CIOs not obsessed about customers

More than 70 per cent of tech budget decision makers across Asia-Pacific say improving customer satisfaction is a big priority this year but less than half are taking action to provide better outcomes for their organisation’s clients.

Forrester’s latest research suggests that customer-centric technology initiatives are far down on tech leaders’ priority lists.

The research suggested that the IT department is being disrupted by business units that perceive technology initiatives implemented by tech leaders as inadequate in delivering business outcomes.

Although enterprise tech management spending by CIOs across the region was 51 per cent in 2013, business units are increasingly guiding technology purchases. In fact, 40 per cent of technology purchases were business-led last year, compared with 34 per cent in 2012, Forrester said.

Only 26 per cent of purchases made by technology managers were completed without significant business input in 2013, compared with 32 per cent in 2012, Forrester said.

“Competition for customers is getting fiercer,” said Tim Sheedy, senior CIO analyst at Forrester and author of the report.

“Other than industry rivals, businesses need to watch for a new wave of digital startups. Only customer-obsessed businesses that are willing to serve customers in the world they now live in – on smartphones, tablets, and social networks – will thrive in this new competitive era,” he said.

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