2018 Digital Trends for IT report by Adobe and Econsultancy.

Create better connected, more secure customer experiences.

Econsultancy report: 2018 Digital Trends in IT.

For years, user data has been the name of the game for IT leaders. And for good reason. The wealth of information coming at organisations through the proliferation of digital apps and systems present a huge opportunity for IT professionals to better understand when, where and how customers interact with their brand.

But it’s not enough to be data-driven. Data, by itself, can’t deliver insights. The most successful organisations use data to inform decisions, rather than dictate them. And the most savvy IT professionals know that creating seamless, personalised experiences is still the way to their customer’s hearts.

Adobe partnered with Econsultancy to explore the most significant digital trends for EMEA markets that will affect marketing, creative and technology professionals in 2018. The results speak for themselves.

39% of IT respondents cite keeping up with changing customer expectations and behaviour as one of their top priorities.

Keeping information safe is key.

Of course, data continues to inform the customer experience (CX). But it’s not just about delivering the right content, to the right audience, at the right time. It’s about creating customer confidence. And that starts with keeping customer information safe.

More than ever, security is the main preoccupation for IT executives. In fact, security of business and customer data is a top priority for the year ahead.

42% of respondents cite the threat of security breaches and cyber-risk threats as something that keeps them awake at night.

Applying new tools, new tricks.

Artificial intelligence, the Internet of things and voice interfaces are also receiving a deeper focus. IT professionals see the delivery of personalised experiences in real-time as the most exciting prospect in three years’ time, way ahead of other technological advancements.

But again, as companies become more experience-driven, the key is to find creative ways to improve platforms and engagement tools while delivering experiences that offer something relevant, personalised and new. The Internet is already saturated with content about “digital transformation” — what new insight can your company bring to the table?

IT executives at larger companies are 2X as likely as peers at smaller organisations to cite utilising artificial intelligence/bots to drive campaigns and experience.

Staying connected for the biggest impact.

Simply put, great experiences can’t exist without adapting to industry changes. IT leaders need to be continuously up-to-speed with key industry developments, whether in relation to technological advances, operational threats or customer behaviour. This requirement for a broad understanding of both technology and business issues in indicative of the changing role of IT.

57% of IT leaders look externally for much of their information, citing industry peers or competitors as their source of staying connected.

While only 31% of respondents cited staying connected via digital marketing teams, direct reports and lines-of-business leaders.

Future-proofing your tech strategy.

However, senior IT professionals should be mindful of the fact that a truly integrated customer experience should incorporate everything from interactions on owned digital properties and at physical locations, through to digital communications and advertising carried out on third-party sites and mobile apps. That’s why the personalisation, management and distribution of assets is imperative to maximising and optimising performance — and creating seamless workflows and user experiences (UX) to make everything non-intrusive to the customer.

57% of top-performing companies cite ensuring technology is tested/evaluated by the team as one of the most significant roadmaps for the future.

Ultimately, it’s all about ROI.

IT departments must focus on ensuring that processes are made as efficient as possible across a range of business functions, from marketing and sales, to human resources and finance. The impact of efficiencies across the business will ultimately result in reduced costs and greater productivity, as well as better morale and greater customer satisfaction.

In the end, the switch to digital workflows and the use of state-of-the-art cloud solutions can free up IT time to focus on business improvements, rather than managing legacy technology that’s no longer conducive to a customer-centric strategy.

Want to learn more about how these top digital trends can transform your CX strategy?