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To generate more business value from its IT operations, a large Canadian telecommunications firm was ready to explore a different approach to IT service delivery—setting up a global capability center (GCC) in India. While the company already had two GCCs—one in Morocco and one in the Philippines—each were focused on business processing outsourcing. The company now desired a third GCC, focused on more strategic, high-end technology work that would accelerate the company’s business transformation and position it for the future.
“Five Cs” compelled the company to embark on its GCC journey in India, including the following:
- Control: Regain control of infrastructure and applications, including planning, implementation and maintenance, and become a telco firm known for its technology expertise, capabilities and innovation.
- Core knowledge: Regain core knowledge of IT systems and processes.
- Consolidation: Consolidate vendor systems to simplify IT operations.
- Center of excellence (COE): Build and run a comprehensive global technology COE in India to drive quality.
- Cost savings: Continue reaping the cost savings of offshore technology work.
Choosing the right GCC partner
After working with CGI for more than 25 years on a wide range of strategic infrastructure and applications projects, the telco chose us as its GCC partner. Several factors influenced its decision:
The BOA model provides more control than a BOT model because the GCC would be owned, built and operated by the telco, with CGI’s help. With a BOT model, however, a technology partner would own, build and ultimately transfer the GCC to the telco.
- Trusted relationship: CGI had built a trusted relationship with the telco over the past 25 years based on service excellence.
- Domain and technology knowledge: Our teams possess a deep understanding of the telco’s industry, business and applications.
- Management commitment and focus: CGI management consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to the telco’s business and keen focus on its strategic objectives.
- Flexible GCC options: While other technology partners offered to set up a Build/Operate/Transfer (BOT) GCC model, CGI was the only firm that also offered a Build/Operate/Acquire (BOA) model—the model ultimately chosen by the telco.
As part of our BOA proposition, we offered to sublease office space to the telco in our Bangalore office, giving it proximity to our teams. We also offered the telco “seeded professionals”—CGI professionals who would support the GCC for two years and then transfer to the telco, if the telco desired. No other prospective vendor offered this unique proposition.
Overcoming GCC challenges
One of the key challenges in setting up the telco’s India GCC was a tight timeline. The new office infrastructure (including connectivity) had to be implemented in just 90 days. To meet the deadline, CGI relied on experts within its technology alliances ecosystem, along with advanced project management that continuously prioritized and fast-tracked tasks. CGI also allocated the necessary team resources, seven days a week, to meet the deadline.
Another major challenge was developing the GCC’s operational policies and processes and implementing key operational functions, including HR, finance, facility management, security, talent acquisition, branding, communications, and more. Each administrative area had to be aligned with local laws, as well as the telco’s unique business requirements.
Talent acquisition also posed a challenge. Staff needed to be hired before the office was ready, and the telco’s familiar brand name could not be advertised. CGI met this challenge by implementing a website for candidates to generate awareness of new job opportunities, setting up the hiring process, connecting with recruitment and onboarding agencies, developing job descriptions, organizing interviews, and more.
Because new hires in India and many CGI support staff had not worked with the telco before, change management, as well as coaching/mentoring, were required. CGI’s change management experts helped to facilitate a smooth transition.
Delivering GCC outcomes
CGI assumed the task of setting up the telco’s GCC in May 2024 and completed the job on time and on budget in September 2024. Since that time, CGI has run the telco’s entire GCC operations from Bangalore with a team of 42 CGI professionals.
Each of the “five Cs” desired by the telco are being delivered. The telco has greater control over its technology landscape and performance, as well as access to the core IT knowledge required to drive innovation.
The telco also has been able to consolidate vendor systems and deliver new technology solutions from a center of excellence that is driving its transformation and future positioning. Further, all these outcomes have been achieved with ongoing cost savings.
“CGI has helped us set up a GCC in a record time of 90 days,” said the telco’s GCC president. “CGI is always there to help us in finding effective solutions for any challenge and issue that comes our way.”
This president has offered to refer CGI to any other clients for GCC work. Further, the telco’s GCC vice president already has recommended CGI to a major global bank, helping us to win the bank’s GCC business.
Learn more about CGI’s GCC expertise and experience.
