Guide to Driving Continuous Improvement With BPM and Process Tools

The core principles of the shared services model center around centralization, cost reduction and efficiency. Shared Services Organizations (SSOs) and Global Business Services (GBS) strive to deliver these pillars because their goal is to put their business on a path of continuous improvement.

In fact, SSON Research & Analytics data shows us that having a continuous improvement background is the most important skill set for prospective shared services employees. In 2023, 58% of professionals said this was the most important skill in their shared service centers, up 3% from the year prior. This statistic shows that the shared services space prioritizes talent with experience driving continuous improvement and process design for their organization.

Even with this desire to bring in talent that aligns with continuous improvement objectives, shared services and GBS have the opportunity to further accelerate their transformation journeys by looking at the process side of continuous improvement.

Getting a hold of your organization’s processes is key to creating a continuous improvement environment, and these efforts need to begin with Business Process Management (BPM). BPM is the discipline of discovering, modeling, analyzing, measuring, improving, optimizing, and automating business processes. Meaning if GBS intends to drive organizational efficiency, it needs to begin by constructing a BPM initiative and bringing in solutions that give organizations process visibility they have yet to discover.

Readers of this report should walk away with the following takeaways:

1. SSOs and GBS need to prioritize using technology as a means for process improvement in order to maximize their continuous improvement capabilities.
2. BPM can be used to improve processes in a number of ways, including streamlining processes, improving accuracy, enhancing compliance, reducing risk, and improving customer satisfaction. These improvements can all contribute to continuous improvement efforts.
3. Shared services organizations struggle with continuous improvement due to limited resources, lack of buy-in, unclear paths, and communication challenges. To thrive in their improvement journey, shared services should ensure sufficient resources, invest in technology like BPM solutions, and focus on effective communication and stakeholder engagement.