More external pressure to digitalise
Amid a more competitive landscape characterised by supply chain disruptions and with Covid-19 hastening the pace of digitalisation, almost all businesses in the region (99%) have indicated that they are facing external pressure to transform digitally. Key pressure points driving the need to change include changing consumption patterns from their customers and key markets, competitors and growing supply chain complexities. Although businessmen surveyed understood the need for change, at the same time, they are also facing obstacles in adopting new technology. There are top three challenges cited such as speed of change (80%), execution complexity (75%) and lack of digital talent (64%).This is vastly different from the USA and UK where nine in 10 businesses cited that their main challenge was to keep up with the regulatory environment, supporting the perception that both markets have easier access to a pool of digital talent. In terms of digital spend, cash management (33%) and trade or supply chain financing (30%) represent the two biggest investment areas for APAC businesses. This mirrors the business preferences in the UK where six in ten (60%) are focusing their investments on trade and supply chain financing-related technology, while in the US, corporates are dedicating the bulk of their spending to risk & compliance reporting (34%) and cash management (26%) solutions.
Banks viewed as most favoured digitalisation partner in APAC
Banks remain the most popular partner for businesses in APAC to keep abreast of fintech innovations and identify the right solutions, with seven in 10 businesses citing this preference – in line with last year’s survey findings (69%). This is especially prevalent in Vietnam (90%), Indonesia (84%), Thailand (82%), Malaysia (80%), and South Korea (76%) where businesses tend to be more dependent on their banking partners for strategic guidance. In the UK, the level of preference for bank guidance (69%) is also similar to that of APAC (70%).Banks are less preferred in the US (47%), however, as businesses prefer to engage with fintech companies directly (89%). This trend is also prevalent in developed APAC markets such as Singapore (80%), Hong Kong (73%) and China (69%), where businesses prefer regular contact with fintechs. “We are aware that many companies have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, making it difficult for them to run their businesses, especially when the large scale social restriction is being applied, where we need to do all banking transactions from home. Fortunately, Bank DBS has several systems to assist its institutional investor base in digitizing their operations. DBS IDEAL, a corporate digital banking platform owned by Bank DBS is a perfect solution for companies in carrying out its day-to-day operations,” said Corporate Banking Director, PT Bank DBS Indonesia, Kunardy Lie.
Digital trends ahead
The use of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and enterprise cloud solutions in bank connectivity is expected to continue gaining traction among both large and small businesses across the region. APIs remain the most popular way for bank connectivity with almost half of APAC businesses (48%) using it in their current operations compared to cloud-based solutions (31%). But a big shift to cloud is expected in the next three years as it has proven to be a useful tool for businesses to migrate data seamlessly.Six in 10 businesses (59%) in APAC are looking to implement cloud-based solutions in the next three years – as compared with the US (50%) and UK (68%) respectively – with close to three in 10 businesses (29%) planning to implement cloud infrastructure in the coming 12 months.
DBS continues to support businesses in navigating the next normal
As Indonesia and the world adapts to the changes brought upon by Covid-19 disruptions, companies are increasingly seeing the value of going digital and accelerating their digitalisation plans.“The Covid-19 pandemic is the crisis of a generation and has reset the way countries and businesses operate. It has forced many to rethink their strategies to ensure their sustainability. However, every crisis also has its silver lining and there is no better time for corporate leaders to grab the bull by its horns and re-engineer their business blueprints quickly to adapt to the changing landscape to build our businesses back better and stronger,” said Ms Tan Su Shan.To help corporates better understand the implications and opportunities from the shifting landscape, DBS held its annual “DBS Digital Day” last September, bringing together leaders from both the public and private sectors, subject matter experts, corporate clients and employees to share about their experiences and insights in harnessing digital solutions to navigate the new normal.
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About DBS
DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia with a presence in 18 markets. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS is in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank's "AA-" and "Aa1" credit ratings are among the highest in the world.
Recognised for its global leadership, DBS has been named “World’s Best Bank” by Euromoney, “Global Bank of the Year” by The Banker and “Best Bank in the World” by Global Finance. The bank is at the forefront of leveraging digital technology to shape the future of banking, having been named “World’s Best Digital Bank” by Euromoney. In addition, DBS has been accorded the “Safest Bank in Asia” award by Global Finance for 11 consecutive years from 2009 to 2019.
DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets. DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers, and positively impacting communities through supporting social enterprises, as it banks the Asian way. It has also established a SGD50 million foundation to strengthen its corporate social responsibility efforts in Singapore and across Asia.
With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. The bank acknowledges the passion, commitment and can-do spirit in all of our 29,000 staff, representing over 40 nationalities. For more information, please visit www.dbs.com.
