Enterprise solutions must be elevated to benefit the relationship between the technology supplier and the client. To do this, the business development specialist draws on both internal and external resources to challenge existing processes, according to Sylvia Khabele, divisional manager of new business development at Siemens Enterprise Communications.
Khabele says: “Business development plays a pivotal role for any enterprise wishing to reflect a positive growth strategy, as well as to support the ever-changing needs of their current and potential clients.
“With advancements in technology, the world is now able to communicate and interact with a touch of a button. Bridging the technology divide of companies who have not fully understood the value of converged technologies to advance their business performance should be a primary objective. Technological inequality places constraints on a business's growth potential.”
Communications companies, she notes, are no longer limited in terms of the products and solutions they supply to their customers. They now offer converged telecommunications services that are integrated into the customer's own business processes, resulting in an increased need to adapt offerings to suit customers' business requirements.
“Successful business development often requires a multi-disciplinary approach beyond just a product sale, encompassing a holistic solution that is regularly revisited and modified to face the challenge of identifying and extracting business benefits from ICT assets.”
The strategic component for the concept of business development is directed towards identifying opportunities to grow with the customer. Khabele believes in creating partnerships and alliances to further support the marketing programmes of companies in the service, consumer or business-to-business sectors. “One should research and assist in both the back and front end structures of the organisation, review current portfolios and generate a new potential client base to expand market presence through the sales channel. You should also interface with all other channels on customer sites and redefine their value propositions.”
Although most businesses can see the advantages of streamlining processes and improving systems, they are cautious because of the cost implications, concerns over disruption, and a lack of understanding of proposed technologies. The test, says Khabele, is for businesses to embrace change and take advantage of the tools that will deliver success via technology platforms.
Khabele concludes: “The challenge for workers in the field of business development is to have receptive and open-minded business leaders who are not fearful of change. Business development opportunities now lie in the data and voice markets, and the rapid growth in demand for unified communications is creating huge opportunities for South African businesses.”
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