By David Pownall, VP of Services at Schneider Electric UK & Ireland
If the impact that recent events have had on companies has revealed anything, it is that speed is vital to ensuring operational continuity. As we’ve learned, unexpected events can disrupt operations and impact revenues in a heartbeat. Cutting corrective action lead time is more than just a strategy, it’s a business imperative. Even though many decision makers understand the importance of modernisation to quickly transition from the old normal to the new, many are unsure where to begin, and how to sustain the transformation. Collaborating with trusted services experts, who bring an enduring track record of proven results to the table, is a great place to start.
Driving resiliency through digital transformation
It could be that the new normal for businesses will simply be the continuing absence of predictability and certainty; however certain trends seem likely to persist as the world reopens. More than increased adoption of E-commerce, remote work, distance learning and Telehealth, the new business environment will, not only create huge opportunity, but also present considerable risk. Surging online demand, combined with new buying patterns and fluctuating consumer behaviour could strain supply chains, stretch server capacity, enhance security vulnerabilities and challenge the physical and digital infrastructures of even leading-edge organisations. These new risks are in addition to the traditional cyber security, environmental and regulatory challenges companies have always faced. Those that are caught flat footed, failing to leverage digital technology to augment business value, could find themselves confronting ongoing commercial volatility with costly, obsolete or unwieldy business processes.
Turning to data and digital tools to remain competitive
Agility has become a key competitive advantage. Companies need to cultivate organisational capabilities that foster swift adaptation. If firms thought modernisation cycles were short already, today’s disrupted business landscape graphically illustrates the need for planning and proactivity. Threats can arise in an instant and evolve with such shocking speed that attempting to confront them without a mitigation strategy and adaptable infrastructure already in place could be taking a huge gamble.
We have seen how digitally adept organisations are in a much better position to react to today’s fast-moving situations. Those that armed employees with up-to-date tools like digital platforms, advanced analytics and remote connectivity, often identified business vulnerabilities, harvested actionable information, and exploited new opportunities to leverage existing technology and processes sooner. Being nimble helped lessen the impact that ongoing volatility and unexpected threats posed to business continuity. While implementing a culture of systemic business resilience offers large growth potential, major challenges to implementing and maintaining it exist too. That’s why choosing the right partner is so vital.
Being a trusted partner has never been more important
Experienced professional services providers are ideally positioned to help organisations execute their digital transformation initiatives during such volatile times. No matter what shape the new normal takes, providers with a diverse and dynamic portfolio of trusted services can offer their customers a return on investment with a long-term track record.
More like a strategic partner, professional services providers that combine a global reach with local presence are able to help clients design cutting-edge strategies that uncover new efficiencies in their facilities, while helping to grow their client’s productivity outcomes over time. Companies needing help building business resiliency during these unpredictable times can get a leg up on their transformational journey by forming long-term partnerships with experts who have the scope to understand the ins and outs of why specific solutions work better in one industry than another.
