BÜFFELPOST
Banner THE POWER COMPANY
THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AT Banner
Undoubtedly, social media, big data, cloud services, smart devices, the Internet of Things, chatbots, robots, bubble algorithms, zero screen, deep learning, artificial intelligence and blockchain are terms and phenomena that are not familiar to everyone. However, they are intended to shape the ability of the company to master the digital future.
Barely a month passes without the arrival of new players or developments on the road to digital transformation. But where is this journey leading? The management guru, Reinhard K. Sprenger has formulated the status quo as follows, “Today is the slowest of our lives. All of the next ones will be faster.”
RAPID CHANGES
The environment is which the company operates is evolving rapidly due to both technological and social transition. We cannot and may not ignore these shifts, and instead must focus on the related opportunities. For as an ancient Chinese saying succinctly states, only two viewpoints are possible, “When the wind of change blows, some build walls, others a windmill.”
RECOGNISING POTENTIAL, SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES
At Banner, we have adopted a highly proactive approach to this situation, but this does not mean that we intend to cast aside everything that already exists. Instead, we seek to use the new opportunities offered by digitalisation to consolidate our strengths and thereby further intensify our customer focus. For only thus can future company success be guaranteed. However, the question arises as to how this can be achieved? In this regard, I agree with Sprenger that humankind generates the impetus for change and technology can only be the consequence. Therefore, individual employee training represents a key criterion with respect to Banner’s digitalisation and we regard the following areas as being of critical importance to the success of this transformation:
- Customer orientation – A focus on client relations, personalised offers, digital communications and sales channels.
- New digital strategies and business models – Questioning existing offers with the latest technologies, in order to provide additional or expanded performance. The use of new platforms and the development of cooperative ventures within innovative business areas.
- Fresh approaches to management, corporate culture and work – Managerial principles must be adapted. The digital leader is characterised by creativity and innovativeness.
- Optimised and automated processes – These must be standardised and designed to be fast and efficient. Process digitalisation facilitates the networking of partial tasks that are free from media discontinuity.
- Digital marketing – The availability and analysis of customer, product and sales data permit the ongoing optimisation of sales and marketing.
- New technologies – These must be considered within the context of the fourth industrial revolution and the Internet of Things, and then employed in combination within the company.
- Application platforms and cloud – Effective data use demands a flexible infrastructure that offers overall accessibility and integrated platforms. In this connection, the greatest possible IT security is obligatory.
I regard the preparation and implementation of concepts for Banner’s digital transformation as my fundamental task and in order that this mission can be accomplished, intensive cooperation with customers and partners both within and beyond the limits of the company is essential.
Christian Ott
Chief Information/Digital Officer