DIGITAL SUPPLY CHAIN

When global telecommunications provider Telefonica started to explore information-driven business models, the company was already capable of processing hundreds of millions of data records from its mobile network each day in order to route and invoice phone calls and data services. Thus, handling a huge data volume at high speed was not the main issue. Instead, the key question Telefonica had to answer on the journey to eventually launching its Smart Steps service was:
“What additional value does the existing bulk of data carry and how can we capitalize on it?”
While consumers are familiar with making information- driven daily-life decisions such as purchases, route planning, or finding a place to eat, companies are lagging behind. To exploit their information assets, companies have to – above all – change their attitude about how to use data. In the past, data analytics were used to confirm decisions that had already been taken. What’s required is a cultural change. Companies must transition towards a forward-looking style of data analysis that generates new insight and better answers. This shift in mindset also implies a new quality of experimentation, cooperation, and transparency across the company.