HFS Horizons: Global Capability Centers (GCC) Services, 2026

The HFS Horizons: GCC Services, 2026 report is for CIOs, COOs, GCC heads, and global business services leaders evaluating service providers to set up, scale, and transform global capability centers.

Overview

The HFS Horizons: GCC Services, 2026 report evaluates 24 service providers across the global capability center (GCC) value chain, assessing their ability to help enterprises design, build, operate, and transform GCCs on their own or orchestrate the ecosystem partners. The study applies HFS Research’s Services-as-Software™ construct, defined as a model in which reusable platforms, AI agents, and productized accelerators deliver bespoke enterprise solutions, including innovation. The research is supported by reference checks with 19 enterprise GCC leaders and 21 technology partners conducted in April 2026.

HFS Horizons: Global Capability Center (GCC) Services, 2026 — 24 service providers positioned across three horizons

HFS Research evaluates 24 service providers and names the leaders driving the shift from GCC cost centers to AI-led, outcome-driven enterprise hubs.

Key findings

1. The 24 evaluated providers scored between 5.0 and 8.3, with the widest performance gaps in market impact, and value proposition than execution.
2. India hosts nearly three-fourths of the new GCC setups among the 160 case studies analyzed from 24 providers. While brownfield engagements remain dominant, greenfield and center-of-excellence-led models are also gaining momentum.
3. Reference checks with 19 enterprise GCC leaders confirm that providers are extremely effective on cost efficiency, reliability, and talent access, but they are yet to deliver impactful AI-driven productivity and innovation outcomes.
4. Some notable client outcomes include HCLTech achieving 40% cost savings for a US-based global remittance company and generating over $100 million in savings for a global home appliance manufacturer. Additionally, Cognizant delivered $100 million in annual savings with 1,000 full-time equivalents (FTE) for a leading US bank.
5. The 24 providers fall into three tiers, GCC Builders (Horizon 1), GCC Accelerators (Horizon 2), and GCC Orchestrators (Horizon 3), with Horizon 3 distinguished by ecosystem orchestration and the ability to drive innovation arbitrage rather than cost or skills arbitrage alone.

HFS assesses that GCCs are at an inflection point. Enterprises now expect them to drive real business value, yet most provider engagements remain focused on operations. HFS finds that real change will only happen when providers step up from delivery partners to true enablers of outcomes, innovation, and scalable Services-as-Software.

The Bottom Line

Service providers must enable GCCs to become Generative Enterprises by shifting to Services-as-Software and outcome-led models.

Research methodology

This report is based on 24 detailed provider briefings, reference checks with 19 enterprise GCC clients and 21 technology partners, and demand-side data from HFS Pulse surveys, conducted globally in April 2026.

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