Page 71 - SAMENA Trends - January 2021
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INSIGHTS SAMENA TRENDS
INSIGHTS
Digitally Empowered Economic Recovery
Q. What does digitally-empowered Q. What trends has the recent global
economic recovery mean to you, both in health crisis catalyzed for the ICT Industry
terms of societal normalcy and business and particularly for Telecom Operators?
continuity? Which of these trends are here to stay?
A. Looking at the immediate future, A. As Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella
digitalization in general and connectivity put it, “we saw two years of digital
in specific will be enablers and drivers of transformation in two months”. And he is
economic recovery. Both technologies right: there are a number of digital trends
allow people to do their work despite in various industries that have been
prevailing restrictions (e.g. social accelerated during the last year.
distancing), therefore aiding the • Sales: Due to widespread business
economy to get back on track. What’s closures, stores were forced to shift
more, investments in digitization (from their sales activities into the digital
governments and companies alike), sphere, and many did. In some
which are now seen as crucial, will further markets, the number of digital sales
stimulate the economy. channels increased by more than 100
percent in just under three months.
Regarding societal normalcy, digitally- • New work: Working from home (or
enabled solutions especially for the basically anywhere) as well as virtual
Dr. Kajetan Zwirglmaier healthcare sector (for example to monitor collaboration tools have become
Partner (potential) patients’ conditions) will play increasingly common during the last
a major role in the future. They can not year. Once the pandemic is under
only help to detect or even avoid future control, we expect some people to
pandemics and health crises, but can return to their offices. But still, the
also be a tool to return to a more normal possibility to work remotely and still
state and ease-up on restrictions earlier. be in touch with team members will be
For telcos, all of these trends mean that the importance
of their services (like connectivity) is much more widely
recognized, which can be translated in value adjustments
and price increases.
But in order for this to happen, companies important for employees, so employers
need to adopt and accelerate digitized should make sure they can enable it.
business. In doing so, not only the way • Healthcare: Telehealth solutions (from
employees are working in the “new doctor consultations via phone to
normal” changes, but also how we virtually-assisted surgeries) became
interact with our customers. For example, more widely available, and there is
we witness a significant alteration of still lots of room for evolvement with
internal processes for telecommunication new network standards and reduced
Lovrenc Kessler companies, since everybody’s use latencies in the wings.
Managing Partner UAE of digital tools and communication • Education: Schools and universities
solutions has increased drastically in had to increase their capabilities
order to ensure efficient mobile working regarding e-learning very quickly, and
or working from home. are (quite often) still far from perfect.
71 JANUARY 2021
