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The Shared Services & Outsourcing Week (SSOW) conference brought the shared services and GBS community together again for another round of innovation, transformation, and connection. From candid conversations to bold new strategies, the SSOW Post-Show Report captures where shared services stand today as leaders reimagine talent, technology, and service delivery.

Here's a glimpse of what you'll find inside:

• Who Showed Up: A mix of seniority levels and industries brought range to every conversation. See the full attendee breakdown.
• Companies Leading the Way: From established names to rising players, get a look at the organizations shaping the future of GBS transformation.
• Sessions Worth Knowing About: From practical tools to big-picture thinking, see which speakers and topics generated the most buzz.
• Honest Feedback: Attendees shared what actually resonated, and how they're putting it to work already.
• The Ideas Shaping What's Next: Tech, talent, transformation — hashed out across Workshops, Panels, Interactive Discussion Groups (IDGs), Practitioner Labs, and Case Studies.

Want a copy emailed to you? Click here to request a copy.

Explore what it takes to put agentic AI to work in shared services. Explore the Agentic AI in Shared Services Bootcamp brochure for a look at this full-day, practitioner-only intensive at SSOW.

Discover an agenda built around:

• Real deployment lessons, including what worked and what didn't.
• Practical decisions on governance, ownership, and measuring business value.
• A hands-on process selection lab and peer discussions on scaling AI.

Designed for GBS and shared services practitioners ready to turn AI ambitions into action.

March 8, 2027 | Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando, FL

The Shared Services & Outsourcing Week (SSOW) conference returns to Orlando, March 8–11, 2027. Join finance, HR, transformation, outsourcing, automation, and enterprise operations leaders for the industry's biggest week of learning, benchmarking, and networking.

As the leading shared services and GBS conference, SSOW 2027 will explore the future of business services through real-world strategies for Agentic AI, digital transformation, intelligent automation, operating model evolution, process excellence, talent development, outsourcing partnerships, and enterprise value creation, helping leaders benchmark with peers and accelerate transformation.

What to expect at SSOW 2027:

• SSOWomen's Day: Leadership, mentorship, inclusion, and career growth for women and allies in shared services and GBS
• Agentic AI in Shared Services Bootcamp: Practical AI use cases, governance, data readiness, responsible adoption, and scalable implementation
• Site Tour: Behind-the-scenes access to leading shared services and GBS operations
• SSOW Glow Party: High-energy networking, celebration, and community connection
• SSON Impact Awards: Celebrating innovation, operational excellence, transformation, and measurable business impact
• Innovation Hub: Discover the technologies, solution providers, and partners transforming business services and enterprise operations

Join the SSOW community March 8–11, 2027, in Orlando, FL, and be part of the next chapter in shared services and GBS transformation.

Mark 30 years of innovation, transformation, and industry connection with the Shared Services & Outsourcing Week (SSOW) Post-Show Report — a comprehensive look back at the event that continues to shape the shared services and global business services (GBS) landscape. This special edition report highlights the conversations, strategies, and standout moments that made this anniversary year unforgettable.

Inside the report, you'll explore:

• Three Decades of SSOW Evolution: Industry executives and practitioners came together to reflect on how shared services and GBS have transformed over the last 30 years — and what's next for the future of operational excellence and enterprise transformation.
• Practical Insights from the Agentic AI Bootcamp: The debut Agentic AI in Shared Services Bootcamp delivered actionable guidance on one of the sector's fastest-moving technologies, helping attendees separate hype from real-world application.
• How Women in GBS Are Shaping What's Next: SSOWomen's Day brought together influential leaders and emerging voices for meaningful discussions around leadership development, mentorship, allyship, inclusion, and advancing careers across the GBS ecosystem.
• Recognizing Impact Across the Industry: Take a look back at the reimagined 2026 SSON North American Impact Awards Gala, where organizations, teams, and executives were honored for driving innovation and measurable business results.

Complete the form to access your copy of the SSOW Post-Show Report, and opt in to receive additional shared services and GBS research, insights, and upcoming event updates.

Want your copy emailed to you? Click here.

Your peers voted! We're proud to present the top shared services & GBS presentations from Shared Services & Outsourcing Week (SSOW | March 2026).

Voted on by 200 shared services & GBS professionals, these presentations stood out amongst the crowd and cover the topics defining the industry right now, AI strategy, process orchestration, and building the operating model of the future:

• 🏭 Siemens (Eckard Eberle, CEO, Siemens Global Business Services) – Transformative Times: GBS Organizations Between New Requirements and the Race for Digitalization How one of the world's largest GBS organizations is building a holistic AI strategy without losing sight of productivity and value creation.
• 🤖 Stagwell Global (Nikki Rodgers, Chief Transformation Officer) – AI Kickstart: Practical Strategies for Emerging SSOs A 90-day roadmap for launching AI in an emerging shared services org and proving ROI fast.
• & more!

Ready to see what your peers are raving about? View the top SSOW presentations today →

Want your copy of the presentations emailed to you? Click here.

This interactive benchmarking workbook is your jump-start to 2026 readiness - built from hundreds of leaders across the shared services & GBS community. If you want to know what’s rising, what’s stalling, and where peers are placing their biggest bets next, this is the data to guide your roadmap. 

Here’s a real-time pulse on where the industry stands right now:

• Nearly 70% of SSOs are already shifting from transactional back-office work into customer-facing / decision-support roles - with another quarter actively considering it.
• Over 50% say their biggest business kudos now come from creating value, not cutting costs.
• GBS is becoming the AI engine of the enterprise: about one-third house GenAI/Agentic AI projects inside GBS, and another 24% run them through GBS-led Digital or Automation CoEs.
• 71% of organizations sit in the top GBS NPS tier (≥60) - a signal that internal experience is becoming a real differentiator for AI adoption and service scale.

The interactive benchmarking workbook explores four transformation priorities for shared services and GBS in 2026: scaling agentic AI and automation, shifting to experience-led service delivery, building AI-ready talent and skills, and proving enterprise value with next-gen benchmarks beyond cost savings.

Bottom line: this isn’t just another report - it’s a live benchmark of where shared services & GBS stands today, and where the industry is heading next. Claim your complimentary copy by filling out the form to the right and see exactly how your roadmap stacks up.

Want your copy emailed to you? Click here for your copy.

The 30-Year Evolution of Shared Services is a definitive research report examining how shared services and Global Business Services (GBS) evolved from transactional cost centers into intelligence-driven enterprise operating models.

Drawing on three decades of Shared Services & Outsourcing Network (SSON) archives and executive perspectives, it traces the key inflection points shaping today’s most searched priorities—from AI in shared services and GBS operating models to end-to-end process ownership and global delivery strategy.

What you’ll gain from this report:

✔️ A clear timeline of shared services evolution—from early SSCs to AI-enabled, enterprise-wide GBS

✔️ The 10 catalysts that redefined GBS, including governance, experience-led design, data, analytics, and agentic AI

✔️ Real-world case insights from pioneers like P&G, GE, Shell, Ford, American Express, ABB, and HP

✔️ Executive reflections from leaders at Siemens GBS, Allianz Services, Tesco Business Solutions, Mars, Iron Mountain, Carrier, NielsenIQ, and more

✔️ Practical benchmarks showing why certain shared services models scaled—and why others stalled

Whether you helped build shared services from the ground up or are shaping its next AI-native chapter, this report offers strategic context, peer insight, and lessons that remain highly relevant for today’s enterprise leaders navigating transformation.

Request your complimentary copy via email.

As Global Business Services evolves at record speed, scope expansion has become the key to unlocking enterprise-wide value beyond cost savings. This handbook unpacks the trends, strategies, frameworks, and real-world case studies shaping the next era of GBS maturity.

What You’ll Learn

• The biggest trends reshaping GBS: customer-centricity, tech-led transformation, and the shift from efficiency to value creation.
• Why scope expansion is essential to escaping the “1% improvement trap” and sustaining long-term business impact.
• Real examples of unconventional and high-value scope expansion, from clinical trial analytics to engineering services.
• Proven frameworks for securing buy-in, structuring transitions, and scaling new capabilities.

Modern GBS has outgrown its back-office roots, now it’s a strategic engine for growth, innovation, and customer experience. Claim your copy of the handbook today to learn how top organizations are redefining what’s possible. 

Want your copy emailed to you? Click here.

88% of shared services professionals’ top strategic target in 2025 is optimizing cost and efficiency. But how are leading shared services centers (SSCs) getting there?

SSON Research & Analytics’ 2025 edition of The Handbook to Setting Up a Modern SSC is now available, offering valuable, peer-driven survey results and statistics that answer these critical questions.

Key Takeaways from the Report:

• Gain insights into the top strategic priorities for 2025 and how leading SSCs are addressing them.
• Compare your SSC’s performance with industry standards and identify areas for improvement.
• Learn how to align your SSC with broader enterprise goals through effective governance and communication.
• Consider your location strategy using a range of important factors from its infrastructure to its talent pool.
• Discover best practices with advice from leaders at Aon, Iron Mountain, Cox Automotive and more for selecting and standardizing high-impact processes to ensure global consistency and efficiency.
• Leverage the latest advancements in RPA, AI, and data analytics to enhance service delivery and operational efficiency.

Click here to have your copy emailed to you.

View the 2026 SSON North American Impact Awards Brochure as we prepare the 2027 Brochure. Click here to be notified when it is released. 

Celebrate Excellence in Shared Services at the 2026 SSON North American Impact Awards

The SSON North American Impact Awards are the gold standard for recognizing innovation, transformation, and measurable impact across shared services and global business services (GBS). Taking place at the prestigious SSOW Black-Tie Gala on March 18, 2026 in Orlando, this is your chance to showcase your organization’s excellence and stand among the industry’s best. 

Inside the Awards Brochure, You’ll Discover:

• Award Categories & Criteria: From Automation and Business Resilience to Customer Centricity and Finance Transformation, see where your organization can shine.
• Key Dates & Deadlines: Stay ahead with submission timelines, finalist announcements, and the grand gala date.
• Judging Process: Learn how independent, cross-industry leaders evaluate entries with a focus on strategy, results, and innovation.
• Success Stories & Past Winners: See how companies like Siemens, T-Mobile, and Johnson & Johnson earned recognition and elevated their brand.
• Practical FAQs: Get clarity on eligibility, submission requirements, and how to maximize your chances of winning.

Here’s what’s in it for you:

• Spotlight your success – Gain visibility across the North American shared services network and beyond.
• Inspire your peers – Share the story behind your results and the people who made it happen.
• Celebrate together – Join the biggest night in shared services at the SSOW Black-Tie Gala in Orlando.

You’ve already done the hard work. Now’s the time to get recognized for it.

Fill out the form to the right or click here to have your copy emailed directly to you.

Discover what makes shared services truly award-winning. SSON’s latest feature showcases how the world’s best Shared Services & GBS organizations turn ambition into measurable impact — through innovation, bold storytelling, and purpose-driven transformation.

Inside the Blueprints of Excellence

• Transform with Relevance & Storytelling – Judges like Tom Nesteruk, Jana Vondran, and Jo Anne Dimitriou, reveal how innovation and narrative go hand in hand, encouraging submissions that go beyond data to tell a story of impact and creativity.
• Siemens – Change Management & Business Transformation Impact Award – Agile “Hub Model” delivered 4.4% customer value growth and $7.4M in savings.
• SLB – Automation Impact Award – Achieved 70% PO automation, 22% cost reduction, and a 400 bps engagement lift.
• T-Mobile & Infosys BPM – Customer Centricity Impact Award – Reduced query turnaround by 55%, saved $600K annually, while maintaining 99% SLAs.
• Johnson & Johnson – Process Improvement & Value Creation Impact Award – Unifying fleet policies into a single global framework, streamlining operations and accelerating long-term value creation.

Each story brings to life the bold thinking, creativity, and measurable results that define shared services excellence — proving that transformation isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about people, progress, and purpose.

Fill out the form to the right or click here to have your copy emailed to you and discover what award-winning shared services look like in action!

About This Award: Automation has changed the nature of SSO/GBS work over the past decade plus. The impact of automation on service delivery can take many forms – workflow technology, self-service systems, Robotic Process Automation, and now also Artificial Intelligence. The options are endless and ever-expanding. This Automation Impact award is focused on the strategic automation methodology being implemented, its benefits, and the hard, quantifiable impact that the automation has brought to shared services.

Please return the completed application to will.thomae@ssonetwork.com 

About This Award: Change Management & Business Transformation can take many forms: a different means of managing service delivery, increasing specialized knowledge, offering “expertise” services, accelerating digital transformation, embracing the workforce of the future, etc. Shared Services are the engines driving transformation, so how are they reflecting today’s enterprise priorities? Alongside any transformation, the ability to manage change as part of your day-to-day operations is crucial to ensure the cultural transformation required for execution and growth. This award is focused on the strategy, improvement methodology, benefits and impacts achieved by Shared Services along with their ability to navigate hyper-change.

About This Award: Creative Talent Management can take many forms: long term leadership capability, building a strong talent pool, creating a culture in which managers are accountable for their talent, defining the right profile of people and skills, etc. Managing talent effectively is a major challenge. This award category is focused on the strategy, skill sets, improvement methodology, the rise of digital talent, benefits, and hard improvements that Shared Services have achieved in talent management.

About This Award: Customer Centricity in Shared Services can take many forms: understanding and meeting customers’ expectations, effective management of customer needs, designing the experience, complaints resolutions, developing metrics that matter, and encouraging feedback that drives continuous improvement. As customer expectations and behaviors have caused seismic shifts across business models, organizations have enhanced their focus on customer experience through front, middle and back office processes. This Award will focus on how business services are driving a consistent and seamless experience across all of customer touchpoints. This award category is focused on the strategy, methodology, benefits, and hard improvements Shared Services have made to improve the focus on their customers.

About this Award: Finance Transformation can be measured in various ways. Cost cutting, of course, but also value-generation, faster cycle times, data standardization, or leveraging cognitive technology to improve decision-making – to name just a few. This application focuses on the results or outputs of a specific Finance Transformation, highlighting its impact in measurable terms compared to the initial baseline.

About This Award: HR Impact can take many forms: improving employee experience, becoming an employer of choice, elevating self-service capabilities, increasing personalization and customization, better business partnering, leveraging analytics to support HR processes, reducing cost, and fostering innovation through digitalization and new generation technologies. This award category is focused on HR transformation resulting in measurable “impact” such as cost, capability, workforce, talent, etc.

About This Award: Process improvement can take many forms: Eliminating waste in operations, eliminating friction points for customers, process redesign as part of continuous improvement, innovations in process outcomes or even training related processes. Value creation means delivering shareholder value in terms of either top-line growth, bottom-line improvements or even experience related value-add. This award category is focused on the strategy, improvement methodology and benefits/hard improvements in process improvement and value creation that have been made by a shared services organization.

Step into an unforgettable night of recognition, energy, and celebration. The SSON North American Impact Awards, held during the Shared Services & Outsourcing Week (SSOW) conference in Orlando, shine a spotlight on the people and teams redefining what’s possible in shared services, outsourcing, and GBS.

Here’s what you’ll experience in the recap video:

• A front-row look at the awards ceremony and its electric atmosphere.
• Insights and reflections from winners and nominees.
• Unfiltered moments of joy, pride, and celebration.
• A behind-the-scenes glimpse at how we honor innovation and impact across the industry.

Whether you're a transformation leader, strategist, or rising talent, this is a chance to see what excellence looks like, and why it matters.

About This Award: Service providers form an invaluable part of the service delivery ecosystem. For those SSO/GBS that elect to use a third party BPO (business process outsourcer), the resources they can tap, along with the expertise and technology thus offered, are core reasons for outsourcing. There are hundreds of service providers that Shared Services Organizations can utilize to help improve their processes, apply their technologies and achieve a higher level of service for internal customers. This award category is focused on singling out a service provider that has improved an SSO’s impact and efficiencies beyond the original scope – and which has, therefore, become an invaluable partner – not only to the SSO, but the business, as well.

About This Award: There are hundreds, if not thousands, of technologies that Shared Services can utilize to improve their performance and outputs. This award category is focused on singling out one technology solution that has significantly impacted a Shared Services’ performance to the extent that it has become invaluable. This application could relate to a new implementation, or expanded use of an existing technology.

Take a look at the 2027 Sponsorship Prospectus for information on the thought leadership and networking opportunities available at SSOW March 2027! Inside you can find:

• List of Our Current Sponsors,
• Unparalleled Networking Experiences
• Breakdown of Attendee Demographics
• Sponsorship Branding Opportunities
• And Much More!

Download the Floor Plan and see the full layout of our reimagined Expo Hall at Shared Services & Outsourcing Week including Booth Locations, Thought Leadership & Networking Pavilions, Remaining Inventory, and more!

Last March at Shared Services and Outsourcing Week, Directors, VPs and Heads of shared services came together to learn, network and search for solutions to optimize their global business processes. Download the Past Attendee Snapshot to see who attended including:

• VP, Service Excellence, Johnson & Johnson
• Director HR Process Delivery, Cox Automotive
• Vice President - Enterprise Business Services Strategy and Capabilities, Kaiser Permanente
• Global Head of People Services, Bristol Myers Squibb
• And More