Top 5 Customer Concerns in 2023

Our panel of digital transformation experts weigh in

Despite moving on from the pandemic, companies today continue to face a dynamic and sometimes volatile, economic environment — from runaway inflation to supply shortages to geopolitical unrest. It’s creating fear and uncertainty, especially when it comes to technology investment.

A recent Gartner report says 76% of executives are actually seeing higher disruptions in their supply chains than three years ago — which was the height of the pandemic. And, according to McKinsey, those disruptions can represent as much as 30% of an organization’s EBITDA. This illustrates how important it is for companies to continue their technology modernization so they can agilely adjust to vulnerabilities and disruptions in the future.

During the pandemic, customers did whatever was needed to get workers remote as fast as possible. Now, they want to take a step back and strategize and build on what they’ve done — to generate more efficiency, more savings, and more ROI. They have to do more with less. So, while customers still want to invest in digital transformation, they want to be smarter about it.

To help with this initiative, we recently gathered some top thought leaders for an executive panel discussion, How to Solve for Business with Microsoft Technologies, People & Processes. Check it out as our digital transformation experts take a deep dive into the common questions and concerns they hear from customers every day. Watch as they:

• Explore how companies determine the best solutions for the enterprise — whether it is technology, people, or processes
• Share relevant customer stories and insights
• Provide valuable tips on how to prioritize initiatives and leverage existing investments

Top 5 Themes We’re Hearing from Customers

If you’re wondering how to start your digital transformation journey, or want to determine your next business move, we encourage you to view this on-demand webinar. For those who aren’t able to watch, below are some of the top themes and takeaways from the event.

1. Data and Analytics — As more and more customers realize the true value of their data; they are moving to the cloud in droves. They are looking for ways to simplify and modernize their data estates and how to best store data, optimize utilization, and reduce costs. Being able to leverage their data day-to-day for actionable insights that will help them be proactive instead of reactive is the goal. Our experts have some innovative options to share on how to get them there.
   
2. Automation — Across the board, we see that today’s customers are resource challenged. They’re having problems hiring, retaining, and upskilling employees. That’s why they are looking to do more with less. The panel highlights low code tools like Microsoft Power Platform and provides recommendations for using the technology to help customers streamline processes, automate tasks, and access the data insights they need to work better, smarter, and faster.
   
3. Advisory — In terms of digital transformation, our experts frequently hear uncertainty from customers around where to start, what to prioritize, how to leverage what they have, and more. This is why collaborating with a partner with the experience and know-how to guide and advise, plan and strategize, assess and roadmap, and implement and support is a solid way to move forward and accelerate time to value. Our experts have even more to share on this topic.
   
4. Fusion — As mentioned, our customers are struggling with resources, especially when it comes to IT development. This is why low-code tools have gained such popularity. But there are limitations. For standards, security, and scalability, some functionality still needs to be handled by the pros. According to our panel, the good news is you don’t have to choose when it comes to low code and pro code. You can leverage both — called fusion development — to get more bang for the buck.
   
5. Security and Compliance — Security is a broad topic that continues to plague our customers. It is usually a siloed thing that no one really knows everything about. We hear from customers they don’t have visibility into security tools and compliance initiatives. It’s a big deal that needs to be thought about holistically to ensure there are no gaping holes or vulnerabilities. Our experts feel strongly about zero trust security and discuss in detail how to build a secure foundation, establish best practices and governance, and seamlessly connect systems for audit and compliance transparency.

Next Steps

These are just the highlights from the panel discussion. View the on-demand webinar to hear even more about how we can meet you where you are and help you do more with less, get the most value and ROI from existing Microsoft investments, determine the best tools to tackle your challenges, and much more.

As a strategic Microsoft partner for nearly 20 years, Hitachi Solutions brings deep industry, technology, and advisory expertise to create integrated solutions leveraging Microsoft Dynamics 365, Azure, Power Platform, Teams, and more for our customers. We also incorporate our own Empower data and analytics platform to help our customers be truly agile and resilient and provide visibility across all data sources.

If you’d like to see more from Hitachi Solutions’ thought leaders, here are some suggestions:

• Executives: Here’s How to Leverage AI for Your Enterprise — Today and Tomorrow
• Low Code + Pro Code= Fusion Development for Your Enterprise
• How We Partner with Our Customers Through Advisory Services
• RPA: Low-Code Innovations That Make Automation Shine
• Top 5 Security Concerns Solved by Zero Trust

Look for more resources like these on our website or contact us to talk to one of our digital transformation professionals today.