Enterprise users will gain unprecedented control over their technology environment in 2014, according to Verizon Enterprise Solutions’ list of top enterprise technology trends for 2014.
The new year will see a sharp focus on how enterprises and governments use technology to enhance the customer’s experience and enable innovation.
"We are experiencing the democratization of enterprise technology," said David Small, Verizon Enterprise Solutions’ chief platform officer.
"Mirroring what has happened in the consumer technology space, enterprise technology users look for services to be delivered on demand, to a time and place of their choosing, and in the way that they want. In 2014, enterprise success will be measured by how well organizations are able to use technology to meet user expectations and harness individual innovation."
The key trends Verizon believes will drive change for enterprises and government in 2014 are as follows:
The customer of one comes of age
The ability to tailor a customer’s experience to best meet personalised, individual needs will increasingly be a brand differentiator. In 2014, enterprises will refocus on customer touch points, recognising that integrated omnichannel connections – across online, mobile, broadcast and in-store – can make customers feel valued at every step of the purchase and experience lifecycle. Insight provided by big data analytics will create new, individualised marketing opportunities that will transform and focus the customer engagement model.
M2M ‘as a service’ simplifies path to the connected world
Ubiquitous 4G LTE wireless service and the availability of machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions "as a service", on demand, over the Internet and ready to use, coupled with strong security will overcome the issues that have previously prevented many organizations from fully embracing M2M. By leveraging third-party expertise, organisations will be able to quickly transform the conversations of intelligent endpoints into unprecedented insights – and unprecedented business opportunities.
The shortage of security expertise forces changes to cybersecurity management
As enterprises increasingly adopt mobility, big data, cloud and broadcast solutions, the complexity of effective cybersecurity programs far exceeds both the availability of human capital around the world and the capability of any one enterprise to execute alone. Enterprises will develop and execute hybrid cybersecurity-management models that combine an agile staff of in-house security-minded business experts with trusted managed security services across a broad range of capabilities such as identity management, security analytics and cyber intelligence, and governance, risk and compliance.
IT decentralises
Organisations embracing the new information technology world of cloud, mobility and M2M will see IT increasingly decentralised. IT will be core to every business function. As a result, IT will work more closely with individual business units and focus on developing tools for seamless process enablement that empowers employees and customers. IT will be integrated into financial performance planning, and the lines between the IT department and finance will continue to blur as technology becomes the valued enabler, rather than the end game.
Providers add gravity to the cloud
In a world where mobile is the norm, and rich media content is a given, the cloud will come into its own as the only location where growing data volumes can be stored, accessed and analyzed on demand. In 2014, adding software and services to the cloud will be a key focus for cloud providers seeking to attract customers – adding gravity and encouraging user stickiness. Integrated cloud offerings will increasingly enable mashups of fixed and mobile networks; systems, ideas and solutions; people and things; and intelligence and information. Providing systems and tools to transform these data into insights in the cloud and on demand will transform the customer experience.
