In the traditional shared services model, organizations centralize operations, such as finance, HR, procurement, or IT, into large hubs to drive efficiency and scale. While this works well for enterprise-wide transformation, it can also create bottlenecks: slow responsiveness, limited flexibility, and a “one-size-fits-all” approach.
This is where Micro Shared Services (MSS) come in.
What Are Micro Shared Services?
Micro Shared Services are smaller, specialized service units designed to operate closer to business units or geographies. Unlike a large, centralized center, these micro units focus on specific processes, functions, or markets, delivering tailored support with higher agility and faster decision-making.
Think of them as modular service nodes, each one independently capable, but connected through a common operating model and technology backbone.
The Satellite–Hub Model
The Satellite–Hub model is the most practical architecture for implementing Micro Shared Services.
- Hub (Core Center): The main hub remains the anchor, housing enterprise-wide expertise, governance, data platforms, and automation frameworks. It ensures consistency, compliance, and process standardization across all regions or business lines.
- Satellites (Micro Units): Satellites are smaller, agile teams located closer to the business. They handle region-specific or function-specific work, often where local expertise or customer proximity is key. These satellites plug into the central hub for technology, analytics, and process governance, while maintaining flexibility in execution.
Together, the Hub drives standardization, and Satellites drive responsiveness.
Benefits of the Satellite–Hub Approach
- Agility and Responsiveness: Decisions and operations happen faster because satellite units are closer to the business or customer.
- Scalability Without Overhead: New satellites can be added as the organization grows, without re-engineering the entire shared services model.
- Risk Diversification: Distributed satellites reduce the operational and geopolitical risks of depending on a single large center.
- Localized Expertise, Global Consistency: Satellites adapt to local market needs while still operating under a unified global framework managed by the hub.
- Cost Efficiency: Smaller, right-sized operations help optimize costs without sacrificing quality or compliance.
The Technology Enabler
Micro Shared Services thrive on digital connectivity, cloud platforms, process automation, and AI-driven insights. These technologies bridge the gap between hub and satellites, ensuring seamless collaboration, transparency, and shared data visibility.
The Future of Shared Services
As organizations move toward decentralization and digital-first models, the Micro Shared Services and Satellite–Hub architecture represent a natural evolution. It’s a model that balances scale with flexibility, structure with speed, and global efficiency with local empowerment.
For many global enterprises, the future of shared services won’t be big, it’ll be smart, modular, and micro.
shared services provider India