Pre-Conference Networking: Countdown to Orlando

Shared Services & Outsourcing Week Pre-Conference Networking
Finally, a way to jump-start the networking experience offered onsite. Welcome to virtual conferencing!
Over 130 Practitioners from over 100 different shared services organizations have registered and are collaborating with their peers in advance of attending Shared Services & Outsourcing Week North America, March1-3, Orlando, Florida.

As we count down to SSON’s annual Shared Services & Outsourcing Week in Orlando, now less than one week away, we’re focusing on the three Big Picture issues that will be the focus of a panel discussion with Peeriosity members*. Conference attendees who registered for pre-conference networking took part in online sessions where they shared what is happening in their organizations. This input, combined with findings from the Peeriosity Shared Services Leadership Research Area, will form the basis for discussion in Orlando:

The Big Picture: Your Top 3 Shared Services Issues Debated Live From the Peeriosity Community 
Tuesday March 1st at 2:45pm
Moderator: Ira Fialkow, SVP Member Services, Peeriosity
Panelist: John Gayda, Senior Director, Financial Shared Services, Kellogg’s
Panelist: Mark Kingman, SVP, Disney Worldwide Shared Services
Panelist: Ed Martinez, VP Shared Services, Arby’s/Wendy’s

Topic #1: The strategic value proposition of shared services within your company

If senior executives at your company were asked "what is the strategic value of shared services to your organization," what would the likely answers be?

We asked our pre-conference community this question. Rather predictably, the vast majority indicated that executives would answer, "cost reduction." However, as shared services matures within an organization, practitioners want the conversation to be about more than just cost.  As one respondent commented, "Internal controls, service delivery, and partnering with the business, are all significant as well."

On site in Orlando, our panel will discuss just how we, as leaders, can better position shared services to move beyond the "cost reduction" tag and be recognized for the real value-adding elements we bring to the organization.  More importantly: How do we position shared services as a strategic business partner whose platform can be further leveraged to benefit the business?

To gain some insights pre the panel discussion, we asked our pre-conference community whose umbrella shared services fell under, within their company. The response to date has been:

One of the questions we will ask our Peeriosity community panel at the conference is: Does the reporting relationship of shared services matter?

With less than a week to go before this flagship event …  it’s time to get online with your peers!

To join the conversation you must be a practitioner registered for Shared Services & Outsourcing Week 2011 and register on the Pre-Conference Site with the username and password that was e-mailed to you. If you are eligible and did not receive a username and password please email ifialkow@peeriosity.com.

About Peeriosity
SSON has partnered with Peeriosity (http://www.ssonetwork.com/peeriosity) to create a unique online networking exchange which enables you to identify and connect with peers, collaborate with speakers, join poll discussions, and research providers who will be on-site — all, months ahead of the conference! This forum is strictly for practitioners only. We will post material from sponsors, exhibitors, providers, and consultants, but they cannot access, view, or participate in any of the pre-conference networking.

What this means is that your "on-site conference time" is more focused and productive. Leveraging Peeriosity’s well-established online research capabilities, conference attendees will be able to interact via advanced networking methods, including iPolling, and peer-to-peer connections. Additionally, you can do some homework on the suppliers who’ll be onsite, and target the ones you are interested in. Participation is free to practitioners who are registered for Shared Services & Outsourcing Week North America 2011, and to members of Peeriosity who are planning to attend. For more information, click here to view the user guide (https://www.peeriosity.com/shared-services-networking-guide.php).

 Benefits of participating in pre-conference networking with peers:
• Identify peers attending the conference with similar interests and experiences
• Make online connections ahead of the conference and then meet peers at the event
• Participate in iPolling and see where other practitioners are focused
• Review the conference agenda, speaker profiles, and facility layout to better plan your conference experience
• View information about sponsors and exhibitors

If you haven’t already registered for Shared Services & Outsourcing Week, or if you want to find out more about the event, please click on the link here.

For those of you who have registered for Shared Services & Outsourcing Week for Europe or Australasia, keep an eye out. We’re planning to roll out the same networking experience across those regions.