How CSPs can secure pole position in the race against competitors
Increase your competitiveness with a focus on agility, security & more.
I admit it. I like fast cars.
So, naturally, after watching the first episode of the Netflix series, Formula 1: Drive to Survive, I was hooked. But being the techie that I am, I couldn’t help but think about the parallels between racing and communications service providers. And just as there are many elements of an F1 team that could lead to success (or failure), the same holds true for those who provide us with the services we rely upon to stay connected. Let’s take a look...
Agility: F1 drivers not only have to be fast but also agile. Races are constantly-changing environments with competitors looking to cut you off and crashes happening all around, requiring you to react in fractions of a second to avoid a crash. So too in the service provider market, where competition is constantly emerging from the likes of hyperscalers, who have the agility to rapidly drive new capabilities into the market. To survive (and thrive), operators need to pivot around their competitors and launch solutions and experiences as quickly – if not more so – than their competitors.
Teamwork: When there’s trouble on the track, you need perfectly coordinated teamwork between the designers, engineers and the pit crew. Service providers are no different in their reliance on a diverse set of experts, in fields ranging from quality engineering to data analytics – those who allow them get new services up and running quickly.
Technology: Just as F1 teams leverage purpose-built tools to do their jobs faster, if a service provider wants to get ahead, they need similar capabilities to support their operations and not rely on generic technology.
Data analytics: F1 teams are constantly analyzing vast amounts of data to understand car performance and how to improve it – both in real time, as well as between races. So too service providers need to increase their use of data to improve performance across all areas of operations, from network optimization to next best offers.
Integration: F1 cars are complex machines that demand tight integration of components to ensure seamless operations. The same holds true for service providers who need to integrate solutions from multiple vendors to create unique solutions for their customers.
Safety: Lastly, driver safety is of paramount concern, with F1 teams investing in ever-higher levels of safety – something that has clearly paid dividends as we see increasing numbers of drivers walking away from massive crashes. Service providers need to do the same by investing in security to protect their data & applications. Such investments are imperative to protecting their assets from cyber-attack, and the massive privacy issues and impact (pun intended) on service continuity that come as a result.
