Cloud Wars Live with Bob Evans

The Big Themes:Not so Unified Communications. As many/most companies have shifted to some version of remote work, we’re seeing both the benefits but also the limitations of video communications.Virtual culture: We’re nearing a year of virtual, remote work for many of us. Nurturing, supporting and reinforcing culture is challenging in the best of circumstances. Ironically working remotely is forcing companies to be more intentional about their culture, causing some to reassess their cultural attributes and beliefs, and how best to train, nurture, and harness them.5G, Cloud, Mobile, and IIoT are converging: To create a massive market transition. This is most acutely true in manufacturing, where we’re already getting glimpses of the future. While the news is mostly focused on the consumer impact, the reality is the B2B impact may be even larger. The Big Quotes:“There's another dynamic that we don't focus on, but I think is playing a major role here. And that's the dynamic of the multi-generational workforce.” This episode is brought to you by BMC Software.

The Big Themes:Authentic dialogue is dying in America: Stanford Research shows us that people are caring more about themselves and less for others.Good conversationalist vs. “selfie”: Many people think the purpose of a discussion is to win. At one point changing your mind was called “learning.” Today it’s called flip-flopping.People are told to shout their story: Not to listen. Not to collaborate. Not to learn. Not to teach. Just “tell it.”We will either have civil discourse – or civil war: This is the time to elevate the value of authentic dialogue. In person. And online.The Big Quotes:“We talk to each other and if we're human beings, we sort it out, that's the best mechanism, just be human with each other.”This episode is brought to you by BMC Software.

The Big Themes:Last mile networking – down to last few feet: Data to/from the edge will skyrocket in quantity and in value.IT risk-awareness rises: Cybersecurity attacks are on the rise. Russia, China, Iran, etc. are going for third-party attacks on the US.2021 is predicted to be the biggest job growth in history: Government stimulus will drive infrastructure and investment, and trigger a seller’s market for talent.Healthcare changes are massive: Tele-everything – talk, telemetry, teleoperation, and vaccines and other therapeutic drugs. And—at last!—doctors can practice across state lines. The Big Quotes:“If you’re a CEO, a board member, a C-suite executive, you've got to be ready to sense and respond faster than ever. You've got to be able to move faster and you've got to be able to take those leaps, and manage your risks better than you ever could.” This episode is brought to you by BMC Software. 

The Big Themes:Shift in size, scope, and delivery: The pandemic has caused a shift from mega projects to more incremental work. Many large projects were put on hold and have been modified or scaled back.Systems integration market: Their world has been turned upside down with everyone working from home and travel restrictions. How are they coping?No customer conferences to “Press the Flesh”: All in-person events have been cancelled, which has made it difficult for smaller firms to get noticed.How have customer expectations changed: Systems integrators are so busy focused on challenging market conditions – and not focused on internal projects.The Big Quotes:“I think in 2021, the businesses that really stepped up this year are going to see the benefits next year, when things get back on track and we go back to some semblance of normal again.”This episode is brought to you by BMC Software.

Bill McDermott, CEO of ServiceNow, shares insights on the urgency of digital transformation accelerated by the pandemic. He discusses how ServiceNow innovated rapidly to streamline workflows and enhance user experiences. The conversation also touches on growth amid challenges, the alignment of remote work with millennial expectations, and the promising future of cloud computing. Finally, McDermott reflects on his move to California and how the innovation culture there has influenced his personal and professional life.

The Big Themes: Wall Street/Main Street: The software sector had a great year. The markets didn’t correct. Main Street not so much – stores are boarded up and it’s a ghost town. Disney played this perfectly: Netflix and Disney are going head-to-head. Both companies have done well in 2020, but you’re going to see Disney outperform Netflix in 2021. Walmart and Amazon: Does Walmart really want to finance their number one competitor – and does Amazon want that too? Rockefeller, Standard Oil, and AWS: John D. Rockefeller fought hard not to have Standard Oil split apart, but the wealth creation that happened was huge. The Big Quotes: “I still think Amazon needs to spin out AWS. It's crazy that they haven't yet.” This episode is brought to you BMC Software.

The Big Themes:Process geeks rejoice! Reimagining business process is the next frontier: New technologies; especially in AI and Machine Learning are enabling a complete reimagining of business processes, way, way beyond simple process improvements. They hold the potential to catapult business performance but require new ways of thinking about business process and how employees work with technology.“Nothing can happen for decades. And then decades happen in weeks.” Quote attributed to Scottish MP George Galloway. The COVID-19 pandemic has radically and irrevocably accelerated pre-existing trends. Eight weeks after the pandemic reached US shores eCommerce grew to 27% of retail, which represents a decade of growth in eight weeks. In essence business leaders are now running against 2030 expectations. This has huge implications for business leaders across most every industry.The pandemic will create a revolution in healthcare: 99% of people accessed healthcare during the pandemic, without setting foot in a doctor’s office, much less a hospital. This forced embrace of telemedicine will drive an explosion of innovation and holds the potential to materially change the burdens of the beleaguered US healthcare system. The Big Quotes:“The data shows maybe I don't need to go to from point A to point B to point C. Maybe I just go from point A to point Z.” This episode is brought to you by BMC Software.