If remote IT is here to stay, how can CIOs make it work?

Many CIOs are asking: is remote IT here to stay, or will the majority of IT staff eventually return to the office? At least in the short term, the more relevant questions might be, how productive can we expect remote IT to be, how can CIOs ensure their productivity, and what metrics should IT consider to gauge their effectiveness?

In this article, we’ll take a look at these questions and a few others, with the goal of helping CIOs plan for what will be extended and expanded...

8 October 2020 | CIO

MSPs: Your billing system should not be sitting at their own desk

Despite the economic setbacks shaped by the pandemic, demand for cloud communications services continues to grow. The remote “work-life” arrangement and increased displacement of face-to-face meetings by video conferences has managed service provider (MSP) leaders clamoring to take advantage.

On the downside, this heightened activity has exposed the flaws or outright failures of the billing processes for many MSPs. In fact, “processes” may be too technical a term for how...

29 September 2020 | Cloud

The need to become a next-generation data organisation – and leaving the silos behind

Data has always been there. Right back at the start of the last century, organisations of the age still ran their operations using log books, paper folios and hand-drawn accounts sheets. It was still data, but it was predominantly static, often duplicated or inaccurate, tough to search and only accessible to a few people. 

After the second and third industrial revolutions and the arrival of the PC, things finally changed. Software spreadsheets became ubiquitous and dedicated...

15 September 2020 | Big Data

Improving customer success in the IT sector: The power of partnerships

In all areas of business, customers are expecting more. The typical vendor-client relationship is a thing of the past, becoming a partner to your customers is the new norm. However, this is not an overnight process, rather one that takes time, effort, and cultivating.

Of course, growth is important, and organisations always want to acquire new customers. Yet, in order to grow, existing customers must be retained, remain loyal, and continue to be happy with the service they...

11 September 2020 | Case Studies

How CIOs can ensure technological prowess in a rapidly changing world

The COVID-19 crisis has not radically changed the future of technology. It has accelerated our path towards it. Conversations regarding digital transformation, moving to the cloud or using distributed architectures have been resonating in the market since the dot-com bubble. What this crisis has underlined is two realizations: those who had already made the digital transition were best equipped to deal with ambiguity, and that technology-enabled responsiveness trumped preparedness. The...

25 August 2020 | Applications

How to achieve business success in the midst of rapid workplace changes

Most large enterprises rely on a globally connected ecosystem of workforce, workplace, technology and other key resources for their business operations. Not surprisingly, they have very robust business continuity plans (BCP) in place to protect their human capital, technology and other critical resources. Their plans address many scenarios – from geopolitical to cybersecurity, connectivity, climate or natural calamity related issues. That’s not to mention issues with business partners,...

10 August 2020 | Applications

Gartner issues six-point plan for CIOs to cure Covid-19 cost-cutting

Budgets naturally need to be redrawn and tightened amid the global Covid-19 pandemic - and according to the latest report from Gartner, CIOs need to focus on a multi-faceted plan incorporating business impact and organisational risk to succeed.

The analyst firm has released a six-step cost optimisation framework which CIOs need to explore. Financial benefit is only one of the steps available - albeit an important one - emphasising the need to focus holistically, and reminding that...

15 June 2020 | CIO

We’re at a turning point for legacy tech: Here are four ways to approach it

Usually, the word “legacy” evokes feelings of tradition, pride, and achievement. But when it comes to today’s business world, it’s not so simple. Legacy technology — computer systems and software from a previous era that are still in use — presents significant challenges to companies.

As technologies and marketplaces evolve, CIOs find it increasingly difficult to integrate new and old tech, yet legacy technology persists for various reasons. Many businesses subscribe...

11 June 2020 | CIO

Six key areas where AI is improving customer experiences

Bottom Line: This year’s hard reset is amplifying how vital customer relationships are and how much potential AI has to find new ways to improve them.

30% of customers will leave a brand and never come back because of a bad experience.27% of companies say improving their customer intelligence and data efforts are their highest priority when it comes to customer experience (CX).By 2023, 30% of customer service organizations will deliver proactive customer services by using...

1 June 2020 | App Platforms

Seven tactical IT initiatives to kickstart your corporate objectives during Covid-19

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we are clearly seeing a shift in priorities by CIOs to address the new normal, with more focus on cost control, improving IT operations and redesigning business process. How is that going to impact you? Let’s explore 7 steps IT can take to satisfy these shifting priorities and enable their corporate business strategy.

Migrate applications to the cloud

If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. That’s the normal response we hear when there’s...

28 May 2020 | CIO