technology 15


Every business is a digital company – that‘s why we need to change


Technology is not only changing the way we work – it‘s leading to a fundamental transformation at the heart of all businesses, driven by the way clients and consumers behave in a digital world. Tim Walker, managing director of Taylor Made Computer Solutions, was present at the 2015 Asigra Global Partner Summit in Toronto where analysts from technology research experts Gartner identified current cloud and business trends. In the first of two articles on this topic, Walker looks at the key issues


Cloud has become the platform for change


There is no longer a question of whether your business should be using the cloud – it is a certainty that this is where the next generation of solutions will be based.


Cloud services take away issues around hardware costs and systems obsolescence and create an agile, scalable and cost-effective platform for change.


Perhaps most importantly, cloud-based solutions equip businesses to take full advantage of the three most powerful technology-driven tools– the so-called “nexus of forces“ of mobile, social media and big data.


Is it a marathon or a sprint? It might be both.


In the IT world we talk about “bimodal capability“ – the ability to operate at two different speeds.


This recognises that many businesses will need to continue to operate safe and reliable traditional IT systems while cultivating a more innovative and fluid capability that takes advantage of the continuous flow of information in the digital world.


Gartner gives a train company as an example – it needs to keep the trains running with a traditional system while interacting with passengers moment to moment through mobile apps.


This shift means a single mode of delivering IT is no longer appropriate – and in any business, the ability to apply the right solution to the task in hand will be crucial in the future.


All businesses are digital now


Analysts estimate that a failure to handle the transition to digital properly will cause 25% of businesses to lose their market position by 2017.


While you work to expand your products and services it is important not to focus on the technology itself, but on how it changes the way you engage with your end customers.


Think about how the Internet has seen businesses evolve – most started with a static web presence and evolved to embrace some form of e-commerce. Now the lines between a digital and physical presence are becoming increasingly blurred.


With the advent of technologies such as 3D printing and smart devices, digital is going to become a part of the strategy for all businesses – and a transforming factor for many.


Philips, for instance, has created new revenue streams by redefining light bulbs as connected devices. Disney is now a multimedia company, and the sportswear company Under Armour has taken this philosophy a step further by buying the app MyFitnessPal – along with its treasure trove of user data. If you don‘t consider yourself a digital company now, the chances are that you soon will.


Be prepared for the Internet of Things


As in the example of Philips, the next wave of digital innovation will see technology integrated into everyday items – the so-called “Internet of Things“.


By 2020 more than 50% of domestic objects will be able to communicate in some way with a smartphone – for


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – JULY/AUGUST 2015 www.businessmag.co.uk


example a fridge could automatically add a depleted food item to the online shop, a sports shirt could be re-ordered after a specified number of washes and hospital medical cabinets could auto-replenish.


The rise of wearable technology will play its part too – think about the enormous potential of user data provided by fitness trackers, for example.


Customers can be disruptive


There is often talk of disruptive technology – but the most disruptive thing in the market today is not the technology, but the customer.


Today‘s buyers are more independent and more informed than ever before – they get their information from a myriad of sources and carry out their own product research.


It is no longer possible to own a buyer‘s journey in the way that you used to – and they are far less likely to follow the conventional route through your CRM system.


Instead we need to identify critical points along the buying journey and make sure we are maximising opportunities to engage potential customers digitally and in person. Stepping out of our comfort zone, setting goals and taking action are the keys to survival.


Details: www.tmcs.co.uk 01329-239900


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