UK businesses report to be five to six months behind pace with digital transformation projects, with only 50% believing they are keeping up with their competitors, according to research by Cyara and Sapio.
The joint report attributes this lag to the misalignment between business and IT decision makers, highlighting that only 43% of companies consult IT teams on all digital transformation decisions.
Globally, the study found that digital transformation and customer experience initiatives have no obvious owners. When asked who is driving digital transformation initiatives, 37% of respondents identified the CTO/CIO; 28% pointed to an IT leader; 23% said the CEO; and 10% specified other C-suite leadership members as the drivers.
Budget constraints are also limiting digital uptake, with only 12% of UK business leaders responding that their IT team has sufficient resources to keep pace with projects.
The report concluded: “Wherever companies may happen to be on their digital transformation journey, they must ultimately remember that customers will judge satisfaction based on the consistent and modernised buying experience that digital transformation makes possible.
“A shared focus on CX metrics can serve as a unifying and driving force that enables all stakeholders to become better aligned. As this report demonstrates, organisations wishing to bridge the performance gaps and ensure leaders have an accurate understanding of digital transformation timelines and trajectories must optimise their alignment internally on baseline capabilities, budgets, resources, and strategy.”