SSOW Day One Summary

The 27th year of SSOW North America kicked off with a bang Tuesday thanks to the knowledgeable insights provided by speakers, engaging questions asked by attendees, and a lively atmosphere in the expo hall.

With three different tracks and two insights pavilions available within SSOW, it’s fair to say the conference is a sensory overload in the best possible way, but with that being said, SSON Digital is here to wrap up everything that happened, so you don’t have to. 

Opening Remarks 

SSOW began with opening remarks from Naomi Secor, Global Managing Director of SSON, and the conference’s chairman, Brad DeMent. Brad shared his tips for getting the most out of a large-scale event, which was to connect with people in similar roles as yourself and attempt to take home one thing you will implement in your organization in 2023. 

During his opening remarks, Brad also provided a high-level overview of the topics that would be covered this week. This included overcoming economic uncertainty, leveraging the latest technologies, such as generative AI, and enabling GBS to be the leader of change within its organization. 

Hybrid Work

The first panel discussion at SSOW’s main stage brought together 5 GBS leaders from unique industries to discuss how to “SurTHRIVE” in a hybrid work environment.

One consensus the panel reached is that hybrid work in 2023 needs to be built on flexibility. No two teams, or even individuals, are experiencing the same workday, so in order to create an enriching employee experience while maintaining high productivity metrics, organizations need to look at hybrid work with a case-by-case mindset. 

Despite this need for flexibility, one fact also appeared clear: the younger generation wants and needs to be in the office. According to the panel, remote work has not been as conducive for onboarding and training recent college graduates as completing these steps in person.

ChatGPT

The technology that has changed the narrative surrounding work for the past six months was front and center on day one of SSOW, and it will certainly stay that way for years to come.

The Thought Leadership Pavillion in SSOW’s Expo Hall held a fascinating conversation about the impact of ChatGPT on shared services, and some key applications and challenges of ChatGPT that came from that discussion include: 

• Upgrading chatbots and customer service capabilities 
• Personal assistants for employees 
• Can explain the capabilities of each tool in an organization's technology arsenal 
• Potential for more complex phishing attacks
• Can reflect individual biases 

With so many avenues of discussion surrounding ChatGPT will certainly be a much-discussed topic at future SSON events and webinars. 

Digitization & Analytics 

While AI seemed like the bell of the ball at times during day one, there was plenty of discussion surrounding the continued need for digitization and analytics in shared services.

Both of these abilities are capable of opening organizations up to a world of insight that have proven to be game changers throughout the pandemic. However, before working with digitization and analytics, speakers emphasized that proper preparation remains a priority. This means (1) creating a culture of continuous improvement where employees are prepared to adopt change and (2) standardizing and consolidating processes so they are ready for digitization.