BANGALORE, INDIA: Each day new technology floods the market. So which is the right technology for your own optimization and what is the right time to invest is going to the major challenges ahead, says N. Kailsanathan, Vice-President & CIO of Titan Group. In an interview with Manu Sharma of CIOL Bureau, spoke on some of his major accomplishments as a CIO to what he would like to hear from the vendors in the coming fiscal.

CIOL: There has been a lot of noise on IT spending and breakthrough implementations? How much of this mere tom-tomming and how much of this makes an impact on the ground?
KN: I would not like to term it as breakthrough. IT has improved the processes and simplified them to make things more robust and reliable. Innovations happen the way IT is managed.

CIOL: A lot of organizations link IT budget with the company’s growth? What do you have to say about it?KN: Can you say that by investing in an ERP your turnover will grow? But what will happen is your ability to analyze the data will become much better. Certain areas like supply chain, we also have to link directly with the alignment in the field.

CIOL: What are some of the challenges faced by you as a CIO?
KN: Getting more and more money out of the system by investing in IT is a major challenge. Once you have set up the base like ERP, Planning, Networking in order, getting funds to upgrade the system is another challenge. Management asks why do you need to upgrade when things are running smoothly?
Security is another big thing that needs constant upgradation but getting funds again and again is not easy.

CIOL: Does your enterprise consider spending money on the latest IT implementation as a burden or do they feel it is an investment and mandatory for any organization?
KN: Long term investment can create a problem but now every one looks at investment with quick returns.

CIOL: Can you site any specific area where IT has come as an accomplishment in your stint as a CIO?
KN: We have done some advanced planning and optimization of a software, that has really helped the business. It was optimization of not only the products but also the deliveries.

CIOL: What would you like to hear from the vendors during the next fiscal?
KN: Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is going forward will play a major role in the way you integrate the system. A lot of integration is through home grown applications they will come under a standard platform of SOA.
Since a lot is happening on the retailing front, a lot of technologies will come into the market like RFID. Besides CRM is another major area to identify the customers’ needs.

CIOL: What has your organization doing on the IT green front?
KN: Our organization is not a major consumer of power but what every one is talking about today is how to save on electricity. Green technology is a very big subject from green buildings to green computers and a lot of works needs to be done.

CIOL: What are the challenges you foresee during the coming years?
KN: More challenges are about running the business than IT. When things begin to work well, getting funds for improving/enhancing is a major challenge. Security is another challenge since it is a perennial problem.
Implementing new technologies at the right time is another challenge. But since all technologies don’t work and you have to be very careful about the products that are flooding the market.