Logistics Shared Services — one center, many entities, consistent quality.
A consolidated offshore shared services center for multi-country forwarders, NVOCCs and 3PLs — built for standardisation, governance and scale.
Overview
As multi-country freight forwarders, NVOCCs and 3PLs scale, they accumulate operational debt. Different entities run on different SOPs, different TMS configurations, different KPI definitions and different quality benchmarks. Local hiring is uneven, documentation accuracy varies by office, customer experience is inconsistent and finance close cycles drift. Operanta's Logistics Shared Services Center (SSC) solves this. We build a single, centralised offshore operations engine that delivers documentation, operations, customer service, finance and reporting across all your entities, on a single SOP library, with a single quality framework and a single source of truth for KPIs. The result is faster month-end close, consistent customer experience, lower total cost and a foundation for further automation (RPA, AI, advanced analytics) that simply is not possible across fragmented local teams.
Why a shared services center model
Shared services consolidates volume, standardises process and unlocks scale economics. For multi-entity logistics businesses operating across the US, UK, Canada, Australia, UAE and Europe, an offshore SSC is the most efficient operating model available — combining the cost advantage of offshoring with the governance and consistency of a center of excellence. Operanta is structured to run SSCs natively: we already deliver follow-the-sun coverage, multi-currency finance, multi-jurisdiction regulatory filings and multi-lingual customer service from a single managed footprint.
- Single SOP library across all entities and regions
- Single KPI framework with consolidated MIS dashboards
- Multi-currency, multi-jurisdiction finance support (US GAAP, UK GAAP, IFRS, ASPE)
- Multi-lingual customer service (English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin)
- RPA / automation ready — consolidated volume unlocks process automation
- Governance, audit and compliance built in from day one
Functions consolidated under the SSC
Operations & documentation
- Centralised BL, ISF, AMS, ACE, ENS and CARM filings
- Multi-entity booking, tracking and exception management
- Pre-alert and arrival notice consolidation
- Multi-country pricing desk and quotation support
Customer service
- Single global ticketing queue with country / brand routing
- Multi-lingual coverage with native CS specialists per language
- Consolidated CSAT, NPS and FCR reporting by entity and region
- Voice-of-customer themes across the whole network
Finance
- Centralised AR / AP and cash application
- Consolidated freight invoice audit and leakage recovery
- Multi-currency intercompany reconciliations
- Group month-end close and audit support
MIS, governance & automation
- Consolidated KPI dashboards and exception reporting
- Operational and financial controls testing
- RPA / automation pipeline (invoice extraction, ETA reconciliation, etc.)
- Quarterly governance reviews with regional leadership
SSC implementation phases
Diagnostic
Process and KPI diagnostic across all in-scope entities and regions.
Design
Target operating model, SOP library, KPI framework and governance design.
Build
SSC build-out with phased entity-by-entity migration plan.
Pilot
Migrate one entity / region first as a controlled pilot.
Roll-out
Phased migration of remaining entities with hyper-care support.
Optimise
Continuous improvement: automation, KPI tightening, audit readiness.
Industries we serve with Logistics Shared Services
- Multi-country freight forwarders and 3PLs
- Global NVOCC and shipping line agencies
- Multi-brand logistics groups
- Private equity-backed roll-ups consolidating back office
- Supply chain and procurement organisations
Frequently asked questions
How long does an SSC implementation typically take?
A typical multi-entity SSC implementation runs 9–18 months end-to-end, with the first entity live in 90–120 days and subsequent entities migrated in 60–90 day waves.
Will our local teams lose their roles?
Most clients retain a leaner, more senior local team for relationship management, supervisory work and exception handling. The SSC handles the standardised, repeatable volume. We design the target operating model with you, openly.
Can the SSC support audit and compliance?
Yes. The SSC is built with documented controls, segregation of duties and audit trails. We routinely support external audit, SOX-equivalent internal controls testing and statutory filings.
Can the SSC run RPA / automation?
Yes — and it is one of the primary reasons clients consolidate. Centralising volume unlocks the business case for invoice OCR, ETA reconciliation bots, document classification and AI-assisted document drafting.
Is the SSC dedicated or shared?
Both models are available. Most clients above 25 FTEs choose a dedicated SSC. Smaller groups can start in a managed shared SSC and migrate to dedicated as volume scales.
Consolidate your logistics back office.
Book a strategy call. We will scope your SSC design and present a phased implementation plan in your first 30 days.