IBM today unveiled an extensive array of cloud solutions designed for the C-suite to help executives accelerate innovation around customer experience to meet their business objectives in concert with their company's IT strategy. Among the newest cloud business offerings is a Big Data and social analytics solution that chief marketing officers (CMOs) can use to get an emotional reading on how customers view their brand.
Cloud computing is quickly becoming essential to C-suite executives. While technology decisions have been made historically by CIOs and IT department heads, the C-suite is adopting cloud computing because they see its ability to transform their front office processes -- marketing, procurement, supplier management, human resources and legal. In fact, industry analysts estimate that by 2017, CMOs will spend more on IT than CIOs.
"The cloud opportunity is helping C-suite leaders reshape customer experience," said Paul Papas, Global Leader Smarter Commerce, IBM Global Business Services. "As part of IBM's digital front office strategy, we see these 100 cloud applications as a way for business leaders to improve customer experience, reach new customers, generate new revenue streams and become more competitive in their industry."
IBM SmartCloud Solutions portfolio now includes more than 100 business functions delivered as a service to help professionals make better decisions, differentiate customer experience, go to market and grow their business.
IBM's cloud suites for the C-level executives enable:
- Chief Marketing Officers to analyze, understand, and engage customers in highly relevant, interactive dialogues across digital, social and traditional marketing channels with digital analytics and marketing automation capabilities from offerings such as IBM Marketing Center.
- Sales and eCommerce leaders to drive omnichannel B2C sales linking mobile, social, Web, and on-site locations. B2B sales executives and departments use IBM's sales cloud to manage quotes, negotiate contracts, and strengthen sales performance analytics.
- Customer care and support executives to develop unique service and retention techniques with faster, personalized customer conversations afforded by IBM Watson Engagement Advisor.
- Chief Procurement Officers to strategically manage spend, contracts, and entire supplier ecosystems translating into bottom-line savings for the business.
- Chief Supply Chain Officers and their departments to improve transparency and efficiency across the value chain to enable the organization to profitably satisfy dynamic customer demand.
- General Counsel and other legal professionals to streamline contract management processes, and strengthen intellectual property and risk analytics to better serve their internal and external stakeholders.
- Chief Financial Officers and corporate treasuries to make more analytical, risk-aware decisions supporting revenue, expenses, and compensation processes.
- Chief Human Resource Officers to find, analyze, source and acquire the best talent and to partner with the rest of the C-suite to enable a Smarter Workforce with internal and inter-company collaboration using IBM SmartCloud for Social Business.
- Chief Information Officers to include these cloud solutions needed by the lines-of-business in a comprehensive IT strategy that ensures security, flexibility in deployment options, hybrid environment integrations.
