Real-time look at digital strategy vital, says Ovum
Analyst firm Ovum has revealed the 'Big 5' digital management areas to watch, after recent research found that digital marketing technologies are no longer stand-alone, but are now blending into the enterprise-wide digital agenda that includes both Sales and Service functions.
The 2016 Trends To Watch research says large enterprises are leveraging their investments in digital marketing technologies to address the wider issues of digital transformation, customer experience, customer journeys, cross-channel communications, and customer data.
"Although the general digital trends are well known, their articulation is often abstract and reflective of the past," says Gerry Brown, senior analyst at Ovum and author of the report.
The report found that these 'Big 5' digital management areas are the key focus areas for enlightened and forward-thinking digitally enabled enterprises.
"It is vitally important that enterprises take a real-time view of their digital strategy options and management challenges given the ferociously fast rate of change within the digital marketplace," he explains.
The analyst firm says digital leaders are tackling the 'Big 5' using agile methodologies, design thinking, and with a focus on fast and flexible process innovation.
Key to success is to be driven by customer needs rather than technology capability, underpinned by robust change management practices and ongoing interdepartmental collaboration.
From a technology perspective, universal customer analytics and social community engagement are now emerging as core competencies in delivering enterprise digital business transformation.
"This report shows how the digital marketplace has developed during 2015 and also how new thought-leading ideas and market nuances are shaping the current best digital practices and enterprise technology roadmaps," Brown adds.
The research assesses how developments in these five areas are affecting the digital technology choices and strategies of both large enterprises and their technology vendor partners.
