CIOs must lead from the front when it comes to boosting customer engagement and navigating through the rapidly changing IT landscape, a report has revealed.
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT said the CIO must wear multiple hats, including customer engagement leader, innovator and recruiter, ensuring the IT department has a mix of skills to address all parts of business technology.
Because smartphones and tablets have become so commonplace in businesses with many employees using them as an extension of their computer - in some cases, replacing their computer - CIOs must make sure they play a big part in the company's IT. CIOs must innovate to ensure employees are able to use every application they need on their mobile, rather than being chained to their desk and this improved mobile experience should infiltrate to customers too.
CIOs need to become more involved in the finances of the business and that means demonstrating ROI when choosing IT systems. Cloud plays a big part in the redefined CIO's role, ensuring the company has the right balance between on-premise and cloud-based services.
"The future CIO and their team will require a set of skills which reach far beyond technology," Jon Buttriss, CEO of BCS L&D Ltd, part of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said.
"It is vital that the focus centres on customers, as well as managing business needs. Capabilities around business expertise and relationship management will become increasingly important as future IT digital leaders address their organisational objectives."
Ensuring a company has the right skills to carry out these shifts is essential to establish a company's success. Missing skills rather than employing everyone with the same talents is a growing trend, especially at a time when budgets to invest in extra staff are being stretched.
"It's essential that future CIOs roadmap the required skills to transform their organisation to address the significant shifts in the worlds of business and technology," Buttriss finished.
