Internet of things, big data, analytics, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence were the technologies that were the focus of the fifth edition of TIC Forum, an event organized by Logicalis at regional level, which was attended by Uruguayan client companies.
The need to reform a company's relationship with its customers and orient its solutions towards services drives the so-called "digital transformation", which was the focus of this year's talks. Logicalis' vice president for the Southern Cone, Carlos Pingarilho, commented that although it may seem that the region is always a step behind in technological changes, "digital transformation is a topic for everyone, it is on the agenda of CEOs and managers of all companies".
Technology as a business partner is a concept that was emphasized during the presentations at the forum, which featured regional experts from the company, specialized in the development of solutions.
Pingarilho explained that some of the technological terms presented are the ones that companies and users "will hear from this year, which companies in the region are already working on". "The internet of things is talked about as a fantasy, but it is already a reality," he added.
"The internet of things is already a reality, we have to anticipate the trend and start developing it".
In addition to the exhibitions, the technological solutions provider Logicalis presented demos with the developments they are carrying out for their clients in the region -including Uruguay-. One of them has to do with smart solutions, with a device that takes information from a vertical garden -quite often used in the facades of some companies-, which allows automatic irrigation or the taking of values to improve the care of the same.
The consulting process to understand what the technological needs of a company are can take several months. Sometimes, especially when companies are complex in their structure, and bulky in terms of number of employees or other variables, the implementation of the innovative solution can be resisted, according to Pingarilho. "The heavier the company, the harder it is to make a change. There is no specific business vertical that complicates more or less, it is the gigantism that makes it difficult," he summarized.
Change of course
"The focus of the business is the customer experience," said the regional vice president of Logicalis. And that, according to the expert, brings with it a change in the business. "Companies that provide technology services must work with customers in thinking new business models, the change starts from there," he said.
There are several keys that, according to Pingarilho, will achieve the success of a company on the road to technological transformation. One of them is the involvement of the CEO of the company in technological issues.
Citing a survey conducted by Logicalis globally, in 2016, CEOs' attention was 70% focused on operations and 30% on strategy, a percentage that should be higher, according to the expert.
"It's fine to outsource technology and focus on business issues, but don't neglect the processes," he urged.
On the other hand, the role of the CIO -in charge of systems- must evolve. The CEO of Logicalis for Latin America, Rodrigo Parreira, said that just as CEOs must know the processes of technological transformation, those in charge of systems must be in the business, thinking about innovation. "(The CIO) must be a technologist, a catalyst and a strategist," he explained. In addition, Parreira pointed out the breadth of functions of this position, which is no longer "who controls that the lights of the data center work properly".
Regarding outsourcing, Parreira showed data from a regional survey of the company, which shows that 50% of the IT areas of companies are outside the companies, managed by third parties.
Innovate or disappear
Parreira mentioned the four axes of digital transformation. The cultural change that brought about changes in consumption was the first highlighted. In turn, the digital corporation, with the change in business to change the relationship with customers is of vital importance, according to the CEO.
"Technology is going to be the most important hub of economic production," he explained. This translates into an increase in peer-to-peer collaborative platforms, which large corporations need to get involved in. "Many companies incubate startups to leverage their knowledge and development once they culminate with the process," he said. Finally, the change in society and in the demand for services, was highlighted as the fourth axis of digital transformation in which companies are already entering.
For his part, Logicalis VP Carlos Pinagrilho's vision was radical in terms of the importance of technological transformation in the region's companies. "It is said that in a few years, many of the companies that are currently powerhouses will not exist because they will not be able or willing to adapt and move in a new direction to execute digital transformation. That's critical. Not taking risks is not existing," he said.
He ended with a clear concept: "Technology transforms life, and we can all contribute to digital transformation. Companies, fundamentally".
Developments within reach
During the first day of the conference, several stands were set up at the Sofitel La Reserva Cardales hotel in Buenos Aires, dedicated to demonstrating the solutions Logicalis is working on at the regional level. One of them is the so-called "agile infrastructure", to detect consumption peaks in the cloud, lease them when they are needed and leave them free for another use the rest of the time.
Business Development Director, Juan Fernandes, explained that this solution is especially for e-commerce sites.
Another innovation is the so-called WiFi NG, which is used to detect the path of a person in a place, and learn information when it is connected to a wireless network.
Source: The Observer
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