Improving apps is a top business priority, experts say

76% of executives pointed to difficulties in funding as a reason why they haven't modernised their applications.

Improving applications should be a top priority for businesses since they are a key element of the customer experience, experts said.
New research from Forrester and VMware, has revealed that 82 per cent of global executives believe that customer experience is directly tied to revenue growth, and that 88 per cent believe that customer experience can be improved by enhancing their application portfolios.
In addition, 78 per cent of executives consider improving their applications a top business priority. However, many organisations have admitted to facing difficulties, with 48 per cent saying that it has been more than a year since they made any improvements to their application portfolios, while 34 per cent have either not started or are unsure whether work has begun. As a result, 46 per cent admit they are only moderately effective, or worse, at delivering positive customer experiences.
"An organisation's ability to adapt has most certainly been put to the test in 2020, and those that have found ways to use new apps to engage customers to maintain, if not boost, performance have become a differentiator," said Rasheed Al Omari, principal business solutions strategist at VMware. "To move at the speed required, a digital foundation remains essential; to create, run, manage, connect and intrinsically protect those apps critical to adapting to 2020's seismic business and employee shifts. The simpler it is to connect these dots, the more effectively businesses can drive relevant new services and customer experiences to adapt, survive and even thrive."
When asked about the main reasons why application modernisation has not been prioritised, 76 per cent of business executives pointed to a lack of funds, while 72 per cent identified the difficulty of aligning strategy across multiple departments as a key reason. Also, 70 per cent pointed to a resistance to change from IT teams. This stems from several IT-specific roadblocks such as too great of an existing investment in legacy applications, the difficulty of securing sensitive data, and a significant lack of staff expertise in cloud and edge computing.
Despite these challenges, the research also highlighted several improvements in the landscape, with 40 per cent of executives noting that their enhanced portfolios identify increased revenue generation, while 37 per cent said that they increased customer satisfaction, and 32 per cent noted the acquisition of new customers.
rohma@khaleejtimes.com