Digital Lifescapes

Recent global economic trends may motivate some leadership teams to make across-the-board cuts to their operations. However, the savviest executives will selectively optimize their operating budget to sustain strategic imperatives. Just 7 percent of Chief Finacial Officers (CFOs) plan to decrease customer service spending over the next 12 months, according to the latest market study by Gartner. Moreover, 21 percent plan to increase customer spending, and 72 percent plan to maintain spending. "In response to inflation, supply chain disruptions, and a tight labor market, CFOs will make trade-offs in spending that affect customer service and support (CSS) leaders," said Sarah Dibble, Director at Gartner . CSS Business Technology Market Development Their essential function is not a top priority for cost-cutting, compared to commercial real estate expenses or facility management and finance, which are most likely to face budget cuts next year.  Nearly all CFOs will prioritize digi...

Most enterprise CIOs and other information technology (IT) executives have the support of their organization's forward-looking board of directors. However, given the current global economy, IT cost optimization is a hot topic at executive briefings about the CFO's budget allocations. Worldwide IT spending is forecast to total $3.8 trillion in 2021 -- that's an increase of 4 percent over 2020. Meanwhile, IT spending during 2020 is now expected to total $3.6 trillion -- that's down 5.4 percent from 2019 levels, according to the latest market study by Gartner. "In the 25 years that Gartner has been forecasting IT spending, never has there been a market with this much volatility," said John-David Lovelock, vice president at Gartner . "While there have been unique stressors imposed on all industries as the ongoing pandemic unfolds, the enterprises that were already more digital going into the crisis are doing better and will continue to thrive going into 2021....