Preparing for the future: 10 priorities for tech and IT leaders to consider

Advancements in emerging technology continue to accelerate, changing the way we live, work and interact with one another. It is an incredibly exciting time to be working in the technology space as innovative new products and services make it possible for most enterprises – big and small – to experiment with ideas, streamline the experience for the end-user and deliver operations more effectively - and at scale!

That said, digital transformation can be a challenging prospect and many tech and IT leaders have been forced into re-evaluating their priorities to succeed in the new digital-first world. Opportunities abound and forward-thinking leaders will see great return on their investments.

10 digital transformation priorities tech and IT leaders should capitalise on!

With a new era of digital technologies and strategies taking shape, CIOs and internal tech or IT leaders have more of an influential hand in business strategy as technology becomes a key driver of long-term growth. When considering how to adapt in the current business climate and gain a competitive edge, take advantage of new and emerging technology trends such as:

1. AI and machine learning

AI and machine learning are transforming customer engagement at a time where expectations for a seamless end-user experience are high. New algorithms allow businesses to evaluate customer data and identify new opportunities, whilst tailoring their experience and upselling products to suit their individual preferences. 

2. Advanced Cloud technologies/ cloud implementation 

The use of Cloud computing is exploding, with hybrid working leading to enterprise applications rapidly moving to the Cloud to enable a distributed and secure workforce. According to a report by Accenture, 90% of internal tech leaders agreed that to be agile and resilient, their organisations need to fast-forward their digital transformation with the Cloud at its core. 

3. Deploying a modern Cloud architecture 

With this mass migration to the Cloud comes both opportunities and threats, so IT and tech leaders need to formulate a cohesive Cloud strategy if they wish to reap the full benefits. 

4. Improved customer-facing technology 

According to a report by Salesforce, 93% of IT leaders say that better customer-facing technology is crucial for remaining competitive in the market. Customers now expect engagement across all touchpoints, as well as 24/7 customer service and identity management.

However, if you’re a start-up, your tech and marketing budget to help reach prospects and grow your business will be different compared to larger enterprises. This means it’s important to choose your tech wisely to ensure return on investment (ROI) and pay more attention to recent advancements. 

5. Enhanced employee technology 

Another key focus is on collaborative tech to ensure remote workforces remain engaged and productive. Employee experience is becoming increasingly important, particularly during the ‘Great Resignation’ phenomenon, so businesses should increase their investment in this area if they wish to hold onto their best tech and IT talent. 

6. The power of data 

CIOs and tech leaders are using the power of data to drive positive transformation and their strategic decision-making. This focus on data and actionable intelligence will be central to their role and how they achieve market growth and customer retention.

7. The Internet of Things (IoT)

The IoT is a trend that is driving ongoing digitalisation and datafication in our day-to-day lives, as more and more devices get connected. Businesses across all industries are using it to drive efficiency, productivity, safety, and growth across their operations. 

8. Collaboration tech

The wide-scale adoption of collaborative tools like Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Slack and OneDrive allow businesses to continue to deliver their products and services to consumers while staff work remotely. It will be beneficial to revisit their implementation and look to see how they can be further optimised to ensure ROI now that the dust has settled.

9. 5G

The successful roll out of 5G will revolutionise enterprise and consumer computing but technical, safety, security and availability challenges continue to delay its full deployment. Tech and IT leaders are keeping up to date with its development as the network will have far-reaching impacts on the way we live, work, and interact globally.

10. Blockchain, quantum computing and robotics 

These emerging technologies all remain in the initial stages, but many internal tech and IT leaders will have a close eye on their development as all of them will have a transformative impact on business. 

What should technology-oriented startups prioritise? Recruiting!

The situation is a little different for internal tech leaders within startups. As always, these leaders are in a great position to action and implement all of the above priorities almost immediately as and when it will serve their growing business best. However, with investor backing and the need to meet external stakeholder demands come the highly-pressured need to find the right talent as quickly as possible with fewer of the HR support structures that a more established organisation would have. 

Startups are ideally situated to benefit from engaging recruitment companies and outsource the process of hiring at scale and to a high standard. They should look for those agencies that specialise in their industry, specialism, ideal skill sets, and have a significant established network of great candidates.

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