Digital technologies, like mobile, social, analytics and the Cloud, have redefined how we do business. And there are a host of emerging areas, like the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics, further disrupting industries. However, embarking on a journey of digital transformation requires a massive shift in both thinking and working practices; something which many organisations find overwhelming. According to the latest State of Digital Business Report by Forrester, while executives expect 47 percent of total sales to be influenced by digital by 2020, only 26 percent believe their CEO has a clear vision for digital.
It made sense to use one of our over-riding principles ‘making the complex simple’ for the theme of Advanced World 2018. This event will see us bring together customers from across the Advanced community to share ideas and debate the big issues to help keep their organisations one step ahead in their industry sector. The event will also provide the opportunity to look at examples of how we are innovating to meet our customers’ varied requirements, and offer a chance to preview some of the new developments and services coming to market in 2018.
The one-day event, which will be held at the ICC in Birmingham next March, centres around three pillars: Business Insights, Market Insights and Product Insights, and will demystify the complexity around the latest solutions behind digital transformation, making them more accessible and user-friendly.
One of the topics will be looking at the implications of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which comes into effect next May. Intended to strengthen the data protection for individuals in the European Union, its aim is to provide a set of rules that detail how organisations should collect, store and dispose of personal data. However, our recent survey revealed that only 58% of British businesses are on track to be ready. A consumer’s ‘right to be forgotten’ requires an organisation to know exactly where the data is, and be agile enough to retrieve and delete it. With 18% of respondents admitting that they did not know where their data resided, we are already working with our customers to ensure they can be prepared.
Similarly, leaving the EU has highlighted the need for organisations’ readiness to change, to become more agile and deliver the digital experiences that their customers demand. We know that those who create operations that revolve around every aspect of the customer journey will compete most effectively and prosper, not only in the digital era but also with the potential ramifications of post-Brexit. Looking at how this can be achieved is a priority for most.
Having experts across the board enables us to provide insight into the public, commercial and NFP sectors. The GDPR’s demands for greater transparency and stricter accountability, running alongside endless changes in reporting and funding regulations, are leading to sleepless nights for many sectors, but the opportunities for efficiencies and cost savings through the integration of legacy information into a single IT landscape are huge. Similarly, the rise of FinTech has huge implications for the financial services industry, with new technologies such as voice commerce models, IoT data, and robo-advisors providing ever-more personal and unique banking experiences.
Of course the Cloud, which now underpins much of the UK business infrastructure, will undoubtedly dominate conversations. According to our recent research, while UK businesses are pressing ahead with the Cloud despite fears of being hit by a cyber-attack or data protection regulations, there’s still work to be done in creating trust in the Cloud and helping customers to use it in the way that’s best aligned to their needs.
No matter what industry our customers work in, or how different each of their growth aspirations may be, digital disruption and the potential confusion that it brings, is affecting all organisations. That’s why, at next March’s Advanced World, we are looking forward to discussing how to make the complex simple during this time of massive change – as well as preview new developments and services coming to market in 2018. So please sign up here and keep up-to-date on how our plans for this event are shaping up.
