The rise of cyberattacks and the need for enhanced data security 

The rise of cyberattacks can be linked to the increasing reliance on digital systems.  Plus, it is also linked to the valuable data they contain within corporation infrastructures. Cyber hackers target organizations to gain unauthorized access to their digital ecosystem and infiltrate their sensitive processes. They are motivated by several factors, including financial gain, espionage, or disruption. 

Their goal is to exploit vulnerabilities in corporate networks in order to steal sensitive data. They want to steal data such as customer information, intellectual property, financial records, or trade secrets. 

Furthermore, cybercriminals can disrupt operations or demand ransoms through ransomware attacks, social engineering, phishing, spoofing etc. This often stems from multiple communication channels and a lack of understanding about securing communications.  

Ignoring security protocols and using unauthorized, insecure resources heightens the risk of cyberattacks.

In the context of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies, it is important to note that BYOD is acceptable when certain conditions are met. Specifically, your devices must be equipped with robust security agents such as EDR/XDR. The use of these devices must be formally reported to the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) within your organization. This approach ensures that a sufficient level of security and protection is supported, even in the context of BYOD, fostering a safer computing environment. 

Data breaches and leaks

As the trend of remote work continues to gain popularity and becomes more prevalent in our daily lives, it is important to acknowledge and address the growing concern of data breaches and leaks. Today, organizations rely heavily on technology for communication and productivity, the risks associated with unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots in public places and unsecured home internet connections have become more significant.

These weaknesses have created numerous access points that can potentially be exploited by cybercriminals, putting our sensitive information and digital assets at risk. Corporate PCs are actually used to prevent problems of connections in public/ home environment.

Data breaches and leaks primarily result from focused attacks, commencing with an initial phase called “reconnaissance”. This initial step involves gathering information from public or other open sources (e.g. OSINT) to gather related information on an organization that could be used by attackers. These pieces of information can be found on social media, can be linked to habits and to things that people might say in public places. 

In summary, the need for improved data security is primarily due to employees’ lack of awareness. It is also linked to the failure to separate personal and professional work environments, which often leads to data leaks. It is also important to exercise caution when using social media. Sharing too much information, whether through social networks or other channels, can also result in the leakage of valuable information about an organization. 

Best practices for cybersecurity 

To protect your corporation from cyber threats, it is crucial to implement and follow practical guidelines that will reinforce your cybersecurity defenses. 

• Make sure to not share your passwords on browsers 
• Make sure that all employees receive regular cybersecurity training to recognize and respond to cyber threats effectively.
• Get robust, up-to-date antivirus and anti-malware software on all devices, and keep systems and software patched and updated.
• Use strong, unique passwords and implement multi-factor authentication whenever possible. 
• When choosing a solution based on the Cloud, scrutinize its security measures, data encryption protocols, and vulnerability management. 
• Regularly back up essential data and store backups offline to limit ransomware risks. 
• Limit access permissions and use the principle of least privilege, ensuring employees have access only to what they need.
• Audit and monitor network activity for unusual behavior and have an incident response plan in place to act swiftly in case of a cyber-attack. 
• Stay informed about evolving cyber threats and adapt your security measures accordingly. 

Flexibility and VPN, is it compatible? 

Organizations usually know the importance of using a Virtual Private Network (VPNs) for securing their data and their communications. It is also essential to consider their flexibility and adequacy for diverse needs.  

VPN’s users should always challenge their VPN’s asking, “Is this VPN flexible enough to accommodate to the full spectrum of our organization’s requirements?” 

VPNs protect remote work data but may not suit all digital infrastructure. It is also important to check if your VPN aligns with your scalability, performance wishes and the varied technology system. Questioning your VPN on these problematics will help identify your organizations’ needs, especially in the context of remote working and beyond.  

Ensuring Data sovereignty and Compliance 

Reviewing certifications and compliance is crucial for data security and reducing cyberattack risks.

Non-compliance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) can result in severe penalties. Businesses must align communication security with GDPR and HIPAA. Prioritizing compliance safeguards data and enhances reputationn and trustworthiness. 

In terms of security and certifications, Rainbow takes several robust measures to ensure the fullest protection of its users’ data. The Rainbow solution is independent of any non-sovereign Act. 

By doing this, the platform maintains a high level of data integrity and sovereignty. This ensures all data and exchanges on the platform remain shielded from external interference.

Elevate your cloud communication and collaboration securely with Rainbow

Discover how our secure and sovereign platform can transform your communications.

Contact us or simply visit our website to get started with Rainbow!

Get the most out of your infrastructure while reducing costs with Rainbow Telephony for MS Teams

Shifting to the cloud is undoubtedly a better way to store data and to centralize management, collaboration, and communication tools for all users. While it may seem easy, many individuals associate the idea of transitioning to the Cloud with the potential loss of their existing infrastructure. However, our solution allows you the flexibility of leveraging your existing infrastructure, but without having to pay costly fees for maintenance, security, and upgrades.

Keep your work environment safe through our secure services (Certified internationally and nationally) and SSO authentication. Our users describe it as a smart, secure, and intuitive communication and collaboration platform, which enables their businesses to innovate without the burden of additional spending. With Rainbow Telephony experience the advantages of cost savings, productivity, and enhanced security while progressing in your digital transition.

Improving your work environment without disruption

At Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise we know how seamless integration and maintaining a familiar work environment is crucial. With Rainbow Telephony for MS Teams, you can enhance your communications capabilities without causing any interruptions or major modifications, simply expanding your digital ecosystem.

With our integration, users can leverage their existing tools and workflows while enjoying enriched communication and collaboration capacities offered by our Rainbow Telephony add-in. Our connector allows you to connect your existing PBX to your unified collaboration platform and make the most out of your mobile and fixed line communications. Users keep one business number to reach and to be reached, through their choice of any of their connected devices.

Users can now get rid of the fear of having their work environment transformed and of having to learn how to manipulate new tools. With  our integration, it’s possible to improve teamwork, streamline call management and elevate productivity— all with your existing work ecosystem.

Moving to the Cloud prepares your business for the future!

Our teams of researchers are already imagining what is going to be the future of work, future practices and technologies which will emerge during the following years. Our solutions are continuously evolving and adapting to new business practices. Imagine a future with more AI features, where IoT and advanced analytics optimize decision-making and where virtual reality redefines collaboration and communication.

At Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise as we envision a future of innovation, optimization, and continuous growth, we are already building the platform to deliver these capabilities and the ability to take you there. With Rainbow, brace yourself for the future and get ready to embrace digital evolution with us.

A connector for business of all sizes

After experiencing the impact of Covid-19, businesses started adopting Microsoft Teams regardless of their full requirements. With our connector Rainbow Telephony for Microsoft Teams, our goal is to help you unify all your means of communications, including your existing PBX through Microsoft Teams. We designed our connector to meet your needs and requirements without changing your habits, enhance and optimize your Microsoft Teams experience.

Enjoy the benefit of a centralized communication and collaboration platform with Rainbow Telephony!

Want to get a free trial? Contact us!

For example, when using a multimedia device (Either your smartphone, laptop, or tablet) you can now get an overview of your interlocutor availability status and upcoming availabilities with next appointments & calls. In addition, if they are currently using a PBX connected device for telephony, you will be updated on your digital tools. In the same way, the presence synchronization will show if you are available, occupied or on a call, and it will prevent unexpected calls or videoconferences from other people on any of your devices connected with Rainbow. The Rainbow Telephony connector is more than a simple direct router however, it allows the routing of phone calls, presenting the audio on to any of your communication devices. Through this synchronization, you and your network can take control of your call management and choose the device and method of communication.

Be seen and see other people availabilities

Partial remote work is now the new “normal”. Many people working away from their office environment have experienced challenges regarding their colleagues or customers’ availability. Having to work from home or in a co-working space is definitely not the same as working at the office. For instance, when working from the office it is easier to see and guess who is around and available. Whether it is for small talk, getting quick info or a call, it is always easier to check directly who is there to reply to our request. To put it in a nutshell, by using your personal computer or smartphone, you can replicate that in-office proximity by linking Rainbow Telephony to your Microsoft Teams account. You and your colleagues can see and share your availability for that quick chat or more involved discussion. This means, regardless of where you are and regardless of the device, you will never miss a call you want to take!

A responsive connector going beyond distances

With our Rainbow connector, elements are displayed and organized in a user-friendly and visually appealing manner, in an intuitive and powerful interface! For instance, Rainbow’s team developed the app to allow users to search people by tags. It can be very useful if a user is looking to talk to someone in a specific field. In an international enterprise, it is not possible to know everybody who works for the company – in fact, that’s why we came up with the search by tags. In other words, if a user is looking for someone working in France, in the marketing division and who’s able to speak English, the user can just type “France, marketing, English” in the search bar. Simple as that! Rainbow will then allow the user to see who the people are associated with these tags and then it will be up to the user to decide who is the person he/she should talk to. This simple search by tags can be very helpful especially when people from one company are working all around the world. It is even more difficult to get to know people’s availability regarding the time zone they live in. With our Rainbow connector, it is easier to communicate and reach people, avoiding untimely moments.

To wrap up this article, Rainbow Telephony for Microsoft Teams connector is a great tool for connecting people and ensures the convergence of your different communication means. It seamlessly integrates the PBX connected world with the UC world, preventing unexpected calls from other digital environments and offers greater routing services for incoming calls. Whether it’s your teams, partners or customers, they can all benefit from Rainbow Telephony. Overall, our solution offers greater experience of telephony to people from your network, helps save time and help people going beyond small problems linked with unmatching availabilities. To know more about our Rainbow Telephony for Microsoft Teams connector and its features click on the following link.

More than ever, digital accessibility is at the top of the list of challenges digital platforms need to address. Many efforts have been made to prioritise access to information, as well as the customer experience (UX and UI), which plays an important role in our digital tools navigation. The question is — how do we address accessibility? What about digital accessibility, and more specifically, how is it implemented?

We know digital accessibility poses many challenges, so to get answers we asked Access42, a French cooperative specialising in digital accessibility. The experts at Access42 were integral in helping the Rainbow by Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise product teams develop a user-friendly interface.

In this interview, we spoke with Marie GUILLAUMET, UX/UI Designer, expert in digital accessibility and Communication and Editorial Manager at Access42, Gaëla LAHNINE, Sales and Marketing Manager at Access42, and Julien HERRERO, Product Manager and Lead Product Design, Rainbow, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise.

Implementing digital accessibility means taking into account accessibility standards that impact the code, design and creation of editorial content, as well as how digital projects are designed and managed. On the design side, some graphics, however attractive they may be, may not allow a person with a disability to access the information they need, or to understand the content. This requires the creation of accessible alternatives at the beginning of the project, not at the end. In general, when designing with accessibility in mind, there is also a lot of focus on assessing the relevance of certain elements, particularly textual elements.”

And, Is the site code important in digital accessibility?

“Yes, this is an essential part of our work at Access42. We analyse the way our clients’ websites and applications have been developed, including their overall structure. Well-structured interfaces allow people with disabilities to navigate and find the right information. It is the code that makes a website, application or software, compatible with assistive technologies. However, producing an accessible interface starts well before the development. It must be addressed in the specifications, functional specifications and graphic mock-ups.”

And who do you think is looking for improved accessibility?

“Mainly public services, for example government institutions. There is a strong demand from the public sector, particularly in France and Germany. Public institutions provide support to all citizens, regardless of their disability and are ahead of the game in terms of accessibility and are even advising companies on how to move in this direction.”

While we’re at the topic, how can we expect Rainbow to respond to this?

“Accessibility is an ongoing topic in our Rainbow platform development. It is a long-term project that requires significant investment and rigour to meet the acceptability criteria of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the Référentiel Général d’Amélioration de l’Accessibilité (RGAA), respectively.

We have developed a two-year roadmap for improving accessibility. We are working with Access42, a recognised partner in France and internationally, to support us in developing Rainbow accessibility.”

Can you tell us more about the services that Access42 offers, Marie?

“As a consulting firm, Access42 offers a full range of services to help clients comply with digital accessibility regulatory requirements, including those imposed by the RGAA and the European standard EN 301 549.

Among the services we offer, Access42 performs accessibility audits of websites and applications, identifying potential barriers to accessibility and proposing solutions to remove them. We also offer training in digital accessibility to raise awareness of accessibility issues and provide professionals with the necessary skills to implement sustainable and effective solutions.”

And How does Access42 contribute to digital accessibility standards? 

“Access42 wrote version 3 of the RGAA on behalf of the French government. In 2022, we coordinated the official French translation of WCAG 2.1, the international standard on which the RGAA is based.

As a recognised expert in the field of digital accessibility, Access42 is a partner of choice for companies that want to make their products and services accessible, and compliant with digital accessibility standards, particularly in France and the European Union.”

Could you describe how Access42 is contributing to making Rainbow more accessible, Gaëla?

• “Access42 is providing support in the improvement of Rainbow’s digital services accessibility. The first step is to make Rainbow staff aware of the importance of accessibility. To do this, Access42 has already trained 80 people from Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, mostly those who are confronted with accessibility requirements such as product, R&D, design, marketing, QA and support.
• The second step consists of carrying out digital accessibility audits on the various media used by Rainbow, including web, desktop, Android and iOS applications. These audits allow us to identify non-conformities in terms of accessibility and to make recommendations to remedy them. Access42 provides an audit grid based on the criteria of the reference framework used (RGAA, RAAM). The recommendations are then prioritised to facilitate the implementation of the necessary changes.
• The third step consists of personalised accessibility support to guide Rainbow developers in the implementation of necessary corrections. Access42 addresses the Rainbow team’s questions and provides advice to ensure effective compliance.
• Finally, the fourth step is a control audit to validate the accessibility fixes implemented, update the audit grid, compliance status, and draft the compliance statement(s).”

The Rainbow team and Access42 collaboration offers significant benefits to ALE digital collaboration platform users. Rainbow will be able to offer digital services that are accessible to all, and in compliance with current regulatory requirements.          

When the time to talk about regulation is nigh and you need to choose a cloud-based infrastructure provider, certifications are often a good key indicator to understand how your data is going to be protected. Let’s have a look at the “must-haves” regarding regulation and take a deeper dive into the world of data protection certifications Rainbow has to offer.

International and local certifications & compliances with industry standards

ISO-27001 & SOC

Based on the Information Security Management System (ISMS), ISO-27001 is an international standard with a framework designed to manage sensitive data specifically. The SOC (System and Organisation Controls) encompasses the full range of services used by a company to protect sensitive data. There are multiple SOCs (SOC1, SOC2, SOC3) depending on the level of detail requested by the SOC reports. Modern data centres rely on ISO-27001 and SOC-certified technologies, as well as barbed-wire fence isolation with physical access being strictly monitored 24/7.

HDS-Certification

HDS for “Healthcare Data Security” is an important certification when it comes to storing and securing healthcare data. HDS is a strong certification that Rainbow Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise uses to ensure that Rainbow users in the healthcare industry can share, communicate, and store data securely. This includes a strong internal audit of Rainbow done by the security team and many additional procedures involving a third-party auditor who ultimately grants or denies the certification. With Rainbow Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise offers a solution hosted on a dedicated and independent data centre specifically designed for hosting sensitive healthcare data (HDS in France).

ANSSI CSPN

ANSSI CSPN “Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information” or “National Agency for Information System Security” is specific for the French market. It certifies that an employee or a person is knowledgeable and proficient enough to manage security incidents in a work environment. It usually goes hand in hand with SOC. This is one of the highest-level security certifications a cloud infrastructure provider can acquire.  This certification for Rainbow by Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise is on-going.

AGID

The agency for a Digital Italy is under the presidency of the Council of Ministers. It regulates use of, storage of, and access to key data, guaranteeing security.  Reinforcing conscientious behaviour of a company or corporation, it is the best way to demonstrate that we are implementing appropriate measures for the Italian cloud market. The certification issued by AGID complies with the ISO/IEC 27001 standard and is verified by a third-party auditor.

GDPR

The General Data Protection Regulation has been in effect since May 25, 2018. It allows for more control over your personal data, as it demands explicit consent to your policies from every prospect visiting your domain prior to accepting them. Hence why there is a consequential awareness regarding this certification. Rainbow services are designed to be compliant with the European General Data Protection Regulation, which enforces individual privacy and data protection on a pan-European scale.

HIPAA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law set up by the United States. It regulates PHI (personal health information) for American healthcare providers, ensuring data security and integrity. It requires multiple safeguards for PHI.

FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is another federal law in the United States. This certification ensures the data privacy of students and forces schools to provide a layer security to their data. It builds on the fact that students should have total control over their records.

ENS

Certification established by the Spanish National Security System in order to have everything in place to guarantee proper protection of information systems against internal and external threats or incidents.

Secure and affordable infrastructure with the ability to federate existing on-premises investments

Secure and adhering to local regulations since its inception back in 2015, Rainbow is being developed with security by design and it remains at the core of our concerns when thinking of improvements and new features. Our design, conception, and service reliability engineer teams are based in the three French Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise offices located in Brest, Illkirch and in Colombes, our headquarters. Both our European and worldwide Rainbow services are  operated by the strategic ALE partner – OVHcloud. Our data centres are available in multiple geographically dedicated regions. Rainbow Edge allows the service to be operated in a customer’s private cloud of choice, providing even more proficient data security. When we say «secure by design», we mean that data in Rainbow is encrypted in transit and at rest (WebRTC, AES-256), providing secure communications for business of all sizes regardless of location. As a solution developed in and operated from Europe, France, Rainbow cannot be forced to comply to neither the CLOUD act nor the PATRIOT Act.

Les solutions de communication ont longtemps été associées à des aspects de cybersécurité obligeant les entreprises à déployer de grands efforts (portant sur des éléments comme les reverse proxy ou session border controllers, mais aussi des terminaux hyper sécurisés mais dédiés) pour sécuriser les périodes de travail de leurs salariés dans et en dehors des murs de l’entreprise.

Or non seulement ces solutions sont devenues maintenant bien plus simples à déployer et adopter pour les clients (les flux sécurisés sont acceptés largement par les équipes sécurité, plateformes secure by design, souveraineté des données pour les plateformes Européennes, déploiement en centre de données privé ‘edge’), mais elles contribuent maintenant grandement à l’apport additionnel de services pour la sécurité physique des personnes et des biens dans l’entreprise.

Ces plateformes sont capables de concilier les communications humaines et objets afin de créer de nouveaux services adaptés au contexte particulier des utilisateurs.

Favoriser la communication

Les plateformes de communication peuvent maintenant se connecter à l’écosystème logiciel et infrastructurel de l’entreprise pour apporter des services à valeur ajoutée jusqu’alors insoupçonnés.

Cela tient de leur capacité à transmettre l’information de manière efficace, de la même manière qu’elles savent établir une communication vidéo, qui est avant tout de la donnée, entre plusieurs personnes.

Prenons l’exemple d’une alerte dans un bâtiment (intrusion dans une université, niveau de température d’un objet, détection de mouvement d’une caméra vidéo) : une telle plateforme est capable instantanément de mettre en relation différentes personnes sélectionnées en fonction de leurs compétences dans les données métiers, quelle que soit leur localisation. Ces personnes ont un accès immédiat dans l’espace de travail commun temps réel aux données contextuelles de l’alerte (données, photos, vidéos, fichiers) pour prendre ensemble la meilleure décision.

Inclure, contextualiser, agir vite

On peut noter 3 axes qui permettent de délivrer ces nouveaux services :

• Inclusion : une plateforme de communication permet d’interconnecter les personnes, les objets et les processus métiers. On peut donc transmettre des informations entre un IoT et une personne en temps réel, ou stocker une conversation dans un CRM. De plus, la capacité à connecter un système téléphonique existant ou cloud permet d’inclure les utilisateurs quel que soit le moyen à leur disposition (numérique donc, mais aussi fixe, mobile, applications métiers, SMS, alertes avec suivi, etc..). L’objectif est de permettre aux personnes ciblées de rejoindre facilement et efficacement l’espace de prise de décision.

• Contexte : l’ouverture des plateformes de collaboration leur permet d’être connectée aux données métiers et aux données IoT. Ces données sont utiles aux personnes au moment où elles cherchent à prendre une décision et peuvent leur être envoyées directement dans l’espace de collaboration (en temps réel ou de manière régulière suivant le type de problème qu’elles cherchent à résoudre). La mise à disposition en temps réel du meilleur contexte aux bonnes personnes est un axe fort d’optimisation des processus de l’entreprise. Ce contexte peut prendre la forme de données métiers sélectionnées, données objet, flux de caméra temps réel, images de drones, fichiers, synthèses créées par IA, etc… Toute information disponible dans l’entreprise peut être acheminée si elle est organisée et identifiable au motif de la collaboration.

• Réaction : Les plateformes de communication ont aussi la capacité de se connecter aux infrastructures de l’entreprise. Elles peuvent être bien-sûr l’infrastructure téléphonique pour permettre aux employés contrôler leur téléphone, même en mobilité, et ainsi ne jamais perdre un appel. Cela peut aussi être le réseau ou la domotique du bâtiment pour notifier en temps réel les ingénieurs support des éventuels problèmes. Cela leur permet de les corriger directement dans la configuration du réseau grâce à un assistant robot qui leur propose les solutions possibles en temps réel et appliquera leur décision immédiatement dans la configuration. Enfin, un autre exemple est la connexion à l’infrastructure de vidéo-surveillance qui permet de sélectionner les flux intéressants pour les personnes à un moment précis et les envoyer en temps réel dans la conférence vidéo comme si c’était un autre utilisateur de la conférence (ainsi que déplacer la caméra, zoomer sur l’image, etc…).

Faciliter la collaboration de l’humain avec son écosystème

Cette capacité d’intégration dans l’écosystème de l’entreprise offre de nouvelles perspectives de services dans toutes les industries. Elle permet de conserver l’humain en tant que coordinateur de la prise de décision tout en automatisant en temps réel la distribution de la bonne information.

Dans les universités, le responsable de la sécurité souhaite s’assurer que les étudiants et le personnel soient sains et saufs en cas de danger. En cas d’intrusion dans les bâtiments, la plateforme de communication peut en quelques secondes envoyer un message d’alerte sur tous les PC et mobiles des étudiants. Elle peut aussi très rapidement jouer un message audio sur tous les téléphones fixes de l’université notifiant le personnel et les étudiants de cette intrusion.

Dans les collectivités locales, l’organisation d’évènements s’associe souvent à la gestion des impondérables. Lors de l’apparition d’une crise, l’organisateur pourra lancer une cellule de crise qui va automatique sélectionner les intervenants en fonction de l’heure et du lieu de la crise, les alerter et les inviter dans la cellule de crise. En parallèle, les informations contextuelles de la crise (fichiers, photos) sont envoyées en temps réel dans la cellule. Le flux de caméra de surveillance le plus intéressant est sélectionné dans le système de surveillance et envoyé en temps réel dans la cellule pour être visible des participants. Les échanges sont enregistrés et archivés pour être mis à disposition d’une intelligence artificielle en charge de synthétiser l’avancée de la gestion de crise.

Pour une régie de transport régionale, l’électrification des bus s’accompagne de nouveaux risques liés aux batteries et à leur supervision. Les données de température des batteries sont collectées et analysées. En cas de risque d’incendie sur une batterie, il faut réagir vite pour éviter la propagation dans l’entrepôt. La plateforme de communication va envoyer des alertes aux personnes en charge de la supervision via SMS, appel mobile, cellule de crise. Les données de température et la localisation du problème est envoyé automatiquement dans la cellule de manière régulière.

La sécurité naît de la confiance

Ces exemples variés démontrent que les entreprises ont maintenant une volonté de favoriser l’usage et l’optimisation de l’expérience utilisateurs à un arsenal sécuritaire qui a souvent tendance à limiter grandement la performance de l’investissement.

La communication d’entreprise évolue rapidement dans 2 directions : l’écosystème de l’entreprise est mis à disposition des utilisateurs dans leur interface de collaboration, et les communications en temps réel sont de plus en plus intégrées dans cet écosystème.

En somme, la confiance des décideurs dans les plateformes de collaboration souveraines ouvre grandement la porte à une nouvelle génération de services intégrant efficacement les personnes, les process et les objets, en tissant des liens de valeur entre différentes parties de leur écosystème.

La plateforme Rainbow par Alcatel-Lucent Entreprise est une plateforme développée en France utilisée par plus de 3 millions d’utilisateurs. Elle héberge les données au plus près de ses clients dans ses nombreux centres de données opérationnels en France et sur tous les continents. La plateforme Rainbow permet de proposer non seulement des services de communication et de collaboration dans l’entreprise et en mobilité, mais elle connecte aussi les infrastructures de l’entreprise tels que réseaux, serveurs de communication, objects connectés, systèmes d’opération des bâtiments, caméras de vidéo-surveillance, drones… pour apporter de nouveaux services aux usagers.

Alcatel-Lucent Entreprise s’appuie sur un solide réseau mondial de 3000 partenaires composé de distributeurs et d’intégrateurs qui fournissent des solutions holistiques répondants aux besoins particuliers de leurs clients dans différentes verticales. 

Cet article à été co-écrit avec Pierre-Yves Noel, Directeur du service Cloud pour la solution Rainbow ALE. Pierre-Yves a 25 ans d’expérience dans différents pays et gère des offres pour les marchés internationaux.

Contact: pierre-yves.noel@al-enterprise.com

As often as it is mentioned, there probably are as many definitions of digital transformation as there are people discussing it. Whatever your role in the process, be it assisting your customers with their transformational journey or taking responsibility for the whole scope or only a part of digital transformation for your organization, I found it helpful to associate the concept of digital transformation with that of a never-ending process, in which you only know where the journey begins, but not where it ends.

Why you need to embark on a digital transformation journey

Starting with the reason why an organization needs or wants to transform it can usually be narrowed down to one or several of the following reasons:

• Optimization: Improving business processes and productivity across the organization,
• Competition: Differentiating in existing markets and expanding into new ones,
• Attractiveness: Delivering better customer and user experience as well as improving employee engagement and retention,

There is plenty of room for discussion as, according to Jabil’s 2018 Digital Transformation Survey, only eight percent of respondents consider their organization as fully digitized.

It is thus important to define what an organizations intent behind going digital is. To help the discussion, I usually start with setting up a common ground of terminology so that everyone is aligned on the topics discussed. I found the definitions proposed by Peter High to be pretty much accurate and helpful in fixing concepts such as Digitization, Digitalization and Digital transformation in others minds:

Digitization is the conversion of analog or physical information to digital. Example of digitization is the conversion of instruction manuals from paper to digital, newspapers using digital channels (website, app) to deliver content, etc.

Digitalization is the use of digital technologies to enable or improve business models and processes. An example of digitalization would be providing on-site mechanics with line-of-sight digital instructions to improve efficiency and reduce errors, or newspapers expanding their offering through paywalls, videos, podcasts and VR, using analytics to drive and retain subscriptions.

Digital Transformation is the coordinated digitalization change effort at scale, diffused through all aspects of the operating model and business, including people, processes, technologies and metrics within an organization.  Digital transformation in the example of a local newspaper would be to go ‘Digital First’, prioritizing digital subscriptions to support digital revenue.

Depending on an organizations digital maturity and sector of activity, we need to start off by mapping the path from the current state to the next steps in the digital transformation journey.

Mapping the digital transformation journey and elaborating where it’s leading to

Whether it starts with digitalization of one business process or creating a vision for the full-scale digital transformation of an organization, it is of utmost importance to consider the following aspects of said organization

Assess the needs –  identify current and future business needs, the competitive landscape,  existing technologies and skills as well as the urgency to transform. Map business value of business processes, applications and tools and weigh them against the amount of investment needed to digitize them.

Plan for the long term – digital transformation, as well as any other transformational process, takes time. Carefully plan the evolution, starting with the digitization of a single business process or application, while securing a long-term budget, and including intermediate steps. Business continuity should also be taken into account to ensure that current applications and processes will continue to function while transitioning to new ones.

Finance the journey – as digital transformation is expensive, but aims to generate even more revenue. The two main ways to generate return on investment (ROI) are cost saving and revenue increase. An organizations Digital Transformation business plan should include both elements to demonstrate RoI over time, with follow-up key-performance indicators (KPIs) to allow for progress monitoring and adjustment where and when required.

Risk management – as going digital brings its cohort of risks and threats, such as crashes or security breaches, which might impact service availability. Compliancy to national and international regulations also requires time and money. Careful risk monitoring and detection as well as mitigation strategies are critical components to any successful digital transformation journey.

Prioritization – to ensure long term success, find out which areas of digital transformation will have the biggest impact on the organizations activity and business. As in any transformation, it is important to continuously communicate on positive outcomes, like quicks wins and larger improvements in efficiency and/or agility.

What to include in your baggage when going on a digital transformation journey

The inventory of an organizations components will play a major role in the success of digital transformation. A good starting point might be a list to cover the following:

Users – who will get value from the digital transformation? This could be an organizations taff, but also users from suppliers, partners and customers.

Experience – It is important to know the way the users interact with product and services, especially the digital native profiles, to understand and identify the gaps in the existing user experience. The digital transformation should contribute to building a coherent and attractive digital user experience.

Channels – as digital transformation may impact go-to-market strategies, it is important to identify possible digital enhancements to existing channels. Digital transformation could also create totally new delivery channels leveraging APIs and other digital means such as social media, IoT and messaging services.

Products & Services – Assessing how users interact with customer products and services, and how digital transformation might impact them is business critical. Digitalization might improve how products and services are delivered and used by users. Digital transformation can also be a source for new offers.

Technology – as an enabler of digital transformation, technology is the foundation of any digital strategy. Still, technology should be strongly connected to user needs and requirements, with the capability of monitoring the impact it has on business objectives. Technology stacks for Digital Transformation usually include connected objects (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud services (XaaS) and analytics.

Processes – identifying how business is done in customer organizations and what processes could benefit the most from digitalization is important as it drives the choice of technology. Knowing which aspects of a given business process can be improved can also make measuring improvement and return on investsment easier.

People – Most important asset in any strategy. The staff will dictate success or failure of a digital transformation strategy. Success heavily depends on people’s capability to acquire new skills and eventually adopt the new technology. They need to be onboarded using proper change management, including communication and training best practices.

How to pick up the right vehicle for your Digital Transformation journey

For any organization, beginning the journey of digital transformation can be a daunting task, with the risk of conflicting demands from various departments, wrong resource allocation or placing the wrong people in charge and using wrong KPIs – all of which would be setting the digital transformation up for failure.

The Internet is full of frameworks and methodologies to drive a successful digital transformation strategy. One I like in particular for its flexibility is the framework detailed by Harvard Business Review. HBR’s proposition is a simple framework that describes the four pillars of a successful digital transformation strategy.

As per HBR’s research, the four pillars are part of most digital transformation strategies. For each of the pillars, the framework details what it entails – benefits that can be expected, required capabilities, KPIs and the type of required C-level sponsorship. Understanding what each pillar covers and depending on the organization’s context and digital maturity, it is then easier to decide on the starting point and map the journey to digital transformation success.

IT uplift – as the upgrade of IT infrastructure is a mandatory step in any digital transformation journey. It rewards access to new tools, collection and exploit of data, lower IT cost, and improvement of overall performance and employee satisfaction. This is often the very first step of a Digital transformation journey, and it usually falls under the CIO or CTO to manage this pillar.

Digitizing operations – once existing business processes have been identified and documented, it is time to assess if and how digitalization can help optimizing them. This pillar is where digitization and digitalization occur. It also provides a competitive edge to the organization as without it, the risk of being left behind by more efficient operators is huge. Necessity to understand business requirements and operations make the CFO or COO the ideal sponsor for this pillar.

Digital marketing – this pillar deals with new acquisition channels such as the digital acquisition funnel, artificial intelligence (AI), and basically every mean to get insights about user behaviour with products and services like data science. This pillar is also in charge of omnichannel interaction with users. CMO is the logical sponsor for the digital marketing pillar.

New ventures – as digital transformation may open new opportunities for growth, it is important to consider its impact on an organization and its business model. The need for investment and agility to experiment and validate new business opportunities make the CEO or CSO the right sponsor for this pillar. This pillar requires more digital maturity than the IT uplift or digitizing operations pillars.

Digital transformation journey: the proper tools and guide

As an organization undergoes its journey to a successful digital transformation, traditional project management comes in handy, like support of project management office (PMO). But addressing the people aspect of digital transformation may require advanced change management practices.

Change management frameworks are used to manage the ‘human side of a digital transformation project. It focuses on assessing the status and ensuring proper adoption of new paradigms by all users impacted by the change. Identifying and activating proper C-level sponsorship as well as enabling mid-management to play their role as guides in the digital transformation journey is paramount.