GCC Session 4 - Role of technology in virtual migration, transformation, and governance of a GCC

In this webinar, we understand how GCCs have leveraged technology to help their teams with process migration, remote transformations, and governance efforts.

You can view our first session of this series on what makes India a preferred destination for GCCs, the second session on various operating models and evolution for GCCs along with the cyber resilience framework and the third session on understanding multi-functional GCCs.

How technology can support a GCC?

Incorporating technology tools depends on the nature, complexity, volume, and end goal of the activity at hand. Doing this helps them with the below-mentioned advantages:

• Save time
• Reduce risk
• Reduce costs
• Maintain accuracy
• Stabilize growth
• Better resource utilization
• Increase in bandwidth for other important activities
• Early detection of any faults

GCCs have primarily used technology for communication, data storage and retrieval tasks. This primarily includes three use cases:

• Migration: for process and workflow automation, deploying process-specific tools, onboarding and training, and reconciliation tools
• Transformation: for customizing application for specific requirements, automating repetitive tasks via BOTs/RPA, using AI/ML/OCR for eliminating inaccuracies in data
• Governance: for visualization of data to make informed decisions, tools for project management, and improving collaboration using cloud-apps

Integrating technology with people

There is no point in investing in technology and poorly implementing it. Here, Marc shares key pointers to consider while making a decision:

• Select the right technology: check for adaptability with existing processes, conduct due diligence of vendors and their deliverability
• Communicate with people: make your organization understand the benefits of technology for their work, align the usage with organizational goals, set up implementation teams
• Start with a pilot: allow people to test usage in small groups, organize training
• Govern the change: create a review process to gauge the impact
• Stabilize technology intervention: optimize and customize for stability and decide the course for scale

One should conduct a cost-benefit analysis to make decisions and justify the return on investment. Do not ignore data security during implementation to avoid any breach.

Experiences and tips shared by the panelists on technology implementation

“One should focus initially on elimination and simplification before we get to leveraging technology.”

- Darius Thomas, Deputy Managing Director, Business Process Management at Nexdigm

Sayee Bellankonda shared:

• Break the technology implementation into two stages - ‘implementation’ and ‘post-implementation’, and use necessary tools for its execution.
• Focus on vertical and horizontal leadership buy-in to ensure the implementation happens from the top.
• Define KPIs to measure success and progress.
• Have clarity on team requirements and categorize technology accordingly to plan its implementation.
• Enable real-time dashboard and report generation to monitor activities and discuss issues.
• Bring servant leadership into action, focus on culture-building and design thinking to bring people together for this transformation.
• Decide the tools to give to employees, track how they are learning and growing as per their personal development plans and draft how you will measure those aspects.
• Focus on community building across roles to help teams learn and communicate with each other.
• Conduct proof of concept, paint a bigger picture from its data, architecture the governance process and make decisions by presenting it as a business case with cost-benefit analysis.
• Use technology for employee wellness by helping them manage time and provide flexibility via a hybrid work model.

Darius Thomas shared:

• Use process mining tools to help understand processes better, while also spotting any pitfalls or restrictions (like access, offline paperwork requirements, etc.) early on
• Use tools that can be installed in a subject matter experts machine so that when they are conducting the training, automated capture of the IT-driven business processes can be done, which can be further leveraged to create e-learning content and process documentation during the migration
• Establish a business case, transformation book of work, assign priorities to each task and define cadence for tracking metrics before execution
• Align objectives by aligning GCC and regional leaders
• Have a clear understanding of which technology component is best suited for which problem type
• Do try reimaging the process before automation to avoid creating any exception of processes to be handled manually post the automation.

In the end, do not forget to celebrate the successes of the transformation initiatives. Take efforts to make technology a crucial part of your company culture, where everyone learns.