The pandemic has shaken up the IT departments of companies in French-speaking Switzerland, accelerating the adoption of teleworking and the digitization of processes. While some projects were slowed down, IT suppliers were able to adapt by modifying their organization and offerings, with growing demand for cloud, security and chatbots.
Pandemics, lockdowns and teleworking have had a major impact on the operations of corporate IT departments in French-speaking Switzerland. While some projects have been postponed or slowed down, many suppliers have had to adapt their organizations and offerings to meet the new requirements.
Exemplary mobilization of IT departments
IT departments were at the forefront of this unprecedented crisis. From the rapid deployment of collaborative equipment and software to support for teleworking, IT teams demonstrated their effectiveness and saw their role strengthened within companies. The urgency of the situation helped to shorten decision-making processes, facilitating the rapid adoption of solutions already in place, which was welcomed by many CIOs.
However, this situation also revealed certain shortcomings, particularly in terms of processes and automation, which proved more complex when switching to telecommuting. Remote team management and employee fatigue were also major challenges. In addition, several transformation projects were delayed due to the priority given to business continuity and the need for more interaction with the business.
IT suppliers were also affected by the situation. Nearly 75% of them saw their projects postponed, and a significant proportion observed a slowdown in projects. Many had to continue projects remotely, where possible.
One company in three has experienced a drop in orders and revenues, complicating prospecting for 2021. To compensate for the drop in activity, many service providers have reduced their working hours or suspended hiring, while most have avoided downsizing.
Faced with the situation, almost 50% of suppliers have made organizational changes, in particular by taking advantage of the drop in activity to train their teams or develop internal projects. Finally, a third of suppliers have noted a change in market needs. Sectors such as cloud, security, chatbots and the workplace saw growing demand, prompting providers to adapt their offering accordingly.
In summary, the pandemic has pushed IT departments and their suppliers to adapt quickly to an ever-changing environment. While some companies were held back by operational challenges, others were able to seize the opportunities offered by the crisis to reinvent themselves and respond to emerging market needs.
Source : ICTjournal
