By: Carlos Sutton

The COVID-19 scenario eliminated the question: do we need Digital Transformation? The question now is: how to do it quickly?

Fortunately, current technology is providing answers to address this challenge, and one of the most significant is platforms.

Platforms are enablers that accelerate business transformation: providing greater flexibility, simplifying access to new technologies such as artificial intelligence or IOT, and paving the way to integrate into business ecosystems.

Organizations today demand quick reactions, as well as being able to agilely reconfigure their investments in technology to respond to market changes. IT areas should not be the ones that slow down or stop these changes, but on the contrary, they must adopt agile approaches and digital operating models that accelerate them.

Why do we need an operating model based on a digital platform?

• In order to have visibility and transparency.
• To facilitate data-driven decisions.
• To allow autonomous but at the same time coordinated work.
• And to eliminate silos through integrated workflows in value chains.

Thus, a “platform of platforms” will allow:

• The use of data, from different registration systems, through a flexible integration engine.
• Provide a better customer experience with an attractive interface available through multiple channels: mobile, web, tablets, etc.
• Work Flows -workflows-, integrating different functions and systems of the organization.

In this way, integrating workflows, applications and data through a single digital platform significantly reduces the number of emails and spreadsheets currently used to exchange information between different functions. Also, it improves the quality of information, reduces the number of errors, facilitates the automation of tasks and improves collaboration between teams.

According to a survey conducted by ESI ThoughtLab and Servicenow, of 600 executives (CEO, CIO AND CHRO) companies globally are accelerating the adoption of platforms. Nearly 30% of business leaders surveyed have implemented a digital business platform to some extent, and 64% expect to be at an advanced stage within the next three years.

The survey results also separate the “leaders” from the “followers” ​​in the use of these platforms. The leaders are in a greater proportion (47%) from companies with higher income. Likewise, the leaders are those who reported the greatest benefits: better customer satisfaction (55% compared to 37% of the “followers”), better “market share” (54% compared to 38%) and improvements in decision making (53% compared to 39%).

The technology is now available and many companies globally are capitalizing on its benefits. However, in order to accelerate, another key factor and surely the most critical is people, their cultural change and the adoption of new ways of working.

The pandemic is teaching us a lot about this, so we will discuss this topic in an upcoming article to be published soon on our blog.