FRANKFURT, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The COVID-19 pandemic has driven more German enterprises to adopt intelligent automation technologies such as robotic process automation and artificial intelligence, according to a new report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.

The 2020 ISG Provider Lens™ Intelligent Automation – Solutions and Services Report for Germany finds that enterprises in the country are embracing digital transformation to help future-proof their businesses. At the heart of the transformation are intelligent automation technologies, including cognitive optical recognition, machine learning, natural language processing and advanced analytics.

The report focuses on providers that offer proprietary platforms and related integration and delivery support services. Many companies prefer this type of solution, while others prefer to work with consultants and providers, such as ISG Automation, that are platform-agnostic and offer integration and support services across a range of platforms.

“German enterprises want to remain competitive, increase agility and effectively deliver value to customers, and intelligent automation drives forward these goals,” said Jan Erik Aase, partner and global leader, ISG Provider Lens research.

The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, meanwhile, will be long-lasting, and enterprises that implement intelligent automation will be able to optimize costs, productivity and capacity, while reducing risks in the short term, the report says. In many cases, however, German enterprises lack the knowledge to implement intelligent automation on their own and are instead seeking outside service providers to revamp their business and IT operations.

The report finds large enterprises in Germany rapidly embracing intelligent automation, while mid-sized companies are gradually moving in this direction.

Many businesses are extending automation to front- and middle-office functions, the report adds. Automation is common in IT infrastructure operations and traditional back-office tasks such as finance and accounting, but German enterprises are now adding automation to supply chain, customer service, and sales and marketing functions.

The reason to implement intelligent automation extends beyond reducing headcount, the report says. The goal is shifting from cost savings to improved productivity, amid a growing appreciation that technology automates routine work, but doesn’t replace jobs. Enterprises with advanced automation capabilities expect the technology to improve employee productivity, data accuracy and customer experiences.

At the same time, German enterprises are focusing on organizational change management to help employees adapt to the introduction of advanced technologies into business processes and to allay fears about job losses. Companies are encouraging employees to embrace automation and foster a culture of collaboration with digital tools for transactional tasks.

German companies are also focusing on reskilling and upskilling employees for jobs of the future, the report adds. Several organizations are collaborating with service providers to train employees in digital skills such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced analytics to empower them to focus on high-value tasks.

The 2020 ISG Provider Lens™ Intelligent Automation – Solutions and Services Report for Germany evaluates the capabilities of 44 providers across three quadrants: Intelligent Business Automation, Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations (AIOps) and Conversational AI. The report evaluates only those providers offering their own proprietary automation platforms; it does not cover independent providers, like ISG Automation, that offer solutions across a range of platforms.

The report names Accenture, Arvato Systems, Atos, Capgemini, DXC Technology and IBM as Leaders in two quadrants and Artificial Solutions, Axians, Cognigy, DATAGROUP, TCS and Wipro as Leaders in one.

In addition, All for One Group, Almato, CANCOM and HCL were named Rising Stars—companies with “promising portfolios” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition—in one quadrant each.

A customized version of the report is available from Artificial Solutions.

The 2020 ISG Provider Lens™ Intelligent Automation – Solutions and Services Report for Germany is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.

About ISG Provider Lens™ Research

The ISG Provider Lens™ Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG's global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG's enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe, as well as in the U.S., Germany, Switzerland, the U.K., France, the Nordics, Brazil and Australia/New Zealand, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage.

A companion research series, the ISG Provider Lens Archetype reports, offer a first-of-its-kind evaluation of providers from the perspective of specific buyer types.

About ISG

ISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 700 clients, including more than 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,300 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countries—a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry’s most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit www.isg-one.com.

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