The outlook for the High Tech sector in the post-pandemic world looks promising. The industry has historically been the quickest to adapt and thrive in times of crisis, and 2021 appears to be no exception. And In order to stay ahead, High Tech businesses must continue to embrace innovation and seize the opportunities that comes with times of disruption.

The not so ‘new normal’

The idea of ‘the new normal’ is reassuring, but potentially misleading. Change is constant, and High-Tech companies must be looking beyond the current situation to identify opportunities that lie ahead in years to come. The only inevitability is change, and companies that have chosen an agile methodology in favour of rigid structures and processes will innovate and thrive in the face of disruption.

High Tech companies were the first to recognise that the future of work is likely to include a hybrid of in-office work, remote work, and reconfigured office spaces. Their early adoption of emerging technology, by embracing video meetings and remote work, has enabled them to adapt much more quickly to the realities of work during the pandemic – the same mindset that will ensure their continued success in any major changes and upheavals in the future.

IT teams: The unsung heroes

Similarly, the role of technology has evolved rapidly over the last year. The ability to intelligently deploy the right technology across the company now plays an even more pivotal role in an organisation’s success. Indeed, this shift to hybrid work made the role of IT teams even more essential. Equipping an organisation with information technology was much simpler when every worker came to the same location, used the same equipment, and sat at the same desks. Now workers are accessing company data using personal network connections (and occasionally their own IT equipment) – which creates new challenges for any company’s data and device security policy.

As companies make this shift, the need for centralised, secure access to company data becomes even more apparent. Employees across cities, countries, and continents must be able to instantly access, compile and analyse customer data on a global scale – which can pose an even bigger challenge than enabling remote work company-wide.

Data-driven decision making

The one constant in all this is data. Empowered with the right data, companies in the High-Tech industry can leverage decision-making in the face of uncertainty, wherever and however they work. In an uncertain world, data enables decisive action.

Data allows organisations to remove the barriers, ambiguity and uncertainty that exists in their organisation. Data enables companies to predict how and where to best serve their customers. Used properly, it streamlines every sector of the business – and puts the focus back on the customer.

Many companies are identifying the full potential of integrating data into their business model. Enterprise software firm Sage recently rolled out their “one Sage” business model – reimagining the customer experience to unite people, processes, and products. By aligning 21 different CRM systems into one platform with Salesforce, Sage enhanced their sales process. Sage Live, their subscription-based business management application, was built natively on the Salesforce Customer 360 platform. When a potential customer requests information on Sage Live, they are assigned a position within a seven-stage sales funnel. That data is monitored, analysed and intelligently acted upon to maximise potential leads.

After purchase, customer satisfaction is continually monitored to ensure they have a positive experience with the platform and will renew the service. Customer feedback is continuously captured, which the development teams use to drive future improvements to the service. Customer data is harnessed throughout to drive sales, renewals and end-user satisfaction.

Accelerating digital transformation

In order to be in a position to make these changes, High-Tech companies must rethink their approach to digital transformation. To effectively handle and use customer data on a global scale, digital transformation must go beyond product and extend throughout the organisation into organisational structures, skills and KPIs. This is what will enable companies to achieve full transparency across their organisation and access the data they need for smarter decision making.

Salesforce is the platform that enables High-Tech organisations to make that shift on a global scale and accelerate growth. It provides one centralised system that manages the complete customer lifecycle. By integrating with existing tools, companies can connect the dots within their organisation and beyond. They can offer a truly cross-channel customer experience, enhance their sales process, and continue to stay ahead of the competition.

To learn more about Salesforce in the High Tech Industry, Check out our High-Tech industry Page.