U.K. Companies Hammered by Pandemic, Brexit Bounce Back with Fast Digital Business Rollouts

ISG Provider Lens report says providers have accelerated responses to supply chain and customer engagement challenges and kickstarted sustainability and blockchain plans

Enterprises in the U.K. facing disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have turned to technology and service providers for assistance on a wide range of digital transformation projects, according to a new research report published by Information Services Group (ISG) , a leading global technology research and advisory firm.

The 2021 ISG Provider Lens™ Digital Business Solutions and Services report for the U.K. finds companies were forced to adjust to public safety regulations, reach customers through online channels and overcome supply-chain challenges just to stay afloat in the early days of the pandemic. To do so, many deployed new digital technologies, such as automation and analytics to maintain operations with fewer staff and gauge the best approaches to supply chains and customer experiences.

“Providers of digital business solutions and services allowed British businesses to weather the onset of the pandemic and then craft post-COVID strategies,” said Ola Chowing, partner, ISG Digital Strategy and Solutions, based in the U.K. “Using data-driven analytical models, they are finding ways for companies to grow in the post-pandemic era.”

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“Providers of digital business solutions and services allowed British businesses to weather the onset of the pandemic and then craft post-COVID strategies”

In the U.K., supply chain issues are especially challenging, due to both COVID-related fluctuations in supply and demand and changing processes in the wake of Brexit, the report says. Service providers have built applications to assess demand-supply requirements and implemented automation to address rising costs and personnel shortages in this area. Brexit has led some enterprises to realign the core systems of their supply chains with the help of provider partners.

Service providers have acted quickly to help enterprises create online customer experiences and direct-to-consumer strategies and applications, ISG says. These deployments have been supported by fast-growing adoption of cloud-based implementations, including customer experience services that providers have rolled out on hyperscalers’ cloud platforms.

Blockchain technology is beginning to gain traction in some areas in the U.K., including vehicle charging records, healthcare records and supply-chain smart contracts and track-and-trace applications, according to ISG. Some payment providers have launched cryptocurrency services. Providers continue to build, deploy and manage blockchain solutions for clients seeking to expand their services over time across the region.

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As sustainability and decarbonization have become major issues across Europe, many enterprises in the U.K. are aiming for carbon neutrality and zero emissions by 2030, the report says. Providers have developed offerings specifically for these efforts, including services to assess and measure emissions, assess where companies could reduce or eliminate their carbon footprint, and create decarbonization strategies across business units.

The 2021 ISG Provider Lens™ Digital Business Solutions and Services report for the U.K. evaluates the capabilities of 45 providers across five quadrants: Digital Business Consulting Services, Digital Customer Experience Services, Digital Supply Chain Transformation Services, Sustainability and Decarbonization Services, and Blockchain Services.

The report names Accenture and Wipro as Leaders in all five quadrants. It names Atos, HCL and IBM as Leaders in four quadrants each and Capgemini and Zensar as Leaders in three quadrants each. Cognizant, Infosys, TCS and Tech Mahindra are named as Leaders in two quadrants each. The report names BCG, Birlasoft, Coforge, Deloitte, EY, Hexaware, McKinsey, Mindtree, PwC and Siemens as Leaders in one quadrant each.

In addition, GEP and Kin+Carta are named as Rising Stars—companies with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition—in one quadrant each.