Technology has always been important. There is nothing more ubiquitous today than Information Technology. It surrounds us in the shape of work tools, cloud systems, fintech services and other various forms of hardware and software. For this reason, IT in decision-making is extremely important. However, today, IT departments themselves, have less and less say in the matter.
LinkedIn’s 7th Annual Technology Buying Research for 2020 and 2021 surveyed more than 5000 technology decision makers around the globe. The main takeaways are that the new decade is all about working smarter, rather than harder. Potential clients seek better value propositions, and value trust in business relationships.
From King to Advisor
The study’s most important finding was that ‘63% of influential business functions now sit outside the IT department.’ This means that the IT department no longer has the final word in purchasing decisions. However, this does not mean that they have no role in them. On the contrary, they have an increased responsibility in educating and consulting their non-IT colleagues.
In order to help other departments make the best choice, the IT department has to be empowered as teachers and advisors. Internal Communications must focus on this subject. Especially in this age when innovations are regular – and companies are in a constant need to adapt them in order to stay competitive.
The previous seems to contradict the fact that most B2B buyers value reliability and long-term relationships. But it all makes sense when we see that innovation is not the only thing important to them. B2B buyers value the feeling of being understood and cared for just as much as they value innovation. Flexibility is also an important point for them.
A New, Tech-savvy Generation of Employees
The new generation if B2B decision-makers is generally more tech-savvy as their older peers. Most of the time even if they work in a non-IT department, they know exactly what technologies they need to do their jobs. They depend less on the IT division, when searching for new hardware or software.
In some cases they might even know more than the IT people, because they are more familiar with the software needed for their work. This is why companies need to understand the new generation of B2B buyers fist, before aiming any Digital Marketing at them.