Navigating the digital divide

Anita Joseph caught up with Walid Gomaa, CEO of Omnix International, to find out how the company is helping partners bridge the digital divide.   

In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital technologies, how do you ensure that your digital solutions are not only current but also future-proof for your clients?  

Digital solution delivery starts by focusing on end user needs and preferences with a user centric design approach. Digital solutions must be relevant and end-user friendly. Future-proofing digital solutions requires a combination of proactive planning, adaptability, collaboration, and a commitment to staying informed about the ever-changing digital landscape.  

Solution partners should develop strategic roadmaps that outline how digital solutions will evolve over time with defined milestones and goals. To be able to do that, partners must evaluate technologies with long-term viability and community support. Partners need Partners to monitor industry trends, emerging technologies, and market developments to anticipate future changes. A key initiative is to embrace open standards and avoid lock-in technologies.  

An architecture review could be required. Partners need to adapt modular and scalable architecture and build solutions that can scale seamlessly to accommodate increased user loads and data volumes. Partners need to consider adopting agile development methodologies to respond to changing requirements and integrating customer feedback.  

Partners need to form alliances and partnerships with technology vendor partners, startups, and research institutions to access cutting-edge solutions and expertise. While doing that, partners need to keep enhancing organisational skills through training and skill development. This is an ongoing process that requires willingness to evolve with technology and end users’ needs. 

Collaboration and communication are key when aligning digital solutions with business goals. How do you approach working with diverse stakeholders within partner organisations? 

It is crucial to understand the end user’s business model, customer base, and strategic goals to identify their pain points and specific challenges related to digital solutions. Solution partners should determine who the key stakeholders are, within the end user organisation. This includes executives, sales teams, marketing teams, product managers and technical staff.  

Building relationships with key stakeholders is important. This often involves regular meetings, calls, and face-to-face interactions. Solution partners should establish clear and relevant communication channels with end user stakeholders.  

Solution partners provide enablement and support for end users about digital solutions at various levels for technical, sales, product development, and marketing teams. They work with end users to address issues and challenges promptly and professionally.  

Solution partners should create feedback mechanisms to gather input and insights from stakeholders, act on their feedback to improve products and processes. All the above should be built on trust. Communication and trust are the foundation of successful collaborations.  

What are some of the key learnings this year, as partners enter the final quarter of 2023? 

As solution partners enter the final quarter of 2023, several key learnings and trends have emerged:  

• Remote collaboration tools and solutions are likely to remain in high demand. 
• Hybrid work models, which combine in-person and remote work, are expected to continue. 

• The pace of digital transformation has accelerated. Vendors and resellers should continue to prioritise digital solutions and services that support this transformation. 
• Vendors and resellers should continue to explore opportunities to work together (strategically) to reach new markets and/or offer complementary services. 
• The integration of AI and automation into various business processes continues to grow. 
• Data privacy and security concerns are ongoing issues. Vendors and resellers should prioritise robust cybersecurity measures and compliance with data protection regulations to build trust with customers 
• Sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) considerations are now important. Vendors and resellers should be prepared to address questions and concerns related to their environmental and social impacts. 

In summary, the final quarter of 2023 presents an opportunity for vendors and solution partners  to build on learnings and trends, adapting strategies and offerings to meet evolving customer needs and market conditions.   

Digital transformation can often be disruptive to established workflows and company culture. How do you work with clients to ensure a smooth and seamless digital transformation journey? 

It is important to start with clear objectives and expectations. Solution partners should work closely with end customers to establish specific and realistic objectives for the digital transformation journey with defined key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure success and align expectations. Solution partners must get the buy-in and sponsorship from end-customer leadership.  

Solution partners work with end-customers to understand their current state, then set a vision and roadmap that outlines the steps and milestones for the journey. They work with end-customers to choose technologies and solutions that align with the end-customer’s objectives and integrate well with existing systems. Solution partners maintain transparent and frequent communication with stakeholders at all levels and provide updates on progress, address concerns, and share success stories. They monitor the performance of the new digital workflows and systems and optimise processes and technologies based on performance data and user feedback. 

After the initial implementation, solution partners conduct an evaluation to assess the transformation’s impact on business goals. By following these steps and maintaining an end-customer-focused approach, solution partners can help ensure that the digital transformation journey is smooth and seamless, minimizing disruption and maximising the benefits for the organisation.