- 94% of UK organisations predict that information technology (IT) will contribute to business growth in 2015
- Technology will play a primary role in improving customer transactional experience to deliver growth
New research1 from Robert Half UK reveals that the vast majority (94%) of UK information technology (IT) directors predict that technology will play either a very (49%) or somewhat (45%) important role in business growth during 2015. While the economy in the first quarter grew at a slower rate than in previous months (0.3%), businesses are looking to technology to contribute to future strategic growth.
When asked where technology will play a primary role in delivering business growth, almost half (45%) of IT directors said it would be in improving customers’ transactional experience. A further third (32%) said that technology would play a primary role in driving process or employee efficiency, while the rest said technology would either improve the customer communication experience (12%) or deliver data to drive business insights and strategy (11%).
Interestingly, there is a greater emphasis on using technology to support business growth by improving customer transaction experience for small businesses (50%) and large businesses (45%). While IT directors in medium businesses see technology playing an equally important role in driving process or employee efficiency and improving customer transactional experience (both 39%).
When asked which of the following areas technology would play the primary role in delivering growth:
|
|
Small business |
Medium business |
Large business |
Driving process and employee efficiency |
24% |
39% |
33% |
Improving customer transactional experience |
50% |
39% |
45% |
Improving customer communication experience |
18% |
9% |
9% |
Delivering data to drive business insights and strategy |
9% |
12% |
12% |
Source: Robert Half survey of 100 UK CIOs and IT directors
Charlie Grubb, Associate Director, Robert Half Technology, said: “There has been an emphasis in the past on demand for skills in managing information security or building regulatory compliant systems. While that demand will not disappear, companies are again turning their attention towards business growth, whether that’s achieved by doing more with less by becoming increasingly efficient without investing more, or by improving the customer experience in order to secure a larger market share.
“Overall, demand for talented IT professionals will continue to rise over the remainder of 2015 and beyond as organisations gear up for sustained corporate growth. We predict that skills in areas such as building more efficient transactional systems, delivering mobile apps and improving customer communications will be in particular demand.”
www.roberthalf.co.uk
1 The bi-annual study was developed by Robert Half UK and is conducted by an independent research firm. The study is based on more than 100 interviews with senior IT executives from companies across the UK, with the results segmented by size, sector and geographic location for companies across the UK and worldwide. For more information visit