Outsource Magazine Issue 29 - (Page 40)

How do you – and should you – deal with your internal customers? The Face oF Finance Ralph Geertsema Ralph Geertsema is an independent advisor on finance transformation working with clients looking at how to implement ERPs, drive SSC build and stay compliant in one effort. Hugo Aaldering Hugo Aaldering has gained significant experience in large ERP implementations and business process reengineering within various multinationals. Currently, he is working with Canon Europe with a main focus on (re-) structuring a €2,000m rental and lease portfolio. I 40 n the transformation of the transactional finance function from back office to a service function we need to consider how we define customers, what service levels we offer to different customers of the finance function and who will eventually manage the customers of the finance function. Traditionally finance has been a backoffice support function which tended to have multiple interfaces with their colleagues in the business. In most internal support functions the main customer is usually the boss, so finance was mostly looking internally and up, with the Chief Finance Officer as the most important customer. Has ssC Creation been able to save tHe faCe of finanCe? Our operational colleagues weren’t very impressed with the finance function as they were interfacing with multiple departments: AP and procurement for the ordering of services and equipment; AR, collections and sometimes billing for all the customerrelated activity. Finally all the commercial (bids) and non-transactional finance (operational reviews, budgeting, planning) was dealt with by the business controllers. (See Figure 1). The first generation of shared service centres (SSCs) were designed to offer maximum output of transaction against a lower cost base. SSCs were by nature rule- FIGURE 1 driven and very controlled environments with a strong compliance focus. Not only are the controls fully documented, most SSCs also document the adherence to them and do regular internal testing to ensure and be able to prove the quality of service delivered. “I don’t care a damn for your loyal service when you think I am right; when I really want it most is when you think I am wrong.” – John Monash ● ● www.outsourcemagazine.co.uk http://www.outsourcemagazine.co.uk

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Outsource Magazine Issue 29

Call Me Maybe?
Optimising Your supplier Portfolio
Application Development Outsourcing
Are You Fat?
The Future of BPO
Digital by Default
The Face of Finance
Procuring Excellence
The Importance of Being Secure
NOA Round-Up
Steering the Flow
Changing Shape
Legal Transformation
Getting to the Real-Life Win-Win
What’s the Point of Outsourcing?
outsourceXplores
Head-to-Head
The Legal View
Top Ten
NelsonHall Round-Up
The Oral Review
Online Round-Up
Inside Source
The Last Word

Outsource Magazine Issue 29