CATALYST Issue 4 | Page 32

D Dexterity | Catalyst GLOBAL SHARED SERVICE CENTRE L O C AT I O N S : A C O M P A R AT I V E A N A LY S I S Global shared service centre locations – where’s best? T he global shared services industry remains strong. Growing at 17%-30%, around 75,000 new shared services centres (SSCs) globally are expected to be established by 2022. Firms investing in SSCs achieved around 20%-30% cost reduction (a key motivator for establishing an SSC). As an industry with higher-than-average attrition rates, access to a wide talent pool is critical to location strategies for global shared services. Arguably, the SSC sector is relatively immature in terms of employee engagement and retention, with a demotivated workforce often presenting critical talent challenges. THE AMERICAS Mexico City, Mexico, is the ideal location for establishment of a shared services operation in The Americas. Its current and potential talent resources, coupled with low operating costs, well- developed digital infrastructure and strategic location, ensure it has the capability to support the shared services industry. Global comparative data has shown that Asian cities, including Beijing and Manila, have some of the highest numbers of available professionals across the entire SSC remit – a fact that has undoubtedly influenced the attraction of global shared service centres to the region. This reliance on vast numbers of available resources is, however, likely to be revolutionised by the continued introduction and adoption of intelligent automation and robotic process automation in the industry. This will not only streamline processes and operations, but also potentially reduce the number of resources needed to operate an SSC. CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE Bucharest, Romania, was identified as the top location in Central and Eastern Europe. It has one of the biggest current and potential talent resources among the cities. ASIA India is the best location to support shared service operations in Asia, with Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad being the top cities. The shared services industry in the country is fairly mature, supporting large operations globally. Its low operation costs and high availability of skilled talent, especially English-speaking professionals, place India in the global shared services landscape. To read the full report, visit bit.ly/ams-gssc_report alexandermannsolutions.com 32