Intelligent Tech Channels Issue 52 | Page 54

EXPERT SPEAK

INNOVATION IN THE CHANNEL WILL BE THE WATCHWORD FOR 2022

The hybrid workforce the IT industry has become accustomed to requires innovation and collaboration to achieve Business Continuity . Digital Transformation initiatives that encourage resilience are replacing traditional IT narratives . Ricardo Diniz , GM & VP of UKI and Southern Europe , WSO2 , explores how companies must start to strategically plan their IT investment to ensure that they keep pace with changing customer behaviour and nurture broader customer outreach .

Uncertainty was a key theme in 2021 . As the year progressed and we encountered new virus variants and their implications , governments around the world-imposed restrictions on movement and travel , as well as preventative measures , to keep us safe . Every one of us is now accustomed to a new way of working , whether completely remotely or as a hybrid workforce dividing our time between office and home . To support this shift , Digital Transformation initiatives have accelerated far beyond what any enterprise could have anticipated .

Technology budgets grew by stealth
Although the pandemic had a significant impact on many industries , some more severely than others , we continued to see growth in technology budgets , particularly as organisations and their partners sought to adapt to new remote / hybrid work practices and streamline and optimise their businesses . This was intriguing because one of the common IT narratives in recent years has been how the IT budget has been dwindling , particularly in the public sector , so it was encouraging to see that as
Ricardo Diniz , GM & VP of UKI and Southern Europe , WSO2 organisations looked to digitise all or parts of their business , investment in IT was prioritised .
As we move into 2022 and the workplace continues to shift , requiring collaboration among remote workers and office workers and the wider business ecosystem , Digital Transformation initiatives will continue to accelerate across every organisation . This means that IT teams and partners must continually manoeuvre to keep pace , no one can afford to stand still .
Changing customer behaviours
Additionally , customer expectations have shifted , and spending habits are moving away from in-person activities to online . This puts further pressure on organisations to ensure their technology infrastructure is resilient and able to scale accordingly . Likewise , consumers have now come to expect an always-on experience and have moved into instant gratification mode as a result . This means that IT must continue to improve in terms of maturing and investing in key capabilities in order to maintain relevance in the organisation and ensure the business maintains a competitive edge .
Therefore , as digitisation drives change , the need to deliver innovation and efficiency gains will continue to accelerate in 2022 . Indeed , this is the largest growth opportunity in 2022 , according to Jay
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