IT departments must
adapt to changing
demands
Nearly six in ten IT leaders (59%) believe
the ‘traditional’ IT department no longer
exists, according to the
Tomorrow’s
Tech Teams
report from Experis, a global
provider of professional IT resourcing.
Its survey of 1,000 IT workers and 200
senior IT managers suggests that in the
future organisations will become more reliant
on temporary and short-term staff who will
be needed to cope with the growing demand
for cloud computing (61%), to provide
strategic advice for critical business decision-
making (57%) and to increase the use of
mobile apps (53%).
Respondents think temporary staff provide
greater flexibility (52%), fresh perspectives
(49%) and unique skills (44%).
In addition, 59% expect to see an increase
in people from non-tech backgrounds entering
IT departments over the next two years. At
the same time, the balance between male and
female IT workers is expected to shift from
71% male and 29% female to 59% male and
41% female.
IoT goes mainstream
More than three quarters (76%) of
companies believe the Internet of Things
is critical to the future success of an
organisation, with 46% planning to develop
IoT-based products and services in the next
two years. Vodafone’s fourth annual
IoT
Barometer Report
also reveals that 89% of
businesses that are investing in IoT have
increased their budgets over the last 12
months; 63% say they have seen ‘significant’
returns on investment.
Coming to a street near you?
Starship Technologies, a company launched by the co-founders of Skype, has built a fleet of self-
driving delivery robots designed to deliver goods locally within 30 minutes. The robots travel on the
pavement at slow speeds and with zero emissions. Integrated navigation and obstacle avoidance
software enables them to travel autonomously, but
they are also overseen by human operators who can
step in to ensure safety at all times. For security, the
cargo bay is locked and can only be opened by the
recipient. Customers can choose a precise delivery slot
and during delivery they can track the robot’s location
in real time through an app. The robots are currently
undergoing trials with industry partners including food
delivery company Just Eat, parcel delivery company
Hermes, German retailer Metro Group and London food
delivery startup Pronto.co.uk.
As more businesses make use of emerging
technologies to engage with the public, such
as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality
(AR), artificial intelligence (AI), wearables and
the Internet of Things, Adobe and Goldsmiths,
University of London have identified five
dimensions they must address to ensure
customer loyalty.
1
Empathy.
Because new technologies,
especially VR, create immersive experiences that
impact the user’s physical and mental states,
brands must practise extreme empathy.
2
Serendipity
. Nearly two thirds (64%) of
adults surveyed online said that a good digital
experience allows them to discover new and
unexpected things that they like and love.
Elements of serendipity in an experience will
build authenticity and trust in brands.
3
Privacy
. Over half (52%) of those surveyed
agree that a good digital experience empowers
them to use technology both to connect and
disconnect from the world. Technologies like VR
and wearables enable consumers to create their
own private digital worlds, where they choose
the brands they interact with based on the
quality of the experience offered.
4
Reciprocity
. Survey respondents are excited
about the possibilities of AI applications,
especially where the relationship is reciprocal.
Over half (52%) would be happy to ‘teach’ a
machine if the feedback improved elements in
their lives like personal health, social services,
everyday services and decision-making around
purchases.
5
Adaptability
. Participants who tested IoT
and AI technologies were frustrated that the
experiences were not as straightforward and
seamless as they had expected. Brands must
provide seamless, integrated experiences across
different channels – offline and online – and
across products and services and even entire
markets. A multichannel approach is particularly
important for retailers, with 35% preferring to
make transactions in person, 30% via a device
and 32% having no clear preference.
The five new
rules of customer
engagement
agenda
