CIO OPINION
Many CIOs say they expect to work with vendors to help increase operational efficiencies and stay ahead of the demands of their businesses .
increase operational efficiencies and stay ahead of the demands of their businesses .
Today ’ s CIO must respond agilely to unforeseen challenges – both internal and external . The most successful ones will see the value in engaging with technology partners who can act as co-pilots – empowering them to co-create a tech stack that is agile , scalable and ready for the future .
As-a-Service delivers
Tech vendors can help CIOs manage their priorities by offering an ‘ as-a-Service ’ model for IT hardware , software and services , providing companies of all sizes ultimate operational and technological flexibility . This is especially important as companies strive to deliver innovation and steady growth in the face of economic headwinds .
The as-a-Service model also frees in-house teams from handling routine and tedious IT processes and infrastructure maintenance . Instead , they can focus on higher value business initiatives . Simply put , CIOs can spend their time innovating , not managing IT . Recognising this , if given the opportunity to improve efficiency , 57 % of CIOs say they would replace half or more of their company ’ s current technology . Nearly all ( 92 %) would consider adding new as-a-Service offerings over the next two years .
By embracing an as-a-Service model , businesses also benefit from greater cost efficiency as they only pay for what they need . Moving away from traditional cash purchases and leases and transitioning to a scalable as-a-Service model is quickly becoming the norm .
By outsourcing infrastructure management to vendors , organisations are shifting from a solely Capital Expense ( CapEx ) approach to IT operations , which requires substantial up-front investments to purchase , maintain and upgrade assets . By working with third parties and utilising as-a-Service models , CIOs can now fund these as part of their Operating Expense ( OpEx ) to support the day-to-day business needs . Finance departments are then able to free up money for other key projects and investments across the business .
The future of the CIO
The transformation of the role of the CIO , like the technology they advocate , will continue to evolve to meet the pace of innovation in the industry . Due to unprecedented levels of Digital Transformation , combined with the scale of investment required to deliver new infrastructure for hybrid working , CIOs have been thrust into the spotlight more than ever before . Partnering with tech vendors that offer flexible solutions will be crucial to their success . p
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