Information Services Group (ISG) has released a new report, entitled The 2021 ISG Provider Lens™ Digital Business Solutions and Services Archetype, which details how the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformation by three-to-five years. Companies are now highly focused on building IT ecosystems that support growth, enable innovation, and improve customer experiences under new operating conditions.
The report also points out that solution providers are quickly being identified as a reliable solution when it comes to helping companies at all stages of digital transformation adopt appropriate technologies for efficiency, competition, and customer experience.
Prashant Kelker, partner and Americas leader, ISG Digital: "The pandemic has forced enterprises to explore new ways to enable remote work, manage supply and demand and remain competitive. Providers are supporting transformations that involve not just technology but a company’s entire operations and organization."
Key technologies enabling digital transformation
The 2021 ISG Provider Lens Digital Business Solutions and Services Archetype report states that the technologies most used in digital transformations in 2021 were automation and analytics, respectively. With on-site workforces thinning out, automation technologies have helped companies save time and effort normally spent on routine tasks.
Analytics, meanwhile, provided the data and insight needed to better manage supply chains and assess customer experiences. Additionally, tools based on artificial intelligence / machine learning converted data from multiple sources to predict downtime and apply self-healing measures to prevent it.
What kind of companies are looking for digital solutions?
The report devotes a good amount to looking at four different types of clients – or archetypes as they’re referred to in the report – that are interested in digital solutions and / or services.
Traditional and Conservative Archetype: These are legacy-heavy enterprises with limited outsourcing experience. These companies generally engage with service providers selectively to implement new technologies across one business function — or cautiously across an entire business process.
Managed Services Archetype: These businesses have successfully executed smaller digital transformation initiatives; things like cost optimization or task automation and are eager to go further. Managed Services enterprises invest in business process/function automation, cloud and UX efforts to achieve business outcomes.
Transformational Archetype: These enterprises are extremely customer-centric and seek to implement new services for the specific purpose of enhancing customer experience or generating more revenue. These companies are willing to undertake massive transformational projects and prefer to work with large-scale service solution providers.
Pioneering Archetype: These enterprises view themselves as disruptors and so seek to partner with solution providers to drive their innovation agendas. They generally look to extend successful transformation initiatives with niche technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), edge computing, 3D printing, and more.
The 2021 ISG Provider Lens Digital Business Solutions and Services Archetype report is available to subscribers. It can also be accessed for one-time purchase on this webpage.
