Thinc insights
Our research shows how different priorities and sources of advice could be blocking productivity in the UK midmarket.
Whether your business is accelerating its growth or building resilience, the role of technology is key. With the right digital core in place, organisations can begin to remove inefficient processes and amplify the power of their people.
Making the right decisions on technology is made easier when you have the right advice. But there are lots of sources out there, from in-house experts to world-leading analysts, and not every leader in a business looks to the same place.
We surveyed 650 leaders across business and IT functions from mid-market businesses in the UK, and discovered that their go-to sources of trusted advice vary widely. In a climate of information overload about business technologies, and in which productivity and cyber security make headlines daily, it’s more important than ever that business and technological goals are aligned.
Let’s look in more depth at what we found.
The issue for mid-sized businesses is that it can be hard to agree on where to turn for truly independent advice. Vendors, with a product to sell, may appear biased. Internal teams are often too close to the problem to offer a neutral view, and views may differ from one function to the next.
We asked leaders where they get their recommendations, and found four main sources:
They told us which they rely upon – and we’ve broken their answers down by CEO, CFO, MD, CTO and CISO.
CEOs get most of their advice from trade shows and industry events (62%), whereas MDs are the least likely to rely on those sources (36%). Instead, MDs strongly prefer guidance from existing IT partners and consultants (56%), a trend that’s even more pronounced among CTOs, 64% of whom draw on a wide range of sources.
Far fewer people in any of the decision-making roles look internally for advice.
While the differing opinions on where to find recommendations point to a lack of consensus, there is more common ground when it comes to why they will outsource some or all of their IT to a provider.
We asked leaders to tell us what their priorities are when appointing a technology partner – and the most common answer was to ensure stronger alignment with business objectives (35%).
This was the number one priority for CTOs (47%), CFOs (37.5%) and CEOs (36%), indicating that this need is understood across leadership roles and functions.
According to Dominic Ball, Thinc’s Managing Director, the research confirms that the issue for mid-market businesses is not ambition, but a lack of clarity.
“There’s never been more information out there about the power of technology. What businesses need is unbiased, practical advice that cuts through the hype,” he says.
“Providers like Thinc are here to give that honest take, looking at the systems and processes that will benefit most from automation and integration, and setting out the most practical route to greater productivity. As our research shows, this is exactly what the mid-market needs.”
If you’d like to speak to a provider of business technologies and managed services that is proudly independent, we’re ready for your call. From leading mid-market ERP solutions to system integration and fast-start cyber security, we can equip your business to achieve its ambitions.
Want to know more about our research into IT needs among midmarket businesses? Read our blogs:
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