Planning a business model transformation strategy is the first step. Executing it - and seeing tangible results at the pace we now expect - is an entirely different challenge. Business leaders are increasingly turning to managed services as a fast and effective way to turn strategy into results and move ahead of their competitors, whether the goal is migrating to a cloud platform, adopting digital-first engagement, or overhauling finance, tax or HR functions to boost efficiencies.
Working with a managed service provider takes a shift in mindset. Traditionally, organisations work with consultants and advisors to develop their transformation strategy first and then later bring in technology vendors and operational partners to implement new systems. But this approach sets up a disconnect where skills, operating model, technology and the partner ecosystem you’re working with lack alignment on timelines and objectives. It also lengthens the process of embedding new technology into the organisation, leading to costly delays to the transformation process.
Instead, a managed services approach allows an organisation to operate and transform simultaneously in one end-to-end service, rather than working with a sequence of partners on a lengthy transformation process before picking up operational output again later on.
“Increasingly, clients are focused on speed to sustainable outcomes. They recognise we have the deep industry understanding, operational and subject matter expertise, and a winning technology ecosystem and are looking for new ways and models to access this… beyond traditional advisory relationships”
David Allen, PwC Managed Services
Seeing tangible results relies on getting the right technology embedded and adopted by your business as quickly as possible. This requires a deep understanding of your business, domain and the context you operate in. By bringing together our advisory, managed services teams and ecosystem of tech partners we can identify and deploy solutions that develop the maturity of the technology you use within your organisation, supporting you to build out your operating model while keeping business-as-usual operations running with efficiency.
Seamlessly aligning all of these areas within a single managed service is central to our "digital business partner" approach. It focuses on delivering faster results by removing growth constraints and providing the necessary talent and technology at the right time. This ensures alignment of objectives, technology, and implementation right from the start.
We understand that a big challenge with transformation is helping your people to embrace what’s changing and upskill them when needed. A core part of our managed service offering is working alongside your teams to help technology get adopted in the way that’s right for your culture and organisation.
“Results only happen when technology gets adopted by people. The first priority is making sure no member of staff in your organisation is left behind during the transformation process. Second is a willingness to embrace change – a continuous improvement mindset. The third big priority is the ability to think end-to-end - picking up on shifts in your industry and adapting your operations at pace.”
David Allen, PwC Managed Services
Throughout this process we can run new systems on your behalf while your people get up to speed, passing on our knowledge throughout. There is also the option to partner with us on the running of these new and improved processes on a longer term basis. Every managed service is unique and tailored to what your organisation needs.
An example of this in action is our work with insurer Chester Street to transform the company’s claims management operations. We not only helped the business to modernise manually-driven systems that had been slow and susceptible to error, but we also transferred 65 claims handlers to our claims centre of excellence in Bradford. The result is a 30% uptick in claims handling efficiency. This exemplifies our winning approach of deploying the right technology in a way that’s people-focused and relevant to your organisation to get the best transformation outcomes.
“In an end-to-end managed service solution we use our industry expertise and understanding of your organisation to identify and deploy the right technology from our ecosystem of tech partnerships, fast. We then support your people through the transformation process so new technology is integrated and adopted at pace, running new and improved systems on your behalf throughout the process.”
David Allen, PwC Managed Services
Managed services differ from existing outsourcing arrangements by providing a deeper combination of industry insight, access to technology and empowered talent needed to deliver transformational change and develop a culture of continuous improvement and reinvention. By aligning our objectives with the capabilities you need to deliver your future business model we are able to reduce risk and increase speed to outcomes.
If you want to find out more about Managed Services, feel free to give us a call. Better still, come and visit one of our Managed Services operating centres to see how we work and how we can support your business.
Discover how managed services can accelerate successful transformation by providing the capacity, capabilities, and customisation needed for modernisation. Learn how PwC's innovative solutions and industry expertise can bridge the gap between ambition and execution, delivering tangible benefits and transformational results.
A fresh look at the role of the managed services model - as a flexible way to access the right blend of skills and technology - is helping bridge capability gaps and accelerate outcomes.
Turning strategic ambitions into results that are felt throughout an organisation means operational delivery needs to be included when strategy is being set.
Managed Services are better when people and technology work in tandem. For Chester Street and PwC, the result was a 30% uptick in claims handling efficiency.
David Allen
Partner, Global EMS Market Activation Lead for Managed Services, PwC United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)7843 334629
