By Mitesh Saha, EVP – Sales, IMS Global Business Solutions
In an era marked by disruption and rapid transformation, enterprise leaders are reevaluating the role of Global Business Services (GBS). Conversations around GBS organisations are now centred on integration, strategic orientation, agility, and alignment with priorities, rather than them being just cost‑centres or back‑office support.
From Operational Efficiency To Strategic Enablement
Across industries in 2025, operating models are being redefined. Leaders expect GBS to deliver three core attributes:
- Scalability Aligned With Growth
Organisations expanding into new markets ask: Can this model scale alongside our growth strategy? Whether deploying new lines of business, entering untapped regions, or integrating acquisitions, clients look for a GBS model that flexes and adapts rather than requiring constant reconfiguration.
- Data Visibility To Accelerate DecisionMaking
In a volatile environment, velocity matters. Executives now seek realtime dashboards, analytics, and predictive insights – not just periodic reports. As per Deloitte’s 2025 GBS Survey, roughly half of organisations are investing in GenAI, automation, and data visualisation tools to improve efficiency and customer experience.
- Structure For Compliance, Alignment, And Control
In an increasingly regulated world, enterprises demand that GBS embed compliance, customer alignment, and governance into core processes – right from inception.
At IMS GBS, we hear a recurring refrain in client discussions: “We don’t just need reliable transaction outputs – we need our GBS support to move our enterprise forward.”
How Leading Enterprises Are Structuring GBS
High-performing clients approach GBS not as a silo, but as a connective tissue across their operating environment. They exhibit five hallmarks:
- Integrated Structures
GBS is embedded within the organisational matrix – connecting finance, information technology, human resources, and customer-facing teams – rather than functioning as a detached centre.
- RealTime Data and Reporting
Clients use contextual dashboards for immediate insights – complemented by predictive and prescriptive analytics built on AI and process intelligence.
- Flexible Talent Models
Teams are organised to deploy skills swiftly across shifting priorities – whether transactional, analytical, digital, or strategic.
- CustomerCentric Delivery
Internal SLAs mirror external customer expectations. Speed, quality, and consistency are non-negotiables – reinforcing trust, not just metrics.
- TechnologyFirst Infrastructure
Cloud-native platforms, automation, GenAI tools, and compliance tooling are implemented from day one to ensure operational robustness and scalability.
These characteristics ensure clarity of purpose, reduced latency, and alignment with enterprise objectives – from the C-suite to the front lines.
The IMS GBS Framework
At IMS GBS, we have codified a model designed to both support and advance enterprise strategy across five pillars:
- Integrated Value Chains
We dismantle silos. Our design links regional operations, enabling enterprises to move with purpose and velocity.
- TechnologyEnabled Delivery
From robotic process automation to real-time, automated dashboards, we deploy tools for precision, control, and transparency.
- Governance Anchored in KPIDriven Management
We tie GBS performance to enterprise-level objectives, ensuring accountability and measurable ROI.
- Compliance by Design
Regulatory and data protection standard and requirements (GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2 Type 2, ISOs, etc.) are embedded natively in the architecture – not retrofitted.
- Human + AI Delivery
By coalescing skilled teams with digital and automation accelerators, we minimise manual efforts, while accelerating service timelines.
Our clients benefit from operational continuity, speed-to-market, and tight strategic control.
Where Is GBS Headed In 2025 And Beyond
Recent data confirms that GBS is not a niche – it is rapidly becoming mainstream.
- A staggering 85% of shared services organisations are operating a GBS model or transitioning to one; another 16% intend to adopt within five years. (Source: Deloitte)
- Nearly 69% already run GBS, marking sustained momentum toward integrated, enterprise-wide services. (Source: SSON Research & Analytics)
GBS is evolving into an organisational stratum where functional excellence, digital innovation, and strategic ambition converge. No longer an optional back-office construct, it is becoming a mission-critical battleground for competitive differentiation.
At IMS GBS, each solution’s deployment is designed to deliver executional precision and strategic alignment. Our intent is simple yet powerful: to ensure GBS becomes the thread weaving operational delivery with enterprise ambition.
Conclusion
As we engage with forward-thinking clients, one message resonates clearly: GBS is not static. Today’s GBS serves processes and strategy – performing with efficiency and insight, and delivering outcomes reliably and with deft agility.
At IMS Global Business Solutions, we design and deploy GBS models that seamlessly connect ambition and action, process and performance, present and future – serving as the catalyst for enterprise transformation and sustained growth.
