The provider understands the cost structure and can explain how the underlying costs relate to the product and service lines. Pricing is accomplished consistent with the cost structure and market information. Organizations are charged for the products and services which they actually use. The underlying principles and strategies establish direction and expectations, allowing users to anticipate and prepare for changes. Policies guide users to follow patterns of behavior which contribute to overall operating and financial performance from a corporate perspective.
Customers know how to interact with the provider and know what to expect from the provider.
Customer satisfaction is continuously monitored and those behaviors which contribute to business performance are rewarded. Costs are monitored to enable actions to be taken. Best practice work and benchmarking with respected companies provides an external measure of performance and highlights opportunities for improvement. For corporations with multiple business units, the shared service business model provides improved financial performance by reducing costs while meeting the needs of the internal businesses for non-core products and services. This approach has been tested and the successes verified.