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Annual Insights Report
This year’s survey includes the opinions of more than 425 key ICT executives and is the third in our benchmark series, which aims to uncover trends in ICT management thinking as the business technology landscape evolves at breakneck speed.
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Advances in technology saw a notable rise as a future trend that ICT decision makers believe will impact the needs of their businesses, while Cloud and security dropped slightly from the previous year.
Keeping pace with changes in technology is a challenge for 43% of ICT managers.
This rise correlates with many ICT managers finding it difficult to stay abreast of the latest developments in the ICT sector, with 43% saying it’s a challenge and problem area.
To resolve this, many are looking to invest in keeping up with the latest technology in FY18, with this coming in as the second biggest driver for budget increases, after business growth and expansion.
“Staying up to date with the changes and getting more productivity from the technology whilst balancing other business needs” How one ICT Manager is planning to invest any budget increases
One in two ICT managers are expecting a budget increase in the new financial year, and a quarter are confident of no change occurring.
Business growth and expansion continues to be the main driver for budget increases, as ICT decision makers look to support overall growth and profitability through further investing in ICT infrastructure.
More than half of ICT managers are intending to purchase solutions in the next six months.
The majority of full decision makers are intending to purchase ICT solutions for their business within the next year. Connectivity and the Cloud ranked highest as the most sought-after investment outcomes, while mobility also continued to be a priority for decision makers.
The rise in connectivity and Cloud comes as ICT managers continue to focus on Cloud connectivity design and implementation, and Cloud integration. A number of decision makers are also still focused on mobile device and hardware configuration and improving management and cost effectiveness.
Hardware also significantly rose as ICT managers look to leverage experience in hardware acquisition, while project management dropped down in priority.
Adding to this, many ICT decision makers are choosing to outsource the management of services, with 75% having outsourced in the last 12 months, and 72% saying they are looking to again in the next 12 months.
In line with areas of future investment for ICT managers, a large number of decision makers are outsourcing managed Cloud and network services, with growth expected in security and mobility service investment in the next 12 months.
“Finding qualified staff and specialists who have the expertise in all ICT matters.” How one ICT manager defined the challenge
“Outdated technology and inability to upgrade it in a reasonable time.” One ICT manager’s challenge with keeping up with technology requirements
Managing CRM systems saw a significant rise from FY17, moving up to fourth place as one of the biggest pain points for businesses. Keeping up with technology requirements also saw a notable jump as ICT managers continue to battle with the integration of legacy systems and updating disparate and ageing technology.
ICT decision makers are also looking to address challenges in human resources and training, driven by a need to recruit staff who are skilled across a variety of ICT specialties.
“To have an up-to-date understanding of market and maintain ongoing commitment to implementation as needed.” WHAT ONE ICT MANAGER EXPECTS OF THEIR SUPPLIERS
Many are seeking for their suppliers to be trusted experts, helping them to stay ahead of the curve by informing them of new technology developments, and suggesting products and services to help them adapt to the rapidly changing landscape.
Knowledge scored the highest by a significant margin in terms of supplier expectations, and this includes suppliers having in-depth knowledge of their own products, competitor products, and current industry trends.
Being open and honest was also important though, as ICT managers seek suppliers who they can integrate into their business in order to drive added value.
“To be honest, transparent in all dealings and to work closely with us for the benefit of the business.” One ICT manager’s response to what they expect of their ICT suppliers
50% of ICT managers said delivering on time and on budget was the most important attribute of an ICT supplier. In line with this, being fast and agile rose to the number two spot this year, after falling off the top five list in FY17.
Managing the end-to-end process, from scoping through to implementation, also continued to be an important attribute as ICT managers look to reduce costs and increase efficiency within their organisations.
“We want a total solution that requires minimal additional resources internally.” An ICT manager’s reason for needing end-to-end process management
In terms of local suppliers, awareness is highest for Australia’s top two telecommunication providers, Telstra and Optus, with Telstra maintaining the lead. iiNet ranked third, with only a small margin between second placeholder Optus.
In terms of brand usage, Telstra remained the market leader by a significant margin. Optus, Dimension Data, iiNet and Data #3 rounded out the top five.
IT suppliers also considered Telstra first for future IT purchases, followed by Optus and iiNet.
Thanks to our strong in-house expertise and partnerships with key ICT providers such as Telstra, Samsung, Avaya and Microsoft, we have built an enviable record in the enterprise sector through Vita Enterprise Solutions, which was named Telstra Enterprise Partner of the Year in 2016.
Vita Enterprise Solutions provides the complete range of innovative solutions to enable businesses to create a digitally connected enterprise. Learn more at vitaenterprisesolutions.com.au about how we can deliver agile technology outcomes for you.
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