Page 106 - SAMENA Trends - May 2020

ARTICLE SAMENA TRENDS

1. Implement a response plan across the versions to help troubled companies. ICT providers are seeking to help society
lines of business during the pandemic.
ICT service providers must move swiftly One pertinent, immediate offering is
to implement their action plans and seize a remote “task-force-as-a-service.” 4. Step up business agility and operational
the opportunity. The main goals should Through this offering, ICT service providers readiness
be protecting and revitalizing their core can put their development and operations On the operations side, ICT service
business, alleviating any disruption in teams to good use in helping companies providers should use resources effectively,
their own business, and then developing manage their burgeoning reliance on closely managing finances through real-
a strategy to excel once stability has technology while reducing IT costs. time cash monitoring. They have been
returned. pioneers in agile workforce management,
Beyond assisting clients with short-term and now need to implement further flexible
ICT service providers must challenges, ICT service providers need to work arrangements internally and with
move swiftly to implement develop sector-specific solutions to help contractors. Contractual agreements,
them succeed in the new environment.
such as shared risk-reward models and
their action plans and They can generate this innovation through arrangements with experts to help with
seize the opportunity. exchanging ideas with clients, seeking industry-specific solutions, will need to
reflect uncertain demand.
partnerships with technology and telecom
The main goals should be companies, and redirecting resources
protecting and revitalizing away from their current major projects. ICT service providers should accelerate
investment in emerging technologies,
their core business, 3. Overhaul traditional sales approaches automation, and big data capabilities
alleviating any disruption To protect the core business, ICT service to serve clients more effectively.
in their own business, and providers should immediately overhaul Technological readiness is critical.
traditional sales approaches. They need
Elements of key infrastructure should
then developing a strategy to train their sales representatives in be expanded early on. Operations teams
to excel once stability has consultative selling, which involves helping should also be reorganized to serve urgent
the client understand their technology
needs properly.
returned. problems, not just selling technology
solutions. They may also need to redeploy ICT service providers should
Plans need to include product development, these sales representatives. There should accelerate investment in
sales and marketing, and operations. A be bold moves to retain troubled flagship
COVID-19 response taskforce is critical for customers. Potential measures to reduce emerging technologies,
facilitating the exchange of information, their IT costs include innovative payment automation, and big data
accelerating decision making, and terms and mid-term rebates, offering
ensuring a consistent approach. additional services within existing capabilities to serve
contracts, and outcome-based fees. It is clients more effectively.
2. Shape product offerings to support essential to use detailed projection of ICT
urgent ICT needs demand to support effective sales pipeline Technological readiness
With respect to products, ICT service management. is critical. Elements of key
providers need to bolster their analytics infrastructure should be
and research capabilities to keep pace with Marketing should make better use of
rapidly changing demand. In the very short digital channels, while focusing on the expanded early on.
term, products should focus on societal urgent ICT needs of distressed sectors. In
support and urgent ICT needs, such as particular, they can organize competitions, With these plans for product development,
cyber security and applications to assist hackathons, that crack problems for use marketing and operations in place, ICT
government responses to the crisis. New cases. These competitions can be done service providers can emerge stronger
solutions, relating for example to enable privately with clients or publicly. Marketing from this crisis.
remote offices or the digital supply chain, can publicize these hackathons digitally
can be repackaged as easily installed through campaigns as they highlight how

106 MAY 2020