity’ For the full details on that and a lot more,

Robert Weltevreden is described as “one of the few truly full-stack GBS leaders out there” and we at SSONext are lucky to have him on as our first guest on the SSONext podcast! Robert has a long track record in the GBS (global business services) space, most recently at Novartis, and previously Syngenta AG. Despite the pandemic, Robert has achieved some terrific results in productivity, scaling, and customer experience so, Barbara Hodge, Global Editor, SSON and host of the SSONext podcast sat down with him to get his thoughts on where GBS is heading. Barbara and Robert dive into: ✅  How to accelerate the digital and data journey - something that’s top of mind for shared services leaders in 2022✅ A common pitfall for GBS (global business services) when accelerating the journey✅ A framework for setting up the optimal Data Management Center✅ The importance of data visualization - an automation perspective The the full details on that and a lot more,

The team at SSON are very excited to announce our new podcast: SSONext - Fuelling the future of shared services.  Let’s dive straight into the why, the what – and perhaps most importantly, why you should care if you’re in the shared services industry!  Our promise on this podcast? This will be the 20 minutes a week where you get the information you need to ensure you are in the loop on developments in the GBS and shared services world. We want our listeners to feel the optimism. So the conversations and case studies you’ll hear will prove to you that there is such a thing as a good problem to have! Because they offer new solutions! In this pilot episode, we dive into the details of our commitment to expanding our educational capacity using the audio medium (one that any large organization can mimic!)

Robert Welborn returns to take us through his interesting recent past.  Also, join our Celonis Podcast Mini Series guest JP Thomsen by visiting celonis.com/celosphere-live, available on-demand.    

Max Just returns to deep dive into the fact that The Future of Work is Now. Also, join our Celonis Podcast Mini Series guest JP Thomsen by visiting celonis.com/celosphere-live . Also available on-demand following the live stream dates.    

Babs Hodge provides insight into BCP based on information first reported on March 25th. And JP Thomsen joins us to discuss Process Mining and how Celonis is helping. You can join JP by registering for Celosphere Live.