IT departments eager to meet their goals for digital transformation should evaluate whether their traditional IT vendors are adapting to new technologies fast enough or whether to enlist a new crop of more innovative vendors, says research and advisory firm IDC.
A recent IDC report says IT needs to reconsider its mix of vendors in light of the shift to social, mobile, analytics and cloud technologies, which IDC calls the "3rd Platform." Some traditional vendors have made strides towards adopting those technologies, but IDC says IT chiefs should be looking at newcomers, too. "New, emerging vendors, with no legacy to maintain, offer innovative 3rd Platform solutions that challenge incumbent vendors."
IDC's procurement report recommends that, over the next six months, IT pros should formally assess and rate each IT vendor's capabilities to handle the 3rd Platform technologies. It means asking tough questions: Which vendors are savvy about digital marketing? Which vendors can help IT cope with the plethora of mobile devices? Which vendors can help turn data into business value? Which vendors can keep cloud data secure?
Ultimately, after a rigorous review, customers may need to replace "vendors that are not able to make the transition to [the] 3rd Platform," IDC says.
Download the IDC report, "Relationship Management in the 3rd Platform Era," to read more analysis and specific recommendations.