Smart RE:SET – Future-proof corporate functions for sustainable business success

By Cyrus Asgarian, Viktoriya Bondarets, Frederick Van Gysegem and Maryna Finkelshteyn

Efficiency, innovation and strategic development

Related Expertise

Today’s corporate functions face unprecedented pressure to deliver efficiency and agility while investing in future-ready capabilities. Finance, HR and IT account for 80 percent of general and administrative (G&A) costs, representing the largest optimization potential. Advances in digitalization and AI are reshaping these functions from cost centers into strategic co-pilots for the CEO.

Maryna Finkelshteyn

Partner

Berlin Office, Central Europe

Unlock the potential of the modern corporate function

Classic cost-optimization projects put activities and the cost base to the test. They justify every activity and resource to create full cost transparency. In so doing, they foster mutual understanding through cost-benefit analysis and so creating a cost-conscious culture. At the same time, they unlock efficiency levers that allow savings to be realized quickly.

By contrast, future-readiness projects build corporate functions that are fit for tomorrow. They assess capabilities to clarify readiness for current and emerging challenges, adopt new technologies to strengthen structures and skills, and design future-state blueprints that define a clear path forward.

The Roland Berger Smart RE:SET approach combines cost efficiency with targeted investment, giving enabling functions the financial leeway to improve performance while building future-proof operating models . It unites two perspectives: rigorous cost optimization today and future-ready functional concepts for tomorrow.

Now is the right time to act. A Smart RE:SET of enabling functions delivers efficiency gains and strengthens both functional effectiveness and overall business performance.

Future-proofing corporate functions

The Smart RE:SET approach helps organizations build future-proof corporate functions. Drawing on extensive project experience, our playbook combines proven tools and digital levers tailored to each client’s needs:

Cost transparency and optimization: We optimize functional spend and create financial leeway through efficiency levers and best practices
Targeted investments: We equip functions with future-ready concepts by integrating new technologies and capabilities
Digital toolbox: Our comprehensive suite of AI -enabled solutions, from benchmarking to process mining, delivers rapid and measurable results

Success stories

Delivering large-scale HR transformation for a leading European energy provider

Situation: A leading European energy provider needed to modernize its HR function. Fragmented processes and legacy systems drove high costs and limited scalability, making it difficult to support an international workforce and future growth.

Solution: Roland Berger supported the client in redesigning end-to-end HR processes and implementing modern HR technology. Transactional services were centralized and automation increased, supported by a platform-based service delivery model that improved efficiency and the employee experience.

Impact: The HR staffing ratio improved from 1:60 to 1:90, delivering 20 percent cost savings. The company now benefits from higher service quality and a scalable HR organization ready for future challenges.

Creating a customer-centric HR service organization for a multinational logistics player

Situation: Operating in more than 50 countries, a multinational logistics player faced inconsistent HR service delivery and low internal customer satisfaction. Limited standardization created inefficiencies and elevated operating costs.

Solution: Roland Berger designed a customer-centric HR service organization. Transactional activities were bundled into shared service centers, while processes were standardized across regions. New performance metrics ensured consistent service quality.

Impact: The transformation delivered 17 percent cost savings and significantly improved internal customer satisfaction, with the Net Promoter Score increasing to 8.5. HR operations are now streamlined and consistent worldwide.

Designing a new target operating model for a leading automotive and consumer electronics manufacturer

Situation: The global Finance function of a leading automotive and consumer electronics manufacturer was under pressure to reduce costs and improve working capital. Manual workflows and legacy systems limited efficiency and responsiveness.

Solution: Roland Berger designed a new target operating model for Finance, combining process automation with AI-enabled analytics. This reduced manual effort and strengthened data-driven decision-making across core workflows.

Impact: The function achieved seven percent cost optimization and reduced Days Sales Outstanding by 13 percent, improving both efficiency and financial performance.

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