Business leaders also recognise that digitisation is beneficial to their organisation in terms of boosting revenue, improving brand perception and optimising employee productivity. However, despite this acknowledgement, a digital performance gap still exists. Almost 80% of business leaders reported that critical digital services are failing at least a few times per month, and having a negative effect on employee productivity and the experience of end users. What’s more, 95% would go even further and say that budget constraints, legacy networks and lack of visibility into users’ digital experience are creating a barrier to digital performance.
You can’t fix what you can’t see
How well a digital service or tool performs – whether it be an online retail interface, digital health service or mobile banking app – is the most significant factor in determining whether an end-user’s digital experience is good or bad. This means that the disparity between the way a digital tool performs in reality and its potential is a defining factor in business success. Riverbed’s survey found that organisations having full visibility over the entire end-user digital experience is the first step to bridging the gap, as it allows them to monitor for issues, measure the impact and take steps to address them.
Having this visibility across the entire digital experience is viewed as critical to measuring and managing it successfully by 99% of business leaders. In addition, 98% believe that a modern, next-generation infrastructure is crucial for providing the agility to improve digital performance. Business leaders were also clear that the time to implement these capabilities is now:
● 77% believe that it’s critical for their companies to invest in an improved digital experience for users or customers within the next 12 months
● 95% also think that those who don’t act in the next 12 months believe they will face negative business consequences, namely a loss in sales and revenue, delayed product launches, loss of customers and brand loyalty, and a decrease in employee productivity.
Organisations that are in the process of implementing comprehensive digital strategies that combine full visibility with next-gen infrastructure will be the ones who pave the way for the next iteration of technology and will be first to see the benefits as a consequence. In particular, this will provide them with the opportunity to integrate emerging technology such as artificial intelligence and machine learning into their solutions, upset the status quo, and develop entirely new product categories.
Digital performance has a marked effect on all aspects of business because of its direct connection with the end-user and customer experience. This means that companies that are serious about staying ahead of the pack, delivering optimal results, and avoiding hours of wasted time and frustration must act now. A copy of the Riverbed Digital Performance Global Survey, which includes additional insights on digital trends, challenges, and opportunities for organisations to maximize digital performance is available here. With a comprehensive approach to digital and to rethink what’s possible, the future is very bright.