Strategic Managed IT Services Winning Digitalization Formula

By Ralf Bauer, Senior Vice President of the Central & Southern Germany BU at CGI

Why do it yourself if others can do it better, faster, and more efficiently? This, in a nutshell, is what “managed services” are all about. Due to the speed with which digitalization is changing the game, however, it’s now vital to work with a capable IT services partner.

Digital expertise has become a major innovation driver across industries. Digitalization completely changes the dynamics of processes, products, and services. From a strategic perspective, it’s also becoming increasingly important for companies to integrate IT into their core business. Yet most IT departments are now chronically overworked. Without external support, they’re unable to satisfactorily execute mission-critical tasks.

It's also vital to choose the right partner for IT services. Three main prerequisites need to be met. The first is comprehensive expertise on technologies such as cloud computing, analytics, artificial intelligence, intelligent automation, and cybersecurity, all of which are required throughout the value chain. The second is an internal change process. And third, the partner must take an innovative and strategic approach to cooperation that transcends the conventional division into internal and external entities.

 

The Evolution of Managed Services

It may seem surprising that managed services themselves are evolving, but it’s a logical consequence of digitalization. Even tried-and-tested kinds of managed services need to be brought up to date. It’s no longer enough simply to work through sets of services defined by service level agreements. The KPIs of digitalization have also changed. Where strategic managed services are concerned, now the IT service provider is directly integrated into the client’s organization, sharing responsibility for defining complex technical and business activities while contributing its experience and innovations. Within the scope of this partnership, the provider helps link performance, efficiency, and quality metrics to steadily increase the value of the business.

CGI very flexibly defines and modifies this cooperative approach on a case-to-case basis. Experience gained from a large number of successfully implemented projects helps it find the best possible solution, again and again. Regardless of the type of collaboration involved, companies are enabled to modernize their activities and structures and meet the prerequisites for success. Of course, these insights only generate benefits if they’re applied in practice. A “wait and see” approach doesn’t accomplish anything, and wanting to “jump in the water without getting wet” can also paralyze a company. Those that truly want to be modern, flexible, and agile have to dare to try new things and take appropriate action.

 

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