2019 AWARD FINALIST SPOTLIGHT: Mastercard - Finalist in the Technology Enabled Process Automation Category

Read this article about Mastercard, one of our finalists, in the category Best Achievement in Technology Enabled Process Automation, selected by the independent judging panel, for the 2019 Business Transformation & Operational Excellence Industry Awards program. Click here to read articles on other finalists.

Mastercard GBSC Automation Program

Driving Operational Efficiency with Robotics Process Automation

The Global Business Services Center (GBSC) is the Shared Services Organization (SSO) for Mastercard providing centralized global delivery of finance, transaction, accounting, billing, human resources operations, legal and franchise integrity services.

Our automation journey started when the GBSC was launched in 2012 by leveraging automation capabilities within Mastercard’s systems. This was followed by a focus on ad-hoc scripts. However, this didn’t satisfy our expectations of what automation could deliver, nor did it produce a better user experience, a key goal of the GBSC.

• In 2015, automation was introduced by homegrown capabilities including VB macros and cognitive capabilities using Python. These opened the possibilities for unattended automation.
• In 2016, GBSC evaluated RPA software and established an Automation program to deploy RPA. GBSC created an innovative team and invested in infrastructure.
• In 2017, we trained business process experts in RPA to drive automation of manual processes and align vision and strategy with management, deploying a total of 25 Bots.
• In 2018, we increased staff and fully funded program through operational savings.
  
  

Our delivery approach is segmented into five phases, as described below. Our delivery timeframe depends on the system and process complexity, and varies between four and 12 weeks.

Having deployed RPA throughout the GBSC, we have seen improvements in many aspects of our operations. Some select processes include:

• Cash and Trades Reconciliation, Ticket Monitoring and Classification, Expense Reports
• Report Generation and Distribution, Resolve Tickets and Remediate Issues
• Data Scrubbing and Processing, Email Monitoring and Handling, HR Surveys
• Quality Control, System Integration, Risk Escalation and Support, User Provisioning
• Payment Preparation and Processing, Downloads Invoices and Statements, Auditing and Tax
  
  

Given these efforts, the GBSC has created a powerful end-to-end automation solution leveraging RPA and Cognitive AI. These innovative solutions have greatly helped to automate manual and repetitive activities to promote quality, efficiency and productivity for enhanced business outcomes:

• Created 10 FTE of capacity using robotics to perform repetitive tasks, freeing up resources to focus on higher value work
• Delivered 60 Bots in less than two years of rolling out the Automation program
• Reduced loss and upheld compliance through cognitive forecasting and card validation solutions
  
  

With the expertise, technology and process developed by the GBSC, tremendous opportunity exists to implement RPA in new areas of Mastercard and achieve business results. Data Science and cognitive field has already started providing value in forecasting, producing much better results than manually administered processes. The team has embraced both the innovation and challenges in this new age of technology disruption.