The Many Takes On Tech Transformation
Apparently we’re coming out of the recession, but no-one wants to predict when it will happen or if the UK is in for a double dip. The last two years have made businesses tighten belts and reign in spending – but it’s also made everyone examine what they’re spending on and why. Short-term gains are still on the minds of business leaders and potential long-term savings are much lower on the priorities list.
So how can businesses go about transforming their technology? It isn’t just about cost cutting, it’s about making the whole business run smoothly; eliminating waste, cutting out unnecessary procedures, making sure IT is delivering results with tangible benefits and demonstrating ROI. We’ve seen customers say that cost is the primary driver for change at the moment showing that finances are still front of mind, just in case the country isn’t out of recession.
Transformation should also be about flexibility and scalability. Of course businesses have had to cut back, but is the plan to stay in that hibernate and survive state – or should the focus switch to recovery and growth? Companies cannot afford to be so fixated on optimisation that they are caught on the back foot when growth opportunities arise.
Virtualisation is the flavour of the moment, but it’s such a small percentage of a company’s potential ‘road map’ and it might not be the answer. Businesses need to remember that it’s not a cure all solution, rather than jump on the bandwagon with unrealistic expectations. Effective tech transformation means agility and being able to turn technology on and off quickly and withdraw non-critical areas instantly. Mergers and acquisitions are a key area for this, when a newly consolidated company can make big savings. Reducing expenditure takes centre stage with a new merged company, and realising the economies of scale that can be achieved can lead to big savings.
Dave Baldwin
Dave Baldwin is Managing Director of Getronics UK and Ireland. He has worked in the ICT industry for over 15 years, primarily with major private sector companies in the retail, telecoms and financial services markets. Dave's career started on the development side, having studied electronic and computer engineering in Birmingham, but after a few years of large systems development it was time for a change and he moved into client management at ICL, where his focus was enhancing IT support and development services. When ICL was bought by Fujitsu, Dave led the transformation of the field support and logistics capabilities to become a world class capability both in terms of service quality and efficiency. After a brief spell as Regional Managing Director of Chubb Fire, Dave re-joined Fujitsu Services to lead their largest customer in the private sector – Royal Mail Group, from which he went on to lead their retail business (2005 – 2008). He joined Getronics in the summer of 2008 for a fresh and renewed challenge, taking the helm of a major provider of ICT solutions to clients across the UK and Ireland.
Dave Baldwin is Managing Director of Getronics UK and Ireland. He has worked in the ICT industry for over 15 years, primarily with major private sector companies in the retail, telecoms and financial services markets. Dave's career started on the development side, having studied electronic and computer engineering in Birmingham, but after a few years of large systems development it was time for a change and he moved into client management at ICL, where his focus was enhancing IT support and development services. When ICL was bought by Fujitsu, Dave led the transformation of the field support and logistics capabilities to become a world class capability both in terms of service quality and efficiency. After a brief spell as Regional Managing Director of Chubb Fire, Dave re-joined Fujitsu Services to lead their largest customer in the private sector – Royal Mail Group, from which he went on to lead their retail business (2005 – 2008). He joined Getronics in the summer of 2008 for a fresh and renewed challenge, taking the helm of a major provider of ICT solutions to clients across the UK and Ireland. ...less info
