Namratha Peddisetty
As the role of technology continues to grow in the world of business, integrating different systems have emerged as critical component in increasing efficiency and effectiveness. Previously, departments operated in isolation, each having their own non-connected tools that satisfied their specific requirement. This involved a lot of manual work and maintenance for proper data synchronisation.
However, with the increase in digitalization, number of applications used by the organization have increased and the requirement for a quicker, and more integrated communication between departments has increased, in turn fuelling the requirement for integrated systems. For instance, a marketing tool that is integrated with a sales system enables the sales department to access important customer data in real-time increasing the likelihood of converting a lead into a customer.
The shift to integrated solutions reduces manual work, improves customer experiences, and increases data visibility. But the integration of different systems is not an easy task, and those who operate in this area must overcome numerous barriers to make it work. Namratha Peddisetty, a top professional in her field, has acquired this knowledge that has been challenging but worthwhile. Being part of the MarTech team, her focus has always been on how best different systems could talk to each other, which helps in automating the workflows and reducing operational work. This effort not only leads to increased efficiency but also helps in data standardization and simplification.
She says, "Integrating systems is not an overnight task. It is a complex process with challenges. So, it is crucial to take the time to develop a comprehensive strategy and plan, while setting milestones to celebrate successes along the way." One of the main challenges is to ensure stakeholder alignment and proper change management strategies as integrations may mean change, either in process or data, which can create a non-supportive environment. To this end, her team created a communication and change management plan aligned with the project milestones provided a clear rationale for integration and adopted a top-down approach to enhance the level of alignment.
Another challenge was handling tool constraints which involved engagements with the architects and vendors to make future roadmaps incorporate the business needs. To properly understand the end-to-end design, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of the business requirements and the workflow. She suggests that connecting with peers to learn more about their work can be a valuable exercise. This not only facilitates learning but also serves as a step towards identifying areas for improvement.
As suggested by industry enthusiasts like Namratha Peddisetty, the future of the integrated systems looks promising as new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can already steer the organizations in this path. These technologies need accurate and efficient data, which makes system integration even more critical. As integrated solutions become more widely implemented by businesses, data protection will also be a priority to safeguard the information being transferred between the systems. Additionally, microservices architecture, which is more flexible when it comes to integration of different systems, might become more popular.
In conclusion, the aspect of integrated systems cannot be overemphasized. Since businesses aim at enhancing efficiency and customer experiences, it will be necessary to integrate tools and platforms.
