In an exclusive interview with Pro MFG Media, Mr. Pankaj Miital Ceo and Founder - Digizen Consulting talks about various aspects around digitalization and covers topics ranging from cyber security, new age technologies, and its requirements in the manufacturing sector.
Cyber security at Core of Digital Transformation- for Startups, MSMEs & Enterprises
Cyber security holds a paramount importance across the globe and its requirement today, not only spans across sectors but also in organizations of every size. Whether it’s a product, platform, service, or an enterprise by itself, the threat vectors keep changing and it becomes essential to ensure safety for your application and offerings. There is a constant need to protect your privacy, security, confidentiality, integrity, accountability all across.
“Today, organizations, startups and SMEs are accelerating their digital presence with omni-channel reach. There are a lot of phishing and cyber attacks taking place. In my advice to the people, systems or organizations; irrespective of the product or a platform should ensure security at the core of your business structure.”
Since pandemic, the chief risk officers and the chief information security officers across organizations are vigorously pursuing- Business continuity planning (BCP) for business continuity and disaster recovery. The paradigm in the security world has changed drastically. In aspects of privacy, new frameworks like GDPR and PDP are shaping up in organizations. Besides technology, businesses are also keenly looking into governance and compliance, along with the risk associated with it.
Now since everyone is working from home, they have the access to data, cameras, and applications, with device usage anywhere and anytime. Today, security is no longer confined to the boardrooms, data centers or the security operation centers but it completely operates borderless. Some of the world's largest organizations, and top Indian startups, have witnessed multiple breaches, in the last few months and according to Pankaj the issue was that all the companies were more focused on their product positioning than actively regulating security hygiene within the system.
He said: “Continuous awareness and guidance learning should be an integral part of the entire strategy and should be well executed. Sometimes there are insider threats which crops from may be a wrong code in the application, improper configurations, maintaining and managing patches etc. So there are numerous challenges one needs to take care of. Therefore more and more awareness programmes should form a part of internal exercise for continuous improvement. Also planning and mentoring is important to ensure the right infrastructure for security.
“Enterprises should ensure subsequent amounts of security, however 100% security is a myth and it will always be a cat and mouse game. Some may find new ways to breach the firewalls, security perimeter; and so one needs to continuously monitor and find recovery ways to fix it.”
Adoption of Blockchain, AI and Robotics Technologies by Manufacturing organizations in India
Due to Covid-19, supply chain has witnessed drastic disruption; and there is disparity amid partners and vendors. The entire ecosystem showcased disposition in terms of information flow and data within stakeholders of a company. The new-age technologies like intelligence, machine learning, human robotics, and blockchain have played a key role to ensure that the citizens, customers, vendors, suppliers are on the same page. Also technologies like DLT can help create transparency into the system.
Pankaj adds: “In manufacturing, there's a huge amount of Wastage and technologies like AIML are plugging the gaps. For example: Talking about a cement manufacturing company’s conveyor belt, when the truck got loaded, the count was almost 100-120 bags at one time but when that truck was about to pass from the factory, the count was only 85-90. There was definitely a pilferage from the conveyor belt, from a loading section and this was happening on a continuous basis. So we installed an AI enabled camera on top of the conveyor belt and every time a cement bag would pass through there was a counter.
This meant we could spot the mistakes and rectify it immediately. We also used to measure the weight of the truck tire when it was empty and when it was filled with 80 and 100 bags. So, these two counter solutions helped us. With video analytics in place, we reduced the pilferage almost to zero.”
Manufacturing companies are now adopting digital technologies like AI and machine learning; and understanding its importance. Traditionally, not even 1% of the budget of the organization was being spent on it by manufacturing organizations. Today, organizations are adopting cloud, SAP and the entire digital transformation with proper mapping is taking place. Using normal business analytics and business intelligence to make prediction and predictive intelligence has led to reduction in wastages and has a good balance between the supply and demand. Today companies are also digitizing their entire learning module with the use of AR and VR.
MSMEs Enabling Holistic Digital Transformation
“Whether it’s a MSME or a small startup or a mid-size organization or a large enterprise, the digitization strategy or digitalization of it, will revolve around the offering to the end customer. Then start mapping your digital intents, technology and tools.
It’s all about the process, understanding and mapping the right intents of what customer’s journey would look like and why would the customer come and buy from me. There are various channels, like WhatsApp, voice boards, websites, emails, social media platforms, mobile apps; plethora of them but considering the customer touch point, if I can give them that ‘Wow’ factor experience, then I would think I am on the right path. I would consider various factors like: what is my customer looking for; who is my target customer; what my target geography is; and then execute a reverse mapping of my intent, while considering why I should be different. Then I can club it with a set of technologies like cloud, app, personalized service, personalized mailer etc.”
Digital transformation is a journey and it should keep improving from layer one to layer two, layer three and so on. Keeping customers first and then innovating tools, executing the right technology will help build a holistic environment for companies.
Pankaj MIttal
Pankaj Mittal, CEO, Digizen Consulting; is a Digital transformation strategist and holds over 25 years of progressive leadership experience in IT, security and telecom industries in India and abroad. He has worked across multi geographies and domains in ITeS Service, Banking & Telecom companies & working as IT enabler to business. He has hands-on understanding on Data Center, Security, Cloud & Network solutions across various technologies.He has a good understanding of emerging technologies like RPA, AI/ML, Cloud & Distributed Ledger Technologies (Blockchain) platforms. He is sought-after speaker at various National and International stages on new age technologies
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