I’ve always believed that CIOs and technology leaders are among the most relentless professionals out there. And now, more than ever, there’s “no rest for the weary.” Demand for IT continues to surge, and as Gartner points out, we’re tasked with doing more with less, showing tangible value for money, delivering execution excellence, maintaining cost efficiency, and—of course—driving continuous innovation.
But how do we pull this off?
Over the years, working at Percipere, I’ve seen a consistent theme in the projects that succeed: collaboration. When IT and business leaders jointly own digital delivery, the transformation becomes more than a technology upgrade; it becomes a strategic, enterprise-wide shift. Below, I’ll share a few insights from our experiences—backed by what Gartner calls the “digital vanguard” approach—and show how we turn these insights into reality for our clients.
Collaborative Digital Leadership: Moving Beyond IT Silos
One of the most profound shifts in digital transformation is the move away from the old IT-driven model toward co-ownership between CIOs and their business counterparts. Traditional projects often fail because IT is left to drive the transformation in isolation. By contrast, the digital vanguard model brings the entire executive team to the table, ensuring that:
- Objectives are shared and clearly defined.
- Ownership is balanced: business leaders and CIOs share accountability.
- Resources (both people and budget) are allocated more effectively.
This approach has proven its value in projects like our collaboration with a a major foodservice supplier in the UK, where we worked shoulder-to-shoulder with both IT and business stakeholders to overhaul their rebate management processes. That shared responsibility wasn’t just a feel-good exercise; it led to real, measurable outcomes—like reducing ticket resolution times from 45 a day to just 2, and getting 100% of contracts migrated onto SAP.
Tailored, Agile Solutions: One Size Rarely Fits All
When we first started Percipere, I saw too many big consultancies pushing boilerplate methods—tools that didn’t adapt to the realities of a client’s environment. Our philosophy has always been the opposite. Yes, the technology (SAP, intelligent automation, process mining) is foundational, but success demands tailored, agile execution.
- Rapid Action Plans: For instance, in our 30/60/90-day roadmaps, we break down projects into actionable sprints. This means we can adapt if the business context changes or if we discover new opportunities mid-project.
- Proprietary Tools: We often rely on our own IP, like FUTUROOT, our process mining solution that uncovers hidden scenarios. In one engagement, FUTUROOT identified over 40 critical scenarios that had gone undetected, preventing costly surprises down the line.
- Quick Wins: Agile doesn’t just mean speed—it also means focusing on business impact. Whether it’s automating manual tasks or cutting back on inefficient processes, we strive to deliver immediate value that funds and energizes the next phase of transformation.
Deep Industry & Technical Expertise: Getting Under the Hood
No matter how good the methodology, a transformation flounders if the team doesn’t truly “get” the industry. I’ve seen how crucial it is to combine technical mastery (SAP, RPA, data analytics) with domain knowledge (FMCG, pharma, renewable energy, etc.).
Take our work with a global pharmaceutical client, a global pharmaceutical company focused on specialty, hospital, and rare disease medicines. By pairing our technical SAP and RPA skills with a nuanced understanding of pharmaceutical compliance and supply chain challenges, we automated workflows in Salesforce, cut out 200 hours of manual effort per quarter, and improved forecasting accuracy. The big lesson? Master the tech, but also master the client’s world.
Emphasis on Continuous Improvement & Skill Development
As Gartner notes, digital transformation is never a one-and-done event. It’s an ongoing journey requiring both new tech capabilities and new human skills. At Percipere, we encourage clients to co-create solutions and train their own teams to manage, refine, and scale those solutions.
- Turning Business Leaders into Digital Product Managers: We’ve seen how building a baseline of technology fluency within business teams accelerates adoption.
- Upskilling & Change Management: Whether we’re implementing SAP S/4HANA or orchestrating RPA bots, we devote time to structured training, so teams not only accept the new technology but can evolve it long after we leave.
One example: CF Industries (cited by Gartner) took a similar path, re-training business leaders as digital product managers. It’s a model we champion as well—teaching business owners how to use our platforms so they become the architects of future improvements, not just passive recipients.
Outcome-Driven Culture: Focus on Tangible Results
“Do more with less” and “Show value for money” aren’t just corporate buzzwords; they’re real pressures that shape IT strategies. The only way to truly respond is to fixate on measurable outcomes. For us, that means:
- Defining Success Early: Before any project, we establish KPIs—like cost savings, process efficiency gains, or user adoption rates—and ensure alignment across stakeholders.
- Demonstrating Value Quickly: Quick wins build momentum and unlock budget for bigger changes.
- Sustaining Momentum: We measure, report, and refine. That might mean analyzing user feedback in real-time or running new UAT scenarios post-go-live.
In short, focusing on tangible, quantifiable outcomes builds trust—both in the IT function and across the business. It also fosters a culture of continuous improvement, where teams celebrate small wins en route to big transformations.
Final Thoughts: Leading in a “No Rest” World
The Gartner graphic sums it up well: we’re in a relentless climb to drive more efficiency, more innovation, and more value with fewer resources. It’s a challenge, but it’s also an opportunity for technology leaders to elevate their roles from “operators” to strategic enablers.
From my perspective at Percipere, the winning formula blends:
- Collaborative Digital Leadership
- Tailored, Agile Solutions
- Deep Industry & Technical Expertise
- Continuous Improvement & Skill Building
- Outcome-Driven Culture
Together, these elements turn “do more with less” from a painful cost-cutting mantra into a powerful blueprint for growth and innovation.
So if you’re a CIO, CTO, or business leader feeling the pressure to deliver on all fronts, know that you don’t have to do it alone. There’s a vanguard of leaders and consultancies—Percipere included—who believe in co-ownership, continuous learning, and an unwavering focus on outcomes. Let’s connect, compare notes, and together, ensure your digital initiatives not only meet expectations but far exceed them.
About the Author
I’m Prathamesh Bhingarde, CEO of Percipere. With over two decades of experience, I’ve led transformative ERP, RPA, and AI implementations across manufacturing, pharma, food & beverage, and beyond. My mission is to bridge the gap between business goals and technology potential, empowering organizations to thrive in today’s relentless digital era. I’m passionate about building agile, outcome-driven strategies that maximize productivity and minimize waste—ensuring we do it right the first time. Let’s connect on LinkedIn or visit www.Percipere.co to explore how we can shape the future of work together.
