Value Selling & Value Generation With Siemens Global Business Services

Siemens consistently stands out as one of the most innovative Global Business Services organizations globally (proven by their ranking as one of the top 20 admired global GBS Companies and as runner-up in the SSON’s World’s Best GBS Award 2025). They were one of the first GBS Organizations to showcase real progress in Generative and Agentic AI, and they have been a leader in trialing unconventional service lines by integrating functions like engineering and sales into their remit. However, it was their approach to value selling that captured the audience’s attention at the 2025 summit.  Alexander von Thielmann, SVP of O2C & CRM at Siemens Global Business Services (GBS), delivered a candid look at Siemens GBS’s transformational journey. Where shifting from traditional service delivery to strategic value co-creation has positioned GBS at the heart of the enterprise.

From Service Provider to Strategic Partner

Siemens GBS initiated its customer relationship management (CRM) transformation with a bold goal: To excite the customer and to move beyond transactional conversations by establishing GBS as a co-creator of business value. “As our customers are changing, we as GBS also have to change,” von Thielmann admitted. “It was no longer enough to push a portfolio. We had to drive value selling and jointly develop solutions that matter.”

This marked the birth of value-based selling within Siemens GBS, a pivot that aligned service delivery with customer business outcomes. Instead of measuring success by traditional methods such as hours automated or tickets closed, they would now be evaluated by its direct impact on the customer's P&L.

The CRM Strategic Framework

At the core of Siemens GBS’ new strategy is a CRM framework that embeds value creation into the GBS operating model. It emphasizes:

• Understanding the customer's real business challenges
• Transitioning from product-selling to problem-solving
• Building trusted partnerships through co-creation
• Articulating business impact rather than productivity metrics

 “If we can’t tie our contribution to sales growth, cost savings, or asset optimization, we’re not delivering value.” The revised CRM model focuses on strengthening account and relationship management, underpinned by a formal CRM procedure set related to Demand generation, Sales planning, Lead generation, and Opportunity management

These steps ensure Siemens GBS is not only responsive to client needs but also actively contributing to top-line growth and operational efficiency.

Defining and Measuring Value

To make value tangible and measurable, Siemens GBS has adopted a disciplined approach centered around three core levers:

• Cost Reduction: Optimizing expenditures and operational efficiencies.
• Sales Increase: Driving revenue growth through new opportunities
• Asset Optimization: Improving the utilization and efficiency  

The effectiveness of these levers is clearly demonstrated through the following key use cases:

• Regional Process Office (RPO): As an internal consulting powerhouse, the RPO partners with Siemens businesses to identify and implement significant process improvements. Their work directly leads to Cost Optimization, with commitments to measurable savings that frequently yield an impressive 2.0x ROI.
• Inside Sales: Our dedicated Inside Sales team is strategically designed to unlock new revenue streams. By focusing on underserved SME and longtail accounts - segments often overlooked by traditional sales channels. This team has already delivered substantial Revenue Growth from re-aligned accounts.
• Engineering Services: These teams provide critical offshore engineering solutions, co-creating innovations that accelerate Siemens' product development and advance our sustainability goals. By leveraging global talent and efficient delivery models, Engineering Services contributes to both Cost Optimization through scalable solutions and indirectly supports Revenue Growth by enabling faster market entry for new, innovative products. 

This development also supports the powerful rotation between the business and Siemens GBS. “When you’re an integrated part of the business driving top and bottom line, GBS becomes a more exciting place to be,” von Thielmann said.

Key Takeaways From the Session:

Siemens GBS stands as compelling proof of the significant value derived from investing in a clear customer experience process. By shifting their mindset from that of a mandated service provider to a customer-obsessed innovator, they created a distinct competitive advantage and drove increased revenue. 

This success was fundamentally rooted in their unwavering focus on goal alignment and diligently tracking the tangible value that truly mattered to their business. Crucially, leveraging this data and openly sharing it with internal customers fostered trust and accountability, empowering GBS to confidently undertake increasingly advanced, customer-facing initiatives.

To experience more fantastic content, check out the agenda for Shared Services & Outsourcing Week Autumn, 21-23 October, Amsterdam.