Is Digital really the answer to improving your business performance?
Jillian Ney
Chief Intelligence Officer, Disruptive Insight, Glasgow
“The world of digital technology is undoubtedly changing the way we do business but is it really the answer to improve business performance? The answer is, it depends. It is not a case of implementing social media strategies or adopting cloud technologies. Such initiatives, by themselves, will not propel growth or create a lasting strategic advantage. Business leaders must confront the challenges that connect digital technologies to business growth. A key challenge of becoming a digital business is customer centricity – businesses must adopt an outside-in approach and this change to company culture can be the biggest stumbling block to success and improved business performance.”
Dr Jim Hamill
Director, Energise 2-0, Business Fellow, University of Strathclyde Business School
“Strictly speaking, NO. The foundation of business success remains the same as always – the quality of your customer base and the strength of the relationship you have with these customers. Can digital help you to build and support a quality customer base? Most definitely YES; indeed, digital has become critical in this respect.
In Scotland, we continue to adopt an outdated ‘broadcast’ approach to digital – build an e-commerce web site and seven billion overseas customers will come; broadcast sales messages on social media and they will buy. Yet, the biggest single change resulting from the digital and social media revolutions has been the emergence of a new generation of constantly connected empowered customers. If we start with the question ‘how can we use digital technology to deliver exceptional customers experiences’ then we are in with a chance of surviving the coming tsunami of digital disruption.”
Peter Ferry
Strategic Partnerships, Scotland & NE England, Microsoft
“Digital can certainly improve business performance; most business leaders accept that Digital technologies support business with efficiency, productivity, communications and in reaching and servicing customers.
However we’re in an era where commerce is being transformed by business models that couldn’t have existed just a decade ago. These business models are often enabled by digital technologies – connectivity, social media, pervasive mobile internet, and the cheap ubiquitous computing power of the cloud. We’ve seen how digital business models have transformed industries – Ebay and Amazon have in retail, Travelocity and AirBnB in travel and hospitality, and Uber’s change to transportation. The challenge is for Scotland’s Business leaders to bring Digital Leadership to their own industries – and spot the competitive threats and growth possibilities of digital business models.”
Maggie Morrison
Business Development Director, Public Sector, Scotland, CGI, based in Edinburgh
“Digital technology can transform companies of all sizes, from small businesses to global giants. Geographical boundaries disappear and there are no limits on growth. The target audience of all companies lives in a digital world, which has spawned new expectations and new markets but has also brought new competitors into your clients’ homes.
The digital journey has to be carefully planned and managed but, critically, it has to be coupled with a sound business strategy. Success will only come to companies that combine excellent products and service with the huge potential of digital.”
