Successful shared services organizations operate in a culture of continuous improvement. It is a culture in which personal and collective accountability ensures the entire organization is working to generate full value under any set of business conditions.

Organizations are realizing that developing a culture of continuous improvement is no longer a "nice to have" – it is an imperative for sustainability. It is also an imperative for getting the most value from the shared services organization because the culture is the foundation for everything from giving customers a strategic advantage to recognizing new opportunities. The key is to develop the culture of continuous improvement in the people rather than on a project basis in order to create full value. The shared services organization becomes a business partner, helping the entire organization realize ever increasing value through growth and adaptability, rather than just a cost cutting transaction processing function. A key element for creating a culture of continuous improvement in a shared services center is a rigorous set of results and driver metrics.