Editor's note: Welcome to "Ask the Expert" where each week, a member of the SSON Global Advisory Board answers a common question in the shared services/GBS space. If you have a question you'd like to ask the advisory board, let us know by emailing info@ssonetwork.com.
Our shared services will drive for success if we focus on the following three factors:
1. Productivity: In the end, shared services is about consolidating workload. It is about driving for economies of scale. We are successful if we drive up our productivity.
2. Quality: Service Excellence is key in what we are doing. Our business partners and customers will only appreciate our service if we meet their expectations. Our customer and business partner satisfaction is highly dependent on whether or not we deliver on our promise of service quality. Thus, focus needs to be equally on productivity and service quality.
3. Innovation: Shared services are the home of large-scale operations and great subject matter expertise. Due to the high workload, you will often find subject matter experts as much as niche skills consolidated in the Shared Services. The combination of process excellence in large-scale operations combined with subject matter expertise, allows shared services to serve as innovation hubs to either support innovation or to drive innovation forward.
Continue your Shared Services journey...
Gain foundational knowledge and strategies for establishing or optimizing shared services. Designed for those who are new to shared services, join the Shared Services Fundamentals Program at the 30th Annual Shared Services & Outsourcing Week conference (March 16–19, 2026, Orlando, FL) to learn how leading teams are building agile, data-driven operations that deliver measurable business value. Learn more.
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