By Bill Boucher, Global Business Services & Automation Strategist

As Intelligent Automation (IA) continues to shape the future of business operations, mid-sized and large enterprises are turning to their Shared Services or Global Business Services (GBS) teams to lead the charge.

Why? Shared Services centers are no longer just back-office cost centers. They are strategic enablers of transformation, built to scale operations, standardize processes, and now amplify the impact of automation.

As IA becomes mainstream, the key question isn’t “Can we automate?” It’s: “Who’s in and how do we do this at scale across the enterprise?”

The Growing IA Market and the Role of GBS

According to Precedence Research, the global intelligent automation market reached $14.8 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to $51.3 billion by 2032, expanding at a 15% CAGR. Meanwhile, 80% of GBS organizations now consider IA a core pillar of their operating model, according to the 2023 SSON Global GBS Benchmarking Report.

These stats tell a story: GBS and Shared Services are not just beneficiaries of automation, they are its owners and accelerators.

Why Shared Services Is the Ideal Launchpad for IA

Shared Services and GBS organizations are uniquely positioned to lead automation efforts because they already:

• Centralize high-volume, repeatable processes

• Have defined SLAs and performance metrics

• Operate under a global process governance model

• Support multiple business units across geographies and functions

When these centers adopt AI, the impact is amplified in cost savings, speed, consistency, and scalability.

IA + GBS in Finance (Record to Report, Procure to Pay)

Shared Services centers already handle core finance functions, making them a natural fit for automation. IA can eliminate bottlenecks and increase visibility from GL reconciliations and journal entries to invoice processing and expense auditing.

GBS Impact:

• Faster close cycles

• Reduced error rates

• Scalable processing without headcount increases

Stat to know: According to a 2024 SS&C Technologies survey, 82% of financial services firms are using AI at some level, and 39% are already seeing measurable benefits from their AI investments including the Accounting and Finance arenas.

IA + GBS in Procurement (Source to Pay)

In GBS models, procurement is often one of the first enterprise functions to be centralized. IA enhances this by automating low-value tasks such as PO creation, approvals, and vendor onboarding, freeing sourcing teams to focus on strategic supplier relationships.

GBS Impact:

• Increased procurement cycle speed

• Higher compliance to sourcing policies

• More accurate, real-time spend analytics

IA + GBS in HR (Hire to Retire)

AI is increasingly enhancing GBS-led HR delivery models to improve employee experience. By automating onboarding paperwork, leave processing, and benefits administration, these models create a smoother experience for both HR teams and employees.

GBS Impact:

• Faster onboarding and offboarding

• Reduced ticket volumes to HR support

• Improved employee satisfaction

Stat to know: Mercer’s Global Talent Trends report finds 62% of HR leaders are investing in automation within shared services environments.

IA + GBS in IT (ITSM & Self-Service)

While IT facilitates automation, the IT function itself, mainly when centralized in a Shared Services or GBS structure, can achieve significant improvements. IA tools can automatically resolve low-level tickets, manage device provisioning, and monitor systems around the clock.

GBS Impact:

• Reduced helpdesk workload

• Faster mean time to resolution (MTTR)

• Scalable support model for global users

Automation + Shared Services = Enterprise Scalability

IA doesn’t just make existing GBS processes faster; it enables true scalability and resilience across the enterprise.

When automation is embedded into the Shared Services model, companies gain:

• Standardized global operations with local flexibility

• 24/7 transaction processing without additional labor costs

• Data-driven insights from automated logging and exception tracking

• Resilient operations, even in times of volatility or workforce disruption

What’s Next: Building an Automation-Ready Enterprise

The future of GBS is automation native. As emerging technologies such as generative AI, NLP, and intelligent document processing advance, even more complex workflows can be automated across finance, supply chain, customer service, and beyond.

But technology alone isn’t enough. To succeed, companies must:

• Build cross-functional automation governance led by GBS

• Invest in change management and reskilling

• Adopt agile delivery models for continuous IA deployment

• Prioritize technology architecture that supports scale

Final Thought: Who’s In Your Top 4?

Today's thriving organizations place GBS at the center of their IA strategy. If you’re wondering, “What can we automate next?”, begin with the processes your Shared Services team is already managing.

By focusing on high-value, repeatable transactions, IA becomes more than a tool; it becomes your growth engine.

Looking to launch or scale intelligent automation in your Shared Services function? Stratfield’s consultants can help. Let’s talk.