Digital strategy lacks implementation

Atlantic Technologies has published the findings of research amongst senior UK ITDMs that reveals more than half (53%) of Business and Professional Services organisations (B&PS) lack a digital technology strategy that has been implemented across the business. This is despite 91% saying it is important for them to become a data-driven organisation over the next 12 months.

The report surveyed 150 senior UK CIOs and ITDMs and found that over the last 12 months they had focused on their infrastructure with cloud migration, employee experience and departmental collaboration. Over the coming 12 months, their priorities are turning back to how they can directly impact the business bottom line, improving sales efficiency (43%), creating systems connectivity, and integrating business processes (43%), followed by Improving marketing automation (39%).

Seeing the benefits

Senior UK ITDMs understand how critical it is to their future to become data driven, with 85% saying a modern BI solution is already helping them make more informed business decisions. But these systems are often used in one small area of a business, rather than across it. 86% agree their organisation needs better tools and software to allow them to generate actionable insights from data.

91% say digital technology will improve the efficiency of operations and 89% agree going digital will help them put their customers first.

Mike Dohrmann, VP Head of UK at Atlantic Technologies, said: “Business and Professional Services organisations risk wasting any increased investments in digital technologies without a fully defined or implemented strategy.  In addition, becoming data-driven is now a key priority, but it is important to recognise that it has to be a company-wide initiative if it is to return the best value for a business and its customers.”

Investing for the future

B&PS organisations are investing in bringing their digital strategies to life too: In 2021/2022 average budgets rose 8% according to respondents, but this is expected to rise an average 13% in the next 1-3 years.  That is a more than 50% increase in the speed of investment.

Budget is only one element of making a success of projects, with 87% highlighting they needed help to fully realise the potential of their digital transformation strategy to help them address the obstacles they see to success. Asked for their top barriers they reported a lack of an innovation culture (45%), reliance on manual processes (43%) and skill shortages (42%) being the top issues to overcome.

65% agreed that resistance to change was an obstacle to digital transformation and bringing in new ways of working.

Fabio Momola, CEO at Atlantic Technologies, concluded: “Business & Professional Services organisations are investing more in technology to achieve their transformation goals. While realistic about the challenges ahead, they have already tasted how technology has made them more efficient and are pressing on to implement their digital strategies over the next three years.”