By Carlênio Castelo Branco*

We cannot deny that the world has changed and technology has become decisive to the economic sustainability of most, if not all, business segments. We live in the age of digital transformation by solutions, applications, and automation beyond all that we have seen until now. Especially since the speed of technological changes has reached a level that many of us believed it was impossible.

The competitiveness of companies, whether they are global corporations or SMEs, is increasingly based on the power and control they gain in their processes thanks to automation and solutions ranging from the production line to contact with the customer. Investing in technology has not been a privilege or a reward for a few but a necessity for all.

It takes just a closer look at the world economic scene to realize the importance of being in line with the new trends in Information and Communication Technology. IDC consulting, for example, in a survey with companies around the world, has identified that 89% of the interviewed are adopting some model of digital-first. Besides, 59% of organizations have already bet on mobile devices.

These are two clear examples of issues that are already a reality within the so-called digital transformation. Mobility, the use of artificial intelligence, the Internet of things and devices that connect to the management systems ensure not only data control but also an overview of production and services, decision-making and business analysis.

We live the age of networking and we need to understand that we need to evolve together with our customers. Areas that were quite recently just analog now have been driven by digital processing. One example is the logistics segment. At the 2018 Black Friday, for example, we processed more than 6 million orders, which means about 48% of all orders placed in the country’s e-commerce, only by using our solutions to this segment. This remarkable data shows that fast delivery, organization of processes and sustainable business, depend on the technology that is used.

HR is another area that goes through deep transformation. Increasingly strategic, it has been seeing concepts such as People Analytics, which measures issues such as productivity and working environment satisfaction, gain traction with data automation solutions. Tasks that were once common among professionals now are carried out by virtual assistants, and, so, teams can focus on other possibilities and strategies that guarantee to hire and retaining talent.

On the other hand, we still see many companies that are opposed to investing in technology. A recent study by Dell showed that 40% of Brazilian companies are still being reactive and are not seeking solutions that could put them at the same level as increasingly strong and technological competitors. They do not focus on digital transformation strategies nor planning for the future of the business. A worrying scenario, where those who do not invest in innovation are more and more outside the market that once used to belong to them.

If you are not aware of this movement which is continually evolving and changing, you will become vulnerable in the face of so many innovative businesses. Investing is necessary, digital transformation is already a reality and to turn a blind eye to this new world can be a big mistake.

Carlênio Castelo Branco has been the CEO of Senior since 2012. He graduated in Computer Science from Universidade Católica de Pernambuco (Catholic University of Pernambuco) and post-graduated in Financial Management from Universidade de Pernambuco (University of Pernambuco), and an MBA from Universidad Mayor in Chile.

With over 20 years of working experience, he started his career as a programmer at Instituto de Tecnologia em Informática, worked in the business area of Carlos Lyra Group and Oi/Telemar, and was Retail and Marketing Executive Director at Getnet Tecnologia. His strong performance in retail led him to plan and implement the company’s operations in Chile, where he held the position of CEO.

The executive also has an extensive background in M&A processes, implementation of operations in new regions and activities focused on distribution channels.