The 2027 GBS Question: What Will Define Great Performance?

WHAT WILL DEFINE GREAT GBS PERFORMANCE IN 2027?

As we approach the end of the year, one question is becoming increasingly important: How will GBS demonstrate its value in an environment where expectations keep rising? 

Nearly three-quarters of GBS organizations now report into the C-suite. Digitalization has moved into the top three strategic priorities. And with AI reshaping the possibilities for service delivery, the pressure to deliver measurable business outcomes is growing.

The opportunity is enormous. But so is the challenge of turning ambition into results.

It's a theme running through our latest research, and one that will be central to our work in 2027. 

FIRST, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! 

Our 2027 State of the Industry Survey is now open, and I'd love you to participate.

This is one of the industry's most influential annual research studies, helping us understand how GBS models are evolving, where organizations are investing, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead.

The value of this research comes from you. Every response contributes to a clearer, more representative picture of the industry, helping us identify the trends that matter and the changes taking place across GBS.

Please take a few minutes to have your say.

Take the 2027 State of the Industry Survey

THE SHIFT TOWARD ENTERPRISE VALUE IS ALREADY UNDERWAY 

Two recent research reports offer important perspectives on where this shift is taking place, and the gaps that still need to be addressed.
 
Our new Beyond Efficiency: How GBS Is Becoming an Engine of Enterprise Value report reveals a striking disconnect. 

Fifty-seven percent of respondents say creating value earns them the greatest recognition from their customers (compared to just 21% for cutting costs). Yet, 69% say their stakeholders still measure GBS success through traditional SLAs and KPIs. Only 15% measure revenue influenced or enabled.

The message is clear: expectations are evolving faster than the measures used to evaluate success.  
Our new Order-to-Cash & Working Capital AI & Agentic Readiness report brings this challenge into focus at the process level.

While 69% of O2C leaders prioritize faster cash collection, only 21% have adopted AI for customer segmentation and prioritization, and just 9% use AI-driven predictive and scenario-based forecasting.

There's a significant opportunity to move beyond automating tasks toward using intelligence to improve cash performance and working capital.

Together, these findings raise an important question for GBS leaders: Are our investments, capabilities, and performance measures aligned with the business outcomes we're increasingly expected to deliver?

WHAT DOES GREAT PERFORMANCE LOOK LIKE TODAY?

Our 2026 Top 20 Most Admired Shared Services & GBS Benchmark Leaders provide an important reference point. 

This year's benchmarking study covers 110 performance metrics across 14 categories, including 56 newly introduced metrics. It offers a detailed view of how leading organizations are performing across efficiency, quality, productivity, automation, and more.

If you haven't explored the results yet, I encourage you to take a look. Beyond the rankings, the real value lies in understanding the performance levels being achieved and how they compare with your own organization. 

Congratulations again to all 20 organizations recognized this year! 

Explore the 2026 Top 20 Benchmarking Highlights 

AND HOW DOES YOUR OWN GBS MEASURE UP? 

Applications for our 2027 World's Best GBS Study & Award close November 30.
 
Even if you aren't planning to apply, I'd encourage you to review the assessment. The questions themselves provide a valuable opportunity to reflect on your GBS model, the capabilities supporting it, and the measurable value your organization delivers. 

It's a useful exercise for any GBS leadership team, particularly as priorities and performance expectations continue to evolve. 

Explore the World's Best GBS Study – Applications Close November 30 

THE WORKFORCE QUESTION CANNOT WAIT 

Of course, achieving these ambitions depends on having the right capabilities in place.
 
On November 10, we'll explore the critical skills and capabilities needed for a future-ready GBS workforce, where the gaps are emerging, and how organizations are preparing their teams for new expectations. 

Register: Building the Future-Ready GBS Workforce – November 10 

And looking further ahead, our December 1 webinar, GBS 2027: Provocations Shaping What Comes Next, brings together a full year of SSON R&A findings to challenge assumptions about the direction the industry is taking. 

We'll examine five provocations spanning AI, workforce, process ownership, sourcing, and enterprise value, and what they could mean for the next phase of GBS. 

Register: GBS 2027 – Provocations Shaping What Comes Next 

As we look to 2027, I believe the most important conversations will center on how GBS translates its expanding capabilities into measurable enterprise impact. 

Our latest research gives us plenty to consider, particularly the gaps between ambition, investment, and execution.  

In the meantime, I hope you'll take a few minutes to complete our State of the Industry Survey. Your participation helps ensure that our research reflects the realities, priorities, and experiences of the organizations shaping this industry. 

Until next time, 

Naomi Secor 
Global Managing Director 
SSON Research & Analytics