Services automation – Chinese restaurants started introducing robots to replace waiters in 2014, Eatsa in San Francisco (2015) is using iPads to order meals to be picked up from a cubicle. Eateries are just one service industry where automation is taking over. But it won’t stop at relatively simple processes.
It has taken some time for mobile technology, robotics, artificial intelligence and internet infrastructure together with new business models such as cloud computing to all fall into place, but we now see the digital economy take over even in areas that were long thought of needing ‘too much human intelligence’. And business consulting is no exception.
Technology is changing the role of consulting in two ways: Firstly the emphasis of strategy is shifting from financial planning to technology issues – security, cloud computing, social media, mobility. The big consulting firms have all either built or acquired teams of technology experts to deal with the changing demand for expertise.
Secondly there is a question around the value of ‘traditional’ advice. Thirty years ago a consultant was the one to talk about ‘value proposition’ and ‘competitive forces’. Today many 20-year olds will know and have at least a rudimentary understanding of these terms and a whole many more.
Businesses today no longer need a consultant to take control of the strategic planning process. Instead they need tools that bring structure into the gathering, sorting, ranking, summarizing, presenting and sharing of information. And then, once there is a clear understanding of the issues and choices, maybe an external expert can add further depth to the discussion or to help build the new technology.
Boards of Directors are also increasingly ‘new economy’ focused, and expanding their ranks or establishing separate Advisory Boards of technology savvy industry experts to assist in setting strategic direction. Here also, the business needs a common platform and language to analyse, summarize and share information.
External business strategy advice is increasingly replaced by in-house analyses and stronger (Advisory) Boards. And with the right tools and structures in place, this is a much more direct and effective way to draw on the expertise available within the company.
Swiftsure’s publications and workshops are designed to offer these tools and structures.