Digital and Information Strategies

Changes in technology and the scope of its deployment economic deployment have led to changes in the way that organisations now measure and assess their own performance, identify and exploit future opportunities and interface with their stakeholders, business partners, prospects and customers.

The sheer pace of evolution means that many organisations simply risk being left behind.

Our Digital Transformation Services are the means by which you can challenge your thinking, re-imagine and confront what the future holds and then design, advocate and deliver effective change.

We believe that a series of short clearly defined, controlled and measurable projects, punctuated by fully-informed checkpoints is the best way to ensure successful outcomes.

Our services therefore focus on the practical organisational realities of people, process, technology and business strategy.

We have helped a number of organisations to identify and realise the benefits of embracing digital disruption including:

better exploiting the proliferation of data in all areas of their business
addressing client demands for faster, more personalised and more transparent services
increasing the speed and accuracy of product/service development and improving customer choice
engaging more effectively with 3^rd parties and the world at large.

WHERE DO YOU STAND?WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW?

In conjunction with one of our valued clients we recently developed a digital maturity model – a self-scoring health-check tool that checks progress across six major categories and forty sub-elements, such as

Strategic approach – Digital vision, Investment, Leadership, Objectives, Partners and Governance
CRM – Functionality, Accuracy, Stakeholders, Feedback
Communications – Enquiries, E-mail, Mobile, Social Media, Video
Web presence – Outsource and Hosting, Content strategy/management, Design, SEO
Data – Management, Protection/GDPR, Insight/Analytics, Security
IT and Systems – Policies, Systems and Hosting, Network and Security, Intranet, Remote working, Support and ServiceDesk

Practical steps

STEP 1

Understand the real 'why' of digital and what it means for your organisation

STEP 2

Define what can be done to create value and address changing expectations and opportunities

STEP 3

Identify where and how you can effect changes to support your strategy

STEP 4

Deliver your new strategy and future business design in a staged and controlled way

Related work

Market entry for a multi-year managed service

Nearing the expiry of a 5-year IT comprehensive managed services agreement, the POA wanted assistance with market entry and scoping of replacement services, as well as a chance to compare the incumbent provider with current market offerings.

Data Asset Register towards GDPR compliance

With important historical data and records spanning many decades, the TUC takes data protection and security very seriously; new legislation in the Trades Union Act and the General Data Protection Regulations brought that further into focus during 2016.

Development of a self-drive ‘Digital Health-check’ tool

Many of the UK’s trade unions have embraced the digital age in seeking to reach new and younger audiences, manage and improve their membership strategies and turbo-charge wider communication. This is not yet the case everywhere however, and some have yet to meet data security requirements as effectively as they should. As thought leaders in this area, the TUC digital team was keen to help and provide member unions (and others) with a toolset to measure their level of maturity across a range of categories: Strategic Approach, Membership, Communications, Web Presence, Data, IT and Systems.

Market entry support for a major IT managed services procurement

Analysis of the IT services and infrastructure landscape at the TUC as part of our strategy development had revealed the opportunity for a broad and holistic upgrade approach, involving consolidation of several service elements. Our recommendations for market entry were endorsed by the new vCIO and sanctioned by the TUC management team. The desired outcome would be a ‘one-stop shop’ covering WAN, secure hybrid hosting, Office 365 with Skype for Business and a managed backup/DR solution in a three to five-year agreement, with built-in benchmarking, renegotiation and termination options.

IT Strategy delivery projects for a national trade unions body

Following Acert’s strategic consultancy report for the TUC in Summer 2016, the senior executive team were keen to establish the IT steering group and appoint a part-time (virtual) Chief Information Officer, as well as to commission work on the IT risk register. Earlier analysis having revealed some onerous service agreements no longer fit for purpose, there was also an appetite to negotiate early savings where possible.

5-year IT Strategy for a national trade unions body

As with many corporate bodies, IT at the TUC facilitates all aspects of operational organisation including infrastructure, communications and learning support. Significant change bearing on the TUC infrastructure in 2015/16 included space consolidation and office remodelling programmes, reduced government funding for Unionlearn and its associated staff shrinkage.

Cloud automation solution for a leading IT managed services company

Our client needed specialist procurement help to acquire a cloud automation solution that would enable them to offer their own clients faster and more agile hosting solutions – with speed to revenue as a primary driver.

Reducing foodservice complexities in a well-known West End store

With more than 20 in-store foodservice outlets under his control, the Director of Restaurants needed to improve the management of ingredient costs, menu control and new product development. Tens of thousands of SKUs together with process complexity challenges meant duplication, stock control difficulties, supplier ordering challenges and a clear-cut opportunity for margin improvement

Improving business process in hospitality

Our client, a national estates conservation organisation, was seeking to build upon its successful food retail business at its visitor locations nationwide. In order to plan for controlled growth, they first needed an in-depth understanding of their current operations, workflows and local decision-making processes.

I’ve used Acert’s services in previous roles over several years - for help with Telecoms, WAN and Managed Print. They have the full procurement and consultancy toolkit – solution design, solid commercials, project and programme management, as well as access to good quality, available interim and project resources. Recommended. David Ewing, IT Director Cygnet Healthcare

Acert was the right choice of consulting partner for OKI Europe as we built our Managed Document Solutions offering a few years ago; their depth and breadth of knowledge was essential in helping us to establish capability across our country teams, and in creating some of the operational sales tools to help them succeed. Javier Lopez, General Manager Office Solutions Business Development EMEA, OKI Europe Ltd

Can we help?

Steve Pye

+44 (0)7712 050604 stephen.pye@acertassociates.com

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