5 Trends for Businesses to Succeed in a “Post-Digital” World, According to Accenture

Today’s business world has been utilizing technology as the core of operations, to the point that when a business integrate tech in their operations, chances are other companies are doing the same, and there is a need to learn and master a “set of new technologies” that deliver something new for businesses and customers alike.

According to Accenture’s “The Poss-Digital Era is Upon Us — Are You Ready for What’s Next?”, the mere fact of going digital does not make much of an advantage in the playing field anymore and is no longer a differentiating advantage in the enterprise, and there is a need for companies to capitalize on emerging technologies to set one apart from the rest.

5 trends for a post-digital era

A company’s “post-digital” era does not mean a world after going digital, rather, it’s where to go next after going digital.

Accenture’s chief technology & innovation officer Paul Daugherty said that “A post-digital world doesn’t mean that digital is over. On the contrary — we’re posing a new question: As all organizations develop their digital competency, what will set YOU apart? In this era, simply doing digital isn’t enough. Our Technology Vision highlights the was in which organizations must use powerful new technologies to innovate in their business models an personalize experiences for our customers. At the same time leaders must recognize that human values, such as trust and responsibility, are not just buzzwords but critical enablers of their success.”

To be able to succeed in today’s business landscape, Accenture has defined 5 trends that will help businesses differentiate themselves:

• DARQ Power: Understanding the DNA of DARQ
  – Distributed ledgers
  – Artificial Intelligence
  – Extended Reality
  – Quantum computing
  Accenture has defined these new technologies as catalysts that may spark change in the business landscape soon. The said report also indicates that 89% of respondents in the study are already experimenting with one or more DARQ technology.

• Get to Know Me: Unlock unique consumers and unique opportunities
  We know usual demographics — gender, age, nationality and so on. While businesses still use them to define market behavior and such, there is a new way that businesses may identify market opportunities for unmet customer needs, and that is through technology-driven interactions. These interactions, according to the report, creates a new “technology identity” for every consumer. This new way of identifying demographics will be key to the next generation of consumers.

• Human+ Worker: Change your workplace or hinder your workforce
  The workforce, as individual people, are now “Human+” — with every individual having an advanced skillset and knowledge due to technology, and more. Now, companies must be able to cater to a new way of working in the post-digital age. In the study, 71% of executives believe that their employees are more digitally mature than their organization, resulting in a workforce “waiting” for the organization to catch up.

• Secure Us to Secure Me: Enterprises are not victims, they’re vectors. While ecosystem-driven business depends on interconnectedness, those connections increase companies’ exposures to risks. Leading businesses recognize that security must play a key role in their efforts as they collaborate with entire ecosystems to deliver best-in-class products, services and experiences. Only 29 percent of executives said they know their ecosystem partners are working diligently to be compliant and resilient with regard to security.

• MyMarkets: Meet consumers at the speed of now. Technology is creating a world of intensely customized and on-demand experiences, and companies must reinvent their organizations to find and capture those opportunities. That means viewing each opportunity as if it’s an individual market—a momentary market. Six in seven executives (85 percent) said that the integration of customization and real-time delivery is the next big wave of competitive advantage.

According to the report, innovation for organizations in the post-digital era involves figuring out how to shape the world around people and pick the right time to offer their products and services. They’re taking their first steps in a world that tailors itself to fit every moment — where products, services and even people’s surroundings are customized and where businesses cater to the individual in every aspect of their lives and jobs, shaping their realities.

The report notes that companies still completing their digital transformations are looking for a specific edge, whether it’s innovative service, higher efficiency or more personalization. But post-digital companies are out to surpass the competition by combining these forces to change the way the market itself works — from one market to many custom markets — on-demand and in the moment.

For almost two decades, Accenture has taken a systematic look across the enterprise landscape to identify emerging technology tren0ds that hold the greatest potential to disrupt businesses and industries. For more information on this year’s report, visit www.accenture.com/technologyvision or follow the conversation on Twitter with #TechVision2019.

About the Methodology
The Accenture Technology Vision is developed annually by the Accenture Labs and Accenture Research. For the 2019 report, the research process included gathering input from the Technology Vision External Advisory Board, a group comprising more than two dozen experienced individuals from the public and private sectors, academia, venture capital firms and entrepreneurial companies. In addition, the Technology Vision team conducted interviews with technology luminaries and industry experts, as well as with nearly 100 Accenture business leaders. In parallel, Accenture Research conducted a global online survey of 6,672 business and IT executives to capture insights into the adoption of emerging technologies. The survey helped identify the key issues and priorities for technology adoption and investment. Respondents were C-level executives and directors at companies across 27 countries and 20 industries, with the majority having annual revenues greater than US$6 billion.

About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions — underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network — Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With 469,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.