Mobility is the most important digital technology for large enterprises, according to Accenture’s Mobility Insights Report 2014.
The global study, which involved 1500 C-level executives from 14 countries, revealed that 77 per cent of respondents placed mobility in their top five priorities, and for 43 per cent, mobility was in the top two.
Big data analytics was next most important, with 72 per cent placing it in the top five priorities, followed by connected products at 65 per cent.
The convergence of digital technologies, including mobile, analytics, cloud, social platforms and connected products is expected to deliver clear financial benefits, with 35 per cent agreeing that a good synergy of these channels could effectively increase business performance. Twenty-nine per cent expected the adoption of digital technologies to generate additional revenue, 28 per cent plan to build entirely new digital businesses or services, and 27 per cent expect to penetrate new markets.
The study also asked respondents about the level of return on investment achieved by mobility implementation.
One in 10 respondents reporting a full ROI (100 per cent) for mobility implementations in the last two years, and 26 per cent saw returns of 50-100 per cent. Businesses that showed faster and higher returns of investment were those who viewed mobile breakthroughs in a more ambitious, strategic, and cross-company approach. They had a more formal, and enterprise-wide mobility strategy where they had set a formal metrics system to measure the success and feasibility of mobile initiatives. Their implementation of product and service mobility is anchored on the perception of long-term growth, backed by ample monetary commitment, and genuine support from the company’s senior leadership.
Jin Lee, global managing director of Accenture Mobility, said that overall attitude mattered in the success of mobility initiatives.
“Any successful technology implementation requires certain ingredients, but this research demonstrates that in the case of newer digital technologies it’s not just about actions, but about attitude too,” Lee said.
Lee added that CEOs and leadership teams are now taking more responsibility for technology-related decisions.
“There are still many challenges that businesses must face: the need for enterprise-wide technology strategies is key, but companies also need to harness today’s technology with an eye on tomorrow.
Businesses must be agile enough to quickly adapt, with a strong enough technology support system to enable that, but also to fully exploit the capabilities of digital technologies already in place. Mobility came before the digital technologies it’s now converging with, and as such enterprises can learn real lessons from mobility implementations. If they are to take full advantage and see the market growth they expect from digital convergence, it’s more than a suggestion to learn from peers; it’s an imperative,” said Lee.
The research also found that only there is something of a skills gap when it comes to mobility initiatives, with only 30 per cent of respondents believing they have the right talent and skills to properly plan and execute these initiatives. Only 27 per cent felt that they kept pace with new mobile devices, systems, and services and just 13 per cent have formal metrics in place to measure mobility effectiveness.
