CIOs looking to deliver to this objective must bear in mind that internal customers have benefited from a huge change in IT during the past decade. End users often have access to better technology at home than in the workplace.
Such tech-savvy employees have heightened expectations. If good quality services are lacking, shadow IT can emerge, where employees use the cloud to source their own solutions to the business challenges they encounter.
CIOs must be proactive. They can prevent the IT department being circumnavigated by engaging with end users about the technologies they require. By putting experience at the heart of business strategy, executives can create customer-centric services that keep staff happy and productive.
Analyst Gartner says organisations are beginning to understand how a focus on experience can produce big benefits. The analyst says more than 50 per cent of firms will implement significant business model changes in their efforts to improve experience by 2018.
CIOs who are going to deliver on those efforts must ensure they can access the right expertise. BCS research suggests digital leaders recognise experience is often a significant gap within their organisation’s skill set.
A number of potential coping strategies exist. Some CIOs choose to reach out to external experts, such as trusted technology providers, management consultants and even niche start-ups who have a particular focus on customer experience.
Executives who are keen to development internal talent must focus on engagement. A focus on business analysis and agile development methodologies will help your IT staff to feel comfortable and confident as they develop customer-centric services.
The key to success is constant communication. By engaging with internal users in an iterative style, your business can create the great experiences that modern customers demand.
