Think Like “The Jetsons”

Last week, ISG was delighted to host a record number of guests at our annual Sourcing Industry Conference, many of whom said they were attending largely to learn about the emerging trends for the global services industry at this critical moment in time. The questions on everyone’s mind seemed to center around one thing: how to prepare for the digital future.

From Todd Lavieri’s opening remarks on the power of asking new questions, to the keynote speech by Martin Ford, author of Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future, to the closing “Squawk Panel” with our own industry analyst Bill McNee, the gathering was intently focused on how service providers can leverage advances in technology to better serve their enterprise clients.

My suggestion? Think like “The Jetsons.” Remember the flying cars and holograms? Remember Rosie, the robotic maid? Though the animated sitcom first aired more than fifty years ago, the creators’ playful futurism created images uncannily similar to the very real manifestations of today’s digital world.

We know that now, more than ever, client organizations are eager to take advantage of the promise of automation, analytics, big data, cloud and the Internet of Things. The market is changing rapidly. Those clients and service providers that are willing to forgo the status quo with a commitment to innovation and those that invest wisely in the digital revolution will be the mostly likely to thrive.

About the author

With more than 25 years of experience in sourcing, Harvey is a sought-after global industry advisor with particular expertise in global sourcing strategies, digital transformation trends, governance and emerging service delivery operating models. He offers his clients insights gained from involved with some of the largest and most complex transformational sourcing initiatives in the industry. His experience includes working with the architecture of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures and designing creative transaction structures, such as cost-quality and outcome-based relationships. Harvey holds a degree in finance from Florida International University and an MBA from the University of Miami.