Management and technology consulting firm, BearingPoint, has recently released results from its 2022 Digital Leaders in Ireland study. This report showcases the progress that Irish businesses have made in terms of digital maturity and places Ireland in third place among the ten countries studied.
BearingPoint’s study analyzed 679 companies across three regions – 35 from Ireland, 644 from Europe and the UK, and 50 from the US. The assessment was based on four dimensions of digitalization: digital product experience, e-commerce, e-CRM, and digital marketing. Companies and countries were rated on a scale from “Failed” to “Outstanding”. Ireland earned an overall score of 3.43, which placed it third among the other countries in the study. The ranking was determined by analyzing the top 30 companies in each country.
The study revealed that digital leadership in 2022 requires a combination of personalization, customer-centricity, innovative delivery, and data-technology integration while addressing real-world challenges. Leading companies focus on five key actions: putting customers first, fostering positive customer interactions, delivering value through advanced technology, constant innovation, and integrating ethics and sustainability into day-to-day operations.
In Ireland, Virgin Media took the top spot as a digital leader with a score of 3.67, reflecting its ongoing investment in digital experiences. AXA (3.51) and Three (3.5) followed as the second and third-highest-rated companies in Ireland.
The study evaluated five sectors in Ireland: Banking, Telco, Insurance, Energy, and Media. The majority of sectors saw an improvement in scores from the previous year. The telco was the most digitally mature industry in Ireland, scoring 3.5 overall. Insurance and Energy followed with scores of 3.10 each. Banking, which was the most digitally mature industry for the previous two years, scored 3.00 this year.
Revolut was the top performer in the Banking sector with a score of 3.42. SSE Airtricity led the Energy sector with a score of 3.43. AXA was the top-rated company in the Insurance sector with 3.51, while RTE ranked first in the Media sector with 3.04. Virgin Media received the highest score in the Telco sector and was the highest-ranked company in Ireland with 3.67.
The four dimensions of digitalization in Ireland showed significant year-on-year improvement. Digital Product Experience was the strongest-performing dimension with a score of 3.50, while E-Commerce scored the lowest in Ireland with 2.56.
Gillian O’Sullivan, Country Leader for BearingPoint in Ireland, commented on the results of the study: “Mastering digital is crucial for organizations that want to drive business transformation, establish long-lasting client relationships, and increase revenue. Our study has identified the key themes that define digital leadership today, including customer-centricity, personalization, data-centricity, innovation, and sustainability. These actions are what makes a digital leader and contribute to organizational success.”
She continued: “It’s great to see Irish companies performing so well this year compared to their counterparts in other countries. It shows that Irish business leaders are dedicated and invested in the digital transformation of their businesses, preparing them for future challenges.”