This year will definitely be remembered as a period of difficulties, changes and uncertainty. However, they say that the most innovative ideas are born in moments of serious crises, because that is human nature. In this regard, this year is a great opportunity for sectors that have so far for some reason lagged behind in the process of digital transformation to catch up and impress with achievements and innovations, says Milen Ganev, partner in "E-Card".
It is hardly surprising that the leaders in digital transformation come from areas such as information technology, telecommunications, finance and manufacturing. While the current situation has forced many organizations to tighten their budgets, digitalisation initiatives in these industries will certainly continue in full force once the situation normalizes. It is in the companies from these sectors that we can see interesting examples of integrating different business process management systems, implementing artificial intelligence and robotics solutions, introducing the Internet of Things, using VR and AR technologies, and bigger and bigger utilization of cloud computing and mobile solutions, explained Milen Ganev.
According to data from 2019, the banking and financial services sector covers the largest share of the overall market for digital transformation, according to a report by Meticulous Research. It is no coincidence that statistics reveal such results - usually mobile payments and the possibility of facial recognition are just the tip of the iceberg. Almost every modern financial institution uses artificial intelligence both in customer service and to detect and prevent fraud. At the same time, the rise of fintech companies is proof that technology has definitely taken over this industry.
According to Prof. Valentin Kisimov, director of the Center for Computer Innovative Systems at the University of National and World Economy, this year will be a turning point in terms of digital transformation initiatives. He is adamant that especially now organizations need more online access, and this can be guaranteed through the use of modern technological solutions. "That's why we need to transform our lives in a digital way," he said.
In this regard, for a number of industries, emergencies are becoming a serious motivation and incentive to move in the direction of digital transformation and to make significant investments in it. This is precisely the case with education, which has faced the challenge of moving to distance learning in a matter of days. However, Prof. Kisimov points out that online teaching does not mean just standing in front of a camera and talking into a microphone. The transformation process is far more comprehensive and this is only the initial stage.
"We were not ready for full and complete online learning. We have taken the first steps and for our university they are successful. For me there should be no return to normal, we need to see how to expand what we have started and better define how to use it. ", the expert clarifies. He adds that personal contact between students and teachers is difficult to replace, but the digital form of teaching will certainly occupy an important part of the overall education in the future.
Another sector in which there is a significant need for the introduction of innovative solutions for digital transformation is the state administration, said Milen Ganev, a partner in "E-Card". According to him, the need to visit offices and wait at service counters, which can easily happen online in a much shorter time, should be completely eliminated.
In recent months, a number of new state electronic services have been introduced in Bulgaria to limit the spread of the coronavirus. This external factor has allowed a number of organizations in the state administration to focus their attention on the nature and possibilities of digital transformation. Despite the progress made, however, the demand for innovation in the field remains huge, said Milen Ganev.
Experts advise that in order to achieve long-term results and maintain the trend in the state administration, the emphasis should be on creating sustainability, as well as to build and maintain a policy in support of technology. Such an approach will be a guarantee that not only concrete solutions are implemented, but also that such digitalization initiatives become an integral part of the development of the state administration in the long run.
The pandemic has actually become a kind of litmus test for digitalization. Those companies that had built systems and platforms quickly managed to adapt to the new conditions. Other organizations must try to catch up with their competitors, because otherwise they risk losing their place in the market. But the effort for digital transformation is never in vain - it is an endless process driven by continuous technological innovation that is never too late to start.
E-CARD is a Bulgarian company, started in 2000 it established itself on the market through the prepaid card for internet access and E-CARD payments. From the very beginning, the company's mission is to offer innovative solutions in the field of web-based services and sites, as well as in the field of mobile marketing. E-CARD is a software leader in the field of interactive applications and web-based services. The company has won three Deloitte awards, which regularly assess the quality and pace of development of E-CARD and place the company in the top 50 of Europe.
In the last 5 years the company has implemented dozens of large-scale projects with international and Bulgarian partners - CELADOR, ENDEMOL, EYEWORKS, SIA Advertising, Global Films, NOVA Television, Diema Vision, production company EDITA and others. The company works with all three mobile operators in the country - A1, Telenor and VIVACOM. Some of the most successful TV formats in Bulgaria have started together with a website and video streaming platform with our own payment system implemented by our team: Big Brother - seasons 1, 2, 3 and 4, special VIP editions of the show and Big Brother Family; Star Academy and the online version of the game "Get Rich". Before the introduction of smartphones, E-CARD created and developed some of the most successful and popular SMS games in Bulgaria.