The SPEED Framework in Action: Building Customer-Centric, Product-Led GCCs in India

India’s Global Capability Centers (GCCs) are undergoing a profound transformation. Once seen as cost-effective back-office operations, today’s GCCs are rapidly evolving into innovation powerhouses—driving digital business transformation, product innovation, and customer-centricity for global enterprises. At the heart of this evolution is the SPEED framework: Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering, and Data & AI. This integrated model is enabling Indian GCCs to break down silos, foster continuous improvement, and deliver measurable business value at scale.

From Functional Hubs to Engines of Innovation

The traditional GCC model was built on operational efficiency and cost arbitrage. However, as digital disruption accelerates and the need for rapid innovation grows, leading organizations now view their Indian GCCs as strategic partners—empowered to drive global business outcomes. The SPEED framework is central to this shift, providing a holistic approach that unifies business strategy, product management, customer experience, engineering excellence, and data-driven decision-making.

The SPEED Framework: A Blueprint for Transformation

1. Strategy:
   GCCs are no longer just execution arms; they are deeply embedded in the parent organization’s mission and vision. By aligning every team member—from leadership to developers—with the CEO’s objectives, GCCs ensure that every initiative is outcome-oriented and strategically relevant. This alignment, often described as the “golden thread,” creates a shared sense of purpose and impact across geographies.
2. Product:
   A product-led mindset is now a hallmark of high-performing GCCs. Rather than focusing solely on projects or services, teams are organized around digital products and platforms that deliver ongoing value. This approach encourages cross-functional squads to take full ownership of outcomes, enabling rapid prototyping, iterative development, and continuous delivery of new features and capabilities.
3. Experience:
   Customer-centricity is at the core of the SPEED model. Every team member is encouraged to understand how their work impacts the end customer, whether internal or external. Experience design and design thinking are integrated into product development, ensuring that solutions are intuitive, engaging, and tailored to real user needs. This focus on experience extends to employee engagement as well, creating environments where talent can thrive and innovate.
4. Engineering:
   Engineering excellence is foundational to the SPEED framework. Indian GCCs are leveraging modern engineering practices—agile, cloud-native, and product-centric approaches—to deliver scalable, secure, and high-performing solutions. Autonomous squads or product teams are empowered to make decisions, reducing handoffs and accelerating time-to-market. This engineering rigor is complemented by a culture of experimentation and continuous learning.
5. Data & AI:
   Data and AI are the engines of continuous improvement. By embedding data analytics and AI capabilities into every product and process, GCCs can measure performance against business KPIs, create feedback loops, and drive a virtuous cycle of innovation. AI is not just a technology play—it is a strategic lever for productivity, automation, and new value creation across all functions.

Best Practices: Breaking Down Silos and Maximizing Value

• Collaborative Synergy: The SPEED model thrives on cross-functional collaboration. By bringing together strategy, product, experience, engineering, and data experts, GCCs create a space for endless idea-sharing and innovation. This collaborative approach breaks down traditional silos and ensures that every initiative is informed by diverse perspectives.
• Precision in Problem Formulation: Successful GCCs invest in clearly defining business problems. Strategy, product, and experience teams work together to break down challenges into actionable problem statements, which are then addressed by engineering and data teams. This clarity ensures that solutions are targeted, measurable, and aligned with customer needs.
• Metrics-Driven Culture: Embracing a metrics-driven culture, where data informs every decision, is essential for continuous improvement. GCCs leverage data-driven insights to refine approaches, optimize processes, and enhance the impact of their innovations.
• Talent Strategies: India’s deep and diverse talent pool is a unique advantage. Leading GCCs invest in attracting, developing, and retaining top talent through partnerships with business schools, global leadership programs, and engagement with the vibrant startup ecosystem. Diversity and inclusion are prioritized, fostering teams with enriched perspectives and innovative ideas.
• Culture of Experimentation: Innovation requires a safe space for experimentation and learning from failure. GCCs that encourage curiosity, boldness, and knowledge-sharing are better positioned to operationalize new technologies—especially AI—and drive transformative change.

Real-World Impact: The SPEED Model in Action

GCCs leveraging the SPEED framework are delivering tangible results across industries:

• Retail: Building AI-powered platforms to optimize supply chains and personalize customer experiences.
• Financial Services: Developing digital products conceived, designed, and engineered in India, but deployed worldwide.
• Healthcare and Energy: Creating data-driven solutions that address sustainability and access challenges at scale.

These are not isolated successes—they represent the new standard for what Indian GCCs can achieve as strategic partners.

The Road Ahead: Orchestrating the Future of GCCs

The future of India’s GCCs lies in their ability to move from execution to orchestration. The SPEED framework empowers centers to:

• Orchestrate cross-functional teams across geographies and disciplines
• Lead the adoption of AI and emerging technologies at scale
• Drive customer-centric innovation that shapes global business models
• Attract, develop, and retain world-class talent in a rapidly evolving landscape

For multinational enterprises, the imperative is clear: treat your Indian GCCs not as cost centers, but as engines of transformation. Invest in cultural integration, talent development, and platform-based innovation. Empower your teams in India to lead, not just follow. With the SPEED framework, GCCs are poised to unlock a multiplier effect—accelerating digital transformation, driving global growth, and shaping the future of business.

Ready to unlock the full potential of your India GCC? Connect with Publicis Sapient to learn how the SPEED framework can transform your center into an engine of global innovation and digital business success.

Relevant Links

• India's GCC Revolution: From Back Office to Strategic Powerhouse
• India's GCC Revolution: From Back Office to Strategic Powerhouse
• L’essor des Global Capability Centers (GCC) : Un modèle d’innovation pour l’Europe (Europe)
• AI-First GCCs: How Indian Centers Are Leading the Next Wave of Enterprise Innovation
• Engineering Transformation: How India’s GCCs Became the World’s Innovation Engine
• Centros de Capacidades Globales: El Camino de la Innovación y el Valor en América Latina (LATAM)
• Centros de Capacidades Globales: El Camino de la Innovación en América Latina (LATAM)
• L’essor des Global Capability Centers (GCC) : Un modèle d’innovation pour l’Europe (Europe)
• Centros de Capacidades Globales: El Camino de la Innovación para América Latina (LATAM)