NTT DATA Business Solutions
Marc van den Berk | November 19, 2020

The Intelligent Enterprise – What Is It and How to Become One?

What is an intelligent enterprise? It's much more than just technology.

(4 min read)

The intelligent enterprise. A resounding name for an equally inspiring concept. What is an intelligent enterprise? According to SAP, this is a company that uses the latest technology to convert data insights into quick choices, actions and plans. Through all layers of the company. In real time. This chain integration not only speeds up business processes, but offers customers and stakeholders unparalleled experiences, products and services. The only question is: how can your transformation to an intelligent enterprise be manageable and successful? I would like to answer this question for you in this blog.

 

Establish Future Frameworks for Your Intelligent Enterprise and Get Started

A digital transformation – a term that you hear a lot at the moment – is broader than switching to a new ERP system. And just innovations don’t make you an intelligent enterprise. A transformation starts with understanding reasons why you want to change. And create support for it. You think about the future of your organization, your employees, your customers, your suppliers and your services. And about how you integrate a smarter way of working in your processes and let it land in your organization. You outline a first framework in which you indicate what you want to achieve with your future transformation and how technology and employees can support you in this. Get inspired. Talk to experts. Look around you. In short: it starts with a plan.

Transform to an intelligent enterprise? It starts with a plan and with doing.

Think Big, but Start Small on the Journey to Your Intelligent Enterprise

The next step? Act. Start with small innovative initiatives that already contribute to working smarter. Admittedly, mapping out your future in a plan and simply starting are actually two things that are at odds with each other. Certainly, in a large organization you cannot just “do something”. Yet “making a plan” and “doing” go hand in hand in this case. Initiatives that arise from a broader framework have a greater chance of success in the medium and long term. In other words: if you invest in innovation in this way, the chance that your investments will be profitable is greater.

More precisely, by formulating a plan and taking the first steps, small initiatives to work smarter will contribute to your overall strategy towards an intelligent enterprise. And various departments will notice a breath of fresh air for which they are jointly responsible.

 

The 3 Pillars of a Successful Intelligent Enterprise

What is an intelligent enterprise? It's about your customers.1. Customers

There’s no doubt that you need to do “something” to become and remain future-proof. Customers should be central to your future framework. Why? The lives of customers and end customers are becoming more and more digital and they are used to a whole new way of service and experience. From orientation to purchase and after sales: to stay ahead and retain customers permanently, you need to put them at the center of all your business processes.

 

What is an intelligent enterprise? It's about your employees.2. Staff Members

You don’t just improve your interaction with customers by making online forms more intuitive. Or by tinkering with your e-commerce process, a new clear design of your invoices, or the working method of your service department. Have you already thought about improving processes for your employees themselves? Smarter working with the help of digital innovation can also make a significant contribution to this. Having an eye for a good employee experience, in which employees can easily do their work, in which you ensure that talent is always in the right place and that your employees feel good, is just as important. First of all, it’s beneficial for the customer interaction. But it also reduces absenteeism and provides a physically and socially safe environment for your colleagues.

 

What is an intelligent enterprise? It's about your processes.3. Processes

To meet those high customer expectations, you need a lot of data from different line of businesses, to which you also need to be able to respond immediately. Both the front-end and back-end of your IT landscape must therefore become more intelligent and merge seamlessly. Chain integration must therefore also form an important element of your future plan. In this way, you not only connect the digital processes and data of your different departments, but also your employees. To actually facilitate smarter processes, your colleagues are the key to success. Listen to them, involve them in your plan, give them smart tools that make it easier for them to do repetitive work and you will see that together you automatically work towards a successful digital transformation.

Improve customer interaction? Make your employees feel comfortable.

Always on the Way to the Intelligent Enterprise

Your vision is clear. The why. Make a plan and take a step. That’s the best advice I can give. Does the intelligent enterprise still sound like a large – almost unattainable – ideal that you feel has years of implementation attached to it? We guide transformations on a daily basis and can help with making an initial plan to start thoroughly. And, we have the knowledge and methodologies to get off to a flying start with small innovative applications. They often improve satisfaction among customers and employees very quickly. Some applications can even be realized in just two weeks. By taking small steps in improving processes for customers and employees as part of a larger plan, you are always on the move. And that is the essence of the intelligent enterprise.

Curious about what your first step towards an intelligent enterprise could be? An hour of sparring with our experts can provide you with valuable insights to define the first concrete steps. I’d love to sit down with you (virtually)!

 

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