The recent publication of the 2017 Harvey Nash/KPMG CIO Survey has revealed that, despite economic and political uncertainty having an impact on organisations’ technology strategies, the situation is in fact contributing towards an increase in digital innovation. This highlights the fact that such uncertainty can be a positive for businesses that are prepared to go the extra mile to differentiate themselves from their competitors. This is according to managed services provider (MSP) Claranet.
According to the report, 64 per cent of CIOs polled said the current climate of uncertainty is affecting how they approach their technology strategies. However, far from retreating into their shells, an overwhelming 89 per cent said they are either maintaining or increasing investment in innovation. For Claranet, this shows that uncertainty should be seen as an opportunity rather than a burden.
Michel Robert, UK Managing Director at Claranet said: “With this political and economic turmoil still well and truly in full swing, a common knee-jerk reaction can be to embrace an austere approach to technology adoption, in order to save on costs and consolidate the company’s position in the market. However, what this report shows is that the opposite may well be the best course of action.
“Regardless of the economic and political climate, the priority for any business leader should be working out how best to get ahead of their competitors. If anything, such external challenges mean that organisations need to think of fresh ways of doing things as a matter of course: it’s a time to experiment with new approaches. Technology has always been an effective way of doing this, and can be done in a way that won’t bankrupt a cash-strapped organisation, providing CIOs plan their approaches meticulously.”
To make a continued emphasis on innovation possible in such a time of uncertainty, Michel Robert believes that businesses need to focus on building an IT estate that is responsive to change, and relies less on high upfront costs for hardware. In this way, organisations will be better positioned to weather the negative aspects of turbulent times, and will be freer to innovate as a result.
Michel added: “The need for an agile IT estate was here long before the recent economic and political events; the difference is that the need for it is much more conspicuous now. By ensuring that investments are made in scalable, cloud-based IT solutions that reduce reliance on high capex costs in favour of flexible pricing models, organisations are safeguarded against uncertainty, while time and energy can be dedicated to maintaining innovation.”
Michel concluded: “If a business is well-prepared, these times of upheaval should be seen as a blessing rather than a curse. By freeing themselves from fixed technology infrastructure and proprietary IT, businesses embracing cloud are more able to take risks, respond quickly to changing market conditions and, ultimately, drive change within their organisations.”
