By Shailendra Singh, Business Director of Africa Region, Wipro Ltd, South Africa

Disruptive digital technologies have revolutionised the way customers behave and interact with organisations as well as the way people within enterprises operate. From the increasing availability of always-on connectivity to the broad and growing array of smart devices, the prevalence of social media and a vast variety of mobile applications, consumers have never felt more empowered. This is developing a profound effect not only on organisations’ external customers, but the internal consumers of enterprise IT as well. The lines between the consumer technology experience and the business IT experience have begun to blur, and businesses need to rethink their strategies and processes to meet changing needs and requirements on both fronts.

The world is undergoing a digital revolution, with easy access to multiple smart devices that enable users to be online and stay connected at all times. In today’s connected world, digital has become a way of life. The wealth of information that is at our fingertips means that consumers today are making more informed decisions than ever before, and thus are becoming increasingly discerning. Mass marketing and mass production are no longer the keys to success, and the differentiating factor for many enterprises lies in the ability to create tailored, customised experiences and solutions. The same holds true both for external customers of the business, as well as internal customers of IT solutions within the enterprise.

Reaching out to customers through these mobile devices and making personalised information and customised experience available to them is a challenge faced by many organisations. A multi-channel approach is essential in engaging customers in the right way at the right time, and smart engagement strategies are at the heart of creating brand ambassadors. This is an essential step, as people are more connected than ever as a result of social networks, and word of mouth recommendations have enormous power and sway over customer purchasing decisions. Organisations can no longer afford to operate in siloes, but need to create an integrated enterprise that facilitates the delivery of a connected customer experience.

Leveraging next generation technologies and creating an integrated enterprise is essential not only in delivering a consistent customer experience across all channels, but in creating a future-ready digital connected enterprise that optimises the experience for internal IT customers as well. In addition to mobility and social media, cloud, Software as a Service (SaaS) and big data are further revolutionising the enterprise IT space. Organisations need to be able to embrace agile technologies and leverage advanced intelligence to drive a better experience for customers inside the organisation and out.

IT has become increasingly consumerised over the years, and employees expect a consistent experience whether they are using personal or enterprise-related technologies. Active engagement with all stakeholders, including partners, employees and customers, in a context-relevant manner, has become vital. Organisations need to leverage engagement platforms, which provide relevant content regarding transactions, collaboration and communications, in order to drive actionable insights that enable improved business performance.

Transformation to the digital enterprise is not an end goal, but an on-going journey of constant evolution and change. With multiple devices converging into a single user experience, integrating data and the flow of information has never been more important before. Enterprises need to leverage strategic thinking and agile solutions to drive enhanced internal processes and solutions, which in turn can be translated into a consistent customer engagement and experience.