Intelligent Automation: The Catalyst for Business Transformation in Shared Services

Intelligent Automation (IA), one of the key components of the digital ecosystem, has enabled the transformation of GBS by providing rapid return on investments (ROI), non-invasive modernization, and key business and operational process improvements. Automation and machines have become fundamental for performing tedious, mundane and repetitive tasks to deliver data-driven and cost-effective insights.
The advancement in digital tech and the Internet has significantly reduced barriers to market entry, resulting in “unicorn” start-ups that are challenging the dominant position and market share of large corporations. With intelligent automation as a key facilitator, GBS has enabled the enterprise value chain to be more efficient, agile, smarter and integrated, allowing businesses to launch products faster, identify and actualize new revenue streams, and receive information and support services on-demand. As automation becomes more “intelligent” through AI enablement, there will be several more use cases and processes that could potentially get automated. However, GBS will have to prepare their resources (people, process and technology) and adopt a culture of continuous experimentation.
Despite increasing adoption, more than half of the GBS that has ventured into IA have:
i. not advanced beyond the pilot or experimentation stage,
ii. failed, or
iii. are still evaluating their options.
It is imperative for these organizations to advance or integrate IA initiatives to enable business transformation and ensure competitiveness. Lack of an overall vision, siloed practices, limited knowledge of disruptive solutions, misaligned partnership strategy are some of the reasons why GBS have not been able to capitalize on IA benefits. To derive maximum value from automation initiatives, they need to have a clearly defined roadmap and deployment strategy where stakeholders are aligned, effective operating models established, processes optimized, benefits measured, and partnerships are leveraged.
To guide GBS executives through their IA journey and decision-making, this paper explores opportunities, highlights the challenges that may arise during the adoption, and outlines the best practices to ensure business success. Several case studies are presented to help illustrate these points, including the IA journey of Novo Nordisk Global Services Center (GSC).