If you don’t have a digital strategy, then you do not have a strategy at all

The role of technology in driving business transformation and growth.

As the longest serving CEO in the mobile sector, it’s a huge privilege to be part of the evolution of the most progressive industry in the modern world: digital technology.

Today I’ve had the opportunity to speak to some of Britain’s HR leaders at LinkedIn’s annual ConnectIn event, discussing this very point: the crucial role that digital technology can play in driving business change.

We are living through the digital revolution where the possibilities of technology, rather than technology itself, will reshape our daily lives and change the rules of the game for businesses.

Let me bring the scale of this change to life: The average household now owns 10 connected devices - double the number from just four years ago - and 80% of phone users now never switch off their phones.

With this trend only set to increase, here is the hard truth for businesses: 

If you don’t have a digital strategy, then you do not have a strategy at all. And if that strategy doesn’t include mobile, you’re missing the point.

Today I was able to share three short examples of how the O2 business has transformed from a traditional mobile operator to a digital telco, thanks to the possibilities enabled by technology.

1. Social media

O2 is the biggest UK telecommunications company on Facebook with an audience over 1 million. We have 350,000 followers on Twitter and 57,000 on LinkedIn, and I am incredibly proud that we’ve developed a reputation for being a brand that knows what its doing on social media.

The key for us is that we don’t just use social media to launch marketing campaigns. We use it right through our business. Around 5,000 O2 customer service interactions occur each week on social media. That’s 5,000 deflected calls and enquiries from our call centres, which improves the experience of those customers who do choose to call us.

We know that customers who interact with us on social media are among the most satisfied and most loyal – they usually rank around four points higher than other customers on our measure of satisfaction.

2. Workforce management

At O2 we’ve benefitted significantly from the way in which the digital revolution and ubiquitous connectivity has helped workforce management. 

For us, flexible working isn’t just allowed – its encouraged. At our headquarters in Slough, everybody is required to work out of the office at least one day a week, which is made possible through technology.

I often get asked if I worry about the productivity of my workforce declining as a result of a lack of presenteeism. My answer is that I don’t need to micro-manage my staff to understand if my business is performing well - it will soon become apparent if something needs to change.  

3. Recruitment

Digital technology is changing how we recruit. We have deployed digital solutions to overcome ‘CV blindness’, asking applicants to provide digital submissions, sometimes in video form. This not only tests for the right skills and mentality, but also encourages creativity in the hiring process.

Technology is also changing the type of people we look for. Our own research shows that the UK needs an additional 2.3 million digitally skilled workers by 2020 to satisfy this nation’s digital potential. So we focus on how we can support the school leavers and graduates of today - our digital natives – to really make an impact in the world of work.

And for our customer-facing roles, we don’t just consider CVs from the telecoms sector, but actively seek those with experience in other markets including music, entertainment, lifestyle and travel. Our only requirement is that they are passionate about technology and providing a standout customer experience.

As business leaders, we have the opportunity to grasp or squander the digital revolution. It’s in your power to guide your organisations through this exciting moment in time. Ignore it, and you will be left behind.

The power of technology lies in the behavioural change it both requires and facilitates. If the right attitude is applied to the digital opportunity, the face of business can, and should, evolve for the better. I encourage you think about what your own digital strategy looks like in real, practical terms.

Follow me @RonanDunneO2