How to thrive in a high-tech, low-touch future
10 December 2021
Take a peek into the future of your business – what role will technology be playing?
Perhaps robots and drones will be delivering online purchases and meals to your customers’ doorsteps while artificial intelligence (AI) devices run fully automated lights-out factories.
Digital transformation is happening across sectors. In a pandemic-driven business environment, human interactions and commercial transactions are morphing into digital practices. Across Southeast Asia, 40 million people started using the internet in 2020, driving up the projected value of the internet economy to US$300 billion by 20251.
To plug into digitalisation and sustain critical business functions, agile companies are turning to technology for solutions. According to a McKinsey study, nearly 9 in 10 global company executives want to build new digital businesses or adopt new technology to stay economically viable as they look towards 20232.
Powering your business with smart, seamless technology
Companies are not just digitalising customer-facing elements of their business. Core internal functions and interactions with supply chains are also getting a technology makeover. These include injecting advance technology into business operations and decision-making, and migrating assets to the cloud3. As a result, many processes and decisions become automatic, real-time and preventive, such as in our operations at Jewel.
Tasked to seamlessly operate physical security, facilities management and guest experience at Jewel Changi Airport, Certis leveraged a comprehensive solution we call Security+ to digitalise and optimise the entire operation. A centralised command centre receives and analyses data from over 5,000 sensors and cameras. Using Mozart, our in-house orchestration platform with AI capabilities, an integrated mobile app and a string of service robots, we monitor human traffic and processes round the clock to keep Jewel safe and running. This integrated model proved more cost-effective and efficient, for example, by reducing the average time an officer spends on incidence management by 60%.
Automation enabled by AI will also play a bigger role in protecting lives and assets, such as by using AI-enabled surveillance cameras to detect and ward off intruders or locate a lost child in a mall. Robotic process automation is another game changer. Robots are helping doctors perform surgeries and firemen put out large fires. They are even entering service sectors, manning check-in counters and cooking meals in restaurants. Companies around the world are catching on to the automation trend. According to a 2021 IBM study, 80% of companies are already using automation solutions or are planning to use them in the next 12 months4.
Fitting technology into your business to achieve cost-sustainable outcomes
A high-tech future is not without challenges. Technology solutions need to work in symphony with your people and operations, augment your people’s strengths and serve your business goals. While machines can perform repetitive tasks and generate large amounts of data, it is your employees who can give meaning to the data and make critical decisions. Upskilling your workforce to leverage technology is thus vital.
Investments into technology and human capital are prudent strategies to position your business for growth. Ultimately, they must enhance your organisation’s strengths, be cost-sustainable and drive customer outcomes.
At Certis, we begin with your outcome in mind and take time to know your organisation before tailoring solutions to help you get there. Make the right move now.
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1. “Online with a purpose. 9 months on.” August 2021, an update to the 2020 e-Conomy SEA report by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company.
2. “The new digital edge: Rethinking strategy for the postpandemic era,” McKinsey Digital, 26 May 2021
3. “How COVID-19 has pushed companies over the technology tipping point ¬– and changed businesses forever,” McKinsey & Company, 5 October 2020
4. “Global AI adoption index 2021,” IBM
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