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Technology Is Transforming Everything
Technology Is Transforming Everything
TECHNOLOGY IS
TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING
BUSINESSES STRUGGLE TO CHANGE WITH IT
2 SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING
CONTENTS
6 Introduction
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SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING 3
24 Conclusion
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4 SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING
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5-MINUTE READ
In late 2017, West Monroe surveyed 300 company executives on their
approach to technology and how prepared they are for the “shift.” (Get
more detail in Methodology, pg. 25.) Here is what leaders from three sectors
of the economy—healthcare, financial services, and energy and utilities—
reported about their organizations.
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6 SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING
INTRODUCTION
T
he world is shifting around us. The survey results show that company leaders
Technology presents every are overwhelmed by the volume of data and
organization with unprecedented technologies their companies have access
opportunities to elevate performance, to—and what to do with it. The good news is
scale, and market impact. Those same that it’s not too late to take a hard look at your
technologies also present a grave threat to organization to see where you can most quickly
those who fail to adapt quickly. and forcefully drive better decisions. The stakes
are high, and you shouldn’t only focus on your
Customers are dictating the terms of peers’ best practices, but also consider new and
relationships. Reports are being replaced by unanticipated market entrants. Each day we
predictions. Data is both created and required have digital leaders—like Amazon—entering and
at every interaction, in every moment. Business altering existing industries.
and information technology functions can no
longer thrive separately but must evolve to
operate in concert. Meanwhile, security looms
as an Achilles’ heel that threatens to upend
organizations at any moment.
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CHAPTER 1
Data is an asset—
when put into action
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8 SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING
A
ll companies have data, but collecting it is “Data is only valuable when it is surfaced to create
merely the first step toward extracting its actionable insights,” says Layok. “You have to use the
value. While most companies are already information to understand your customers better and
maintaining data, many still face a long road better serve their needs. Let it inform your product
ahead. Forty-eight percent of respondents said their development process. And create feedback loops to
organizations don’t view data as a strategic asset, and nurture your data quality and collection.”
only about a third said their organizations are employing
data science or analytics to drive insights or operational The vast majority of survey participants reported
decisions. While one respondent called data “the core average or better data quality, but again, most aren’t
of everything we do,” another said, “We do a lot of data doing much with it. While 90 percent of respondents
mining but take very little action as a result.” said their own data was at least of average quality and
52%
YES
Figure 1
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94 percent of respondents can access data within a day making can do more harm than good, leading people
or less, there are still 76 percent who said they can’t to tune out the noise.
detect customer patterns immediately or in real time,
and more than half of leaders who took our survey don’t “Having access to data isn’t the same thing as driving
feel they use this resource fully. business value,” Layok says. “Reports that explain what
happened yesterday are table stakes for businesses
A leader’s view of their data may be influenced by today. Embracing predictive modeling and learning
the types of reporting they receive. About 3 in 4 (73 algorithms to optimize business results are required to
percent) focus on analysis of past data, 55 percent use your data to drive competitive differentiation.”
receive real-time alerts, 50 percent look at trending data,
and 38 percent leverage predictive reporting. While past
data can be an indication of future behavior, that is not
always the case and something leaders are keenly aware
of. Having the right combination of all types of
reporting is important—but what’s more important
is using the data to make decisions. Too much data
without the proper context or prompts for decision-
24% Immediately
Figure 2
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CHAPTER 2
Industry Comparison:
Strengths and
Weaknesses—But No
Transformative Leader
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E
ach sector we surveyed had different
technology and information strengths, clearly
driven by each’s competitive and operational
Those who view their data
landscape. But no sector displayed widespread
adoption of the kind of holistic transformation called for
as a strategic asset
by the shift.
33%
Healthcare
FINANCIAL SERVICES: DATA
RULES, BUT CLOUD LAGS Figure 3
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12 SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING
63%
Financial Services
70%
Energy & Utilities
40%
Healthcare
Figure 5
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FINANCIAL SERVICES
Leading the pack, but work remains
The giants of the financial services industry have spent Corporate leaders who believe that their companies are
billions on infrastructure and technology in working sufficiently leveraging internal and third party data and
to reimagine their businesses. However, a wide range artificial intelligence are likely missing opportunities.
of maturity exists in regional and mid-market financial Even in 2018, few financial services companies are
institutions suggesting winners and losers in the future. truly capitalizing on what data can do for them—and
some have yet to fully grasp the power and potential of
That could be trouble in a large market where emerging technologies like AI.
consolidation continues, and more than almost any other
sector, a proliferation of startups is nipping at the heels And unlike startups, banks face legacy technology
of traditional players. Banks that are faster to create challenges. With existing systems in place—and with
value for customers via new technologies will thrive. some early skepticism about cloud security—financial
Similarly, adopting new technologies to enable the services companies have been slower to embrace cloud
future workforce will deliver both customer experience technology first for fear of security, and inertia.
and efficiencies needed.
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14 SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING
HEALTHCARE
Moving past mainframes and fax machines
But to seize those opportunities, providers and Optimism in this space isn’t entirely effortless. There
payers must embrace transformative change, instilling are plenty of entrenched organizations that may
the mindset of the shift across every part of their well continue to anchor some parts of the industry
organizations. That means embracing the potential to outdated practices. Luring the best medical and
of not only cloud computing—where the sector is technology talent to execute this revolutionary change
furthest along according to our survey results (see will require powerful evidence that leadership truly
pg. 12.)—but also of data analytics to drive care and embraces change. It will also require provider and
business decisions. patient communities willing to address healthcare in
a new light.
Innovative organizations that make that leap will thrive
as agents of consolidation. The continuum of care Healthcare leaders aren’t blind to the challenges.
will be fully integrated following the wave of mergers Disruption is coming, and will require a proactive
and acquisitions that continues at a rapid pace, both response to challengers such as the announced
vertically and horizontally. Claims, customer service, IT, partnership between Amazon, JPMorgan, and Berkshire
and other portions of the industry not directly related to Hathaway. And the pockets of progress that can be
care will shift to an even more commoditized model. seen in compliance, medical devices and research are
encouraging examples of what is coming for
To be sure, the healthcare sector has a reputation for the industry.
arriving late: Nearly half (49%) of our survey’s healthcare
respondents said keeping up with technology trends and Will Hinde is a managing director with West Monroe,
applying them to healthcare is their primary challenge. leader of the firm’s Healthcare and Life Sciences
In our digital age, some large payers haven’t been able practice, and a member of the executive team. He has
to justify the transition from mainframes, and on the more than 20 years of experience helping healthcare
provider side it’s still more common than not to see organizations apply strategy and technology to
documents being shared via fax. create value.
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For energy and utility executives, the good news is Certainly, the challenge of a unionized workforce can’t
that the shift is already underway. But to truly fulfill its be overlooked. But it also shouldn’t be overblown.
promise, industry leaders need to integrate the work Demonstrating how technology makes jobs safer, easier,
they have already done with a workforce that can—and and more interesting is key to driving transformation.
must—be coaxed into embracing change. Meter readers, rather than merely recording numbers,
will gain key responsibilities in keeping critical,
The business changes the industry has faced in recent customer-facing ends of the smart grid running
years—the ascent of renewable energy and the closely smoothly and enhancing reliability. And it will provide
related transformation brought about by distributed new opportunities through data analytics, an area where
generation—has hastened the adoption of some the sector scored behind: Only 31% of utility respondents
advanced technologies. The smart grid’s integrated reported their business employs data science and
intelligent device networks are an already established analytics to drive insights and operational decisions.
technology among many energy and utility companies.
The most forward-thinking executives will use this
The pressure can only be expected to mount as opportunity to swiftly and fully integrate tools, people,
regulatory bodies keep making choices on behalf of systems, information, and operational technology to
the customers to benefit the communities they serve. align with serving the customer. And those organizations
New technologies and greater digitization are all but will thrive as they will be positioned to leverage their
inevitable as this business continues to evolve and streamlined process and efficiency as the pace of
modernize. Deregulated markets such as New York, change accelerates around them.
California, and Illinois will lead the way for investor-
owned utilities, along with co-ops which are focused Dan Belmont is a senior director on the management
on operational efficiency driving a lowest total cost of team of West Monroe’s Energy & Utilities practice, where
ownership model. he is responsible for developing the firm’s distinctive
business consulting and technology capabilities for
serving clients in the utilities industry. Dan has more than
20 years of experience in design and development of
31% of utility respondents wireless networks, sales, manufacturing, management,
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16 SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING
CHAPTER 3
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SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING 17
A
lmost all respondents (96 percent) across all
three industries reported concern about data
security. But more than a quarter rated their How concerned are you
critical systems and data as just “moderately about cybersecurity?
secure,” or worse. And still, more than 70 percent of
organizations said they feel comfortable with their
preparedness for a cyberattack.
78%
“Organizations constantly focus on security as an end Extremely/very concerned
point—something to achieve to help them sleep better
at night, but there is no end. It is an evolving goal that 18%
requires appropriate investment,” says Sean Curran, Somewhat concerned
Senior Director in West Monroe’s Technology practice. “If
it weren’t, we wouldn’t continue to see breaches at high 4%
profile organizations who have invested far more money Not concerned
than smaller players ever could.”
Figure 6
25%
REACTIVE/OTHER
Only 4% of
executives say they’re
not worried about
75%
cybersecurity, but
PROACTIVE
six times that number
report they lack
a proactive
cybersecurity strategy.
Figure 7
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18 SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING
Reconciling how safe leaders feel with how secure Having a well-protected information supply chain with
their businesses actually are takes more than a set of the requisite safeguards is vital. What happens when
tools or certifications. This isn’t trivial for any company, attackers breach these defenses? How do companies
especially for those in the surveyed industries: They hold handle an incident and its fallout? When every second
precious personal and financial information and control counts, previous preparation increases the speed at
key infrastructure subject to routine attack. which organizations can respond, avoiding hastily made
wdecisions because the pros and cons have already
“People are worried, so they look for things like been weighed. Preparation also cuts through the
certifications and the latest tools to make themselves paralysis that can come with such an event.
feel better,” Curran says. “But businesses need to think
about the entire security ecosystem—not only processes At the end of the day, cybersecurity should be top
and technology, but also people—to be truly secure. of mind to keep your organization on its toes. But
Smart business leaders understand a cyberattack isn’t ask yourself, is it top of mind because you don’t have
a possibility, it’s an inevitability. And yet, even in a a handle on your biggest threats? Or that you’re ill-
climate of awareness about the threats posed by equipped for an attack? Or perhaps you do have a
cybercrime, businesses aren’t doing enough to prepare handle on your strategy, but it’s just not the right one?
for these incidents.” Pinpoint the root of your worry to make sure it’s not an
indication of unpreparedness.
4% 36% 59%
Figure 8
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CHAPTER 4
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A
t West Monroe, we beat the drum about
how the “shift” is just as much about people
and processes as it is about technology. But
technology is an important part of keeping
pace with the shift.
In this part of the equation, neglecting updates to core Our survey clearly showed that
systems is putting a majority of survey respondents
companies fully appreciate
at risk of falling behind the technology curve. Only a
quarter of respondents said they updated their core
the magnitude of the changes
systems to provide additional business functionality already underway and are
monthly or weekly. A third of respondents make updates hungry for practical answers
quarterly, 28 percent update annually, and 15 percent
about how to grapple with the
said they make updates only once every few years.
change and thrive through it.
18% Montly
7% Weekly
Figure 9
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SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING 21
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
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22 SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING
Organizations with complex infrastructures need clarity. If you aren’t drawing actionable insights from data
Maximize the value of existing infrastructure by working across your organization, all the technology in the world
with an experienced partner to forge an efficient is unlikely to save you. The survey shows that executives
and prudent cloud migration strategy. The result is a understand the gap between using technology and data
business-enabling modern platform that provides analytics, but the way to close that gap is to change the
the agility and responsiveness necessary to quickly bring organization’s behaviors, people, processes, and mindset
new products, services, and capabilities to market. about data and decision-making.
What this could look like: The leaders of tomorrow must engage customers,
employees, business partners, and devices (“things”)
• For a bank, prioritize a cloud migration to gain more
in a powerful, differentiated way that drives value and
engaged customers and outperform across key
lifts business metrics, even in a mobile environment.
metrics, including the efficiency ratio.
But those leaders need solutions to do two things very
• Re-platform to a PCI-compliant Microsoft Azure cloud well: build effective interfaces that deliver a compelling
Companies must quickly adapt to the rapidly • In healthcare, create a mobile app for patients to
evolving landscape of advanced analytics tools and communicate directly with providers.
capabilities. And they must translate complex business
requirements into practical technology-based data • Build digital-first platforms for employees that
platforms that suit their businesses. To do this, their increases collaboration, connectivity,
leaders need to seek expert guidance on where to and efficiency.
start, how to assess value, and which metrics are most
important. From there, companies can make data-driven
decisions you didn’t believe were possible.
INFLUENCE CUSTOMER
What this could look like: BEHAVIOR
• For a hospital network, this could mean building a
Too many companies are passively observing their
series of interactive dashboards that allow providers to
customers and failing to turn those insights into action:
better understand patients and make more informed
73 percent of survey respondents say they proactively
decisions to improve quality of care.
seek out customer patterns, but only a third have
• For a retailer, this could mean analyzing online behavior instituted technology initiatives to augment their
to identify the root cause of abandonment rates. customer experience.
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SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING 23
It’s important to apply data science and advanced What this could look like:
machine learning techniques to help understand, predict,
• Conduct an assessment on whether your company
and influence customer behavior. This starts with the
is compliant with new GDPR regulation. (Hint: All
ability to access data more efficiently. From there,
businesses must follow this rule; not just those in
companies need capabilities for analyzing customer
Europe.)
data continuously that also use data to create effective,
segment-specific strategies that improve customer • Run tabletop exercises with a third party to validate
interactions at every step of the relationship. that your cyberattack response plan considers all
actions and activities that need to occur during a
What this could look like: breach.
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24 SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING
CONCLUSION
I
f only about half of companies see data as
a strategic asset, then all companies have a
profound opportunity to leap ahead. It won’t
happen overnight; transformation is a journey,
though one that successful companies poised
to thrive in the future have already begun. The
further you progress, the more adaptable you
will become to change—which will only happen
faster. The shift is here. Build for it.
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SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING 25
3% 5%
15%
C-level IT
25% 36%
VP/SVP Finance
38% 17%
Director Operations
Manager 3% Marketing/Sales
Industry
33% 33%
Financial Services
Healthcare
33%
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26 SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING
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generate revenue, reduce costs, and transform your thinking, operations, and capabilities.
We are guided by our mission to build the next generation of leaders—to better serve our clients, our firm,
and our community.
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SIGNATURE RESEARCH | TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING 27
CONTRIBUTORS
GREG LAYOK
Managing Director, Technology
glayok@westmonroe.com
SEAN CURRAN
Senior Director, Technology
scurran@westmonroe.com
DAN BELMONT
Senior Director, Energy & Utilities
dbelmont@westmonroe.com
WILL HINDE
Managing Director, Healthcare
whinde@westmonroe.com
GIL MERMELSTEIN
Senior Managing Director, Financial Services
gmermelstein@westmonroe.com
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