What challenges does companies face to stay competitive?

The implementation of technology to generate value, the offer of sustainable and proximity products, safe payment methods, add online sales channels are some of the factors that according to experts will boost the development of business in Argentina and the region.Another indispensable factor is to have a work team motivated and trained with the skills that this dynamic environment requires today.

Agility and flexibility in decision making

“Today, business dynamics became vertiginous and this will continue to be a constant, and for this it is necessaryIn the construction of a solid long -term business, ”analyzes Carlos Galmarini, director of Public Affairs of Ford Argentina.

“In this sense, to the transformation that had already been going through the automotive industry towards a mobility industry, the challenges of the pandemic that have impacted the demand and complexized the availability and logistics of auto parts globally.Even in this context, by 2021 we are projecting as an industry an important year -on -year growth of both sales and production and exports in Argentina, ”adds Galmarini.

“Currently, the production volumes in Pacheco plant are 30% higher than those of Prepandandemics for which at the end of 2020 we incorporate 320 new collaborators and, recently, at the end of April 2021 we add another 256 new collaborators.In 2021 we are also working on the implementation of the investment project of US $ 580 million to produce the next generation of Ranger in 2023, ”concludes the Ford Executive.

How to improve banking

In the banking sector, Juan Cerruti, chief economist of Santander, considers “very important that both public sector and private sector articulate policies that allow to increase banking and reduce the cost of financing.A consistent and sustainable macroeconomic frame without a doubt would be the necessary condition.Because it would imply less need for emission and lower inflation;consolidating the local currency as a means of payment and reservation of value even for longer periods of time.Recover that is to recover savings, credit, investment and therefore stimulate long -term growth and development ”.

"In short, all policies that stimulate formal savings in the financial system, involve greater‘ raw material ’to grant credits to SMEs, companies and families, at a lower cost.It is also important to reduce the tax burden on the financial industry, since it has increased significantly and this is transferred to the financial cost that people and companies must face, ”says Cerruti.

For the economist, “it is important to avoid the dichotomy between‘ productive sector ’and financial system.They are two sides of the same coin.No industrialized country has developed without a strong and large financial system that finances and promoting it.And no financial system can prosper without companies and families, industries that generate work and pay salaries, and deposit their savings there.Both must grow hand in hand.In addition, it is key to advance in banking that includes ambitious financial inclusion programs, so that the most vulnerable population has access to the services, benefits and discounts that all banking clients have.In terms of financial regulation, although it has been done a lot, you can still continue working to raise barriers that allow the financial system.

With respect to credit, in an still complex environment for pandemic, “we have expectations to consolidate a recovery of credit this year, promoting financing to companies and families to achieve their projects.In some sectors we expect greater demand for loans, such as the agricultural sector, construction, consumption and loans.How much the demand for credits will finally depend on a large part of the performance of the economy in general.But Santander is ready to contribute to the recovery of all sectors, ”concludes Cerruti.

Online presence, a necessity

During the pandemic, the business sales to the public have had to reinvent themselves on the fly so as not to close their doors, among those changes to add the online presence was one of the necessary roads.Thus, combining the online channel with the physique offers huge advantages, since it allows you to create multiple sales combinations according to each need.The options are unlimited and each business can configure their own multichannel strategy.

Adding online presence does not only mean having an online store, but to check what other options through the Internet can generate demand to products or services.According to Alan Soria, Marketing of E.Three, it is key that the ecommerce strategy has a well -defined objective in all channels including social networks, since they are tools that are enhanced with each other.The spokesman explains that when social networks are used as a conversational tool with customers, they can become the third or fourth source of an ecommerce traffic and a great source of conversion.He points out that still many brands are afraid to post or upis one and that is in the center, using all the brand contact points.

Logistics and safe payments

Logistics has become a fundamental link when making an online purchase, since it culminates when the buyer meets its purchase.Alejo r.García Puentes, HOP's Head of Commercial Development, argues that logistics has to focus more on the consumer and understand that true value is to use technology as a tool for logistics transformation, to give the user a better experience and for also for alsoGive better experience in the process, always thinking about something that is more sustainable.“The true value is to give something more, something different, something that integrates the consumer/user with the reality that crosses it: from an improvement of costs, greater flexibility to access a product but must also be remuneration with economic social impact and economic impact andecological ”, concludes bridges Garcia.

On the other hand, safe payments are a demand for society for both physical and online purchase.Today you can go to a store and make a payment through a digital point, with WhatsApp, QR code, payment app among other options, without using cash.According to Valeria Rodríguez, director for Lyra Argentina, this year has a double mission in terms of digital payments.On the one hand, advance in the implementation of postponed security standards last year by the Argentine industry for the pandemic;And on the other hand, businesses must advance in the acceptance and incorporation of new contactless technologies of the Tap to Phone type increasing security and immediacy levels.

Digital advertising to boost sales

Advertising based on what we know about our clients and potential customers will be the key to business.It is important to analyze the information to refine strategies and investment to “sell more” and invest fairness.It is also important to differentiate the role of advertising in our commercial strategy, according to Alberto Pardo, CEO and founder of ADSMOVIL, the brands that have an online store have to balance between the strategies that are made in the face of ecommerce for Upper Funnel or forthe branding part, in order to generate the necessary consideration and transactions are veined.The spokesman also considers that the video is essential for the categories that have historically made an important presence on television, and the alternative is to move to the online video.In turn, in everything that is Gaming is the mega -opportunity that the brands of connecting with billions of people who today play formats have today.Other trends that companies must explore this year are native advertising, retail average, Connected TV and Shoppable ADS, all with a strong focus on increasing conversion.

The impact on human resources

From the look of the human resources industry, “the biggest challenge for 2021 has to do with the fact that companies are able to generate the conditions for the creation of greater opportunities for private, formal and registered employment, within the parameters thatIt imposes the 'new normality', as well as the fight against black work that continues to increase, ”explains Andrea Ávila, CEO of Randstad for Argentina and Uruguay.

The coronavirus shook the labor market strongly, many people lost their jobs or fell into a situation of labor precariousness.“With the course of the months, the industries slowly reactivate, new needs are emerging and a gradual recomposition of the labor market for the coming months is expected.On the other hand, the progress of the digital economy was already raising challenges for all for the short useful life of labor and work skills, ”continues Ávila and continues:“ Pandemia has been an accelerator of these changes, promoting technological transformationof those companies that came more lagging in this matter and sharpening the inequalities among the workers.The health crisis set up an extraordinary scenario, where Reskilling and Upskilling is indispensable to maintain employability.And this condition is more acute in the most vulnerable sectors of society, increasing the need for a public-private articulation for the creation of programs aimed at favoring the inclusion and development of skills with the objective of achieving equal opportunities ”.

Labor and talent inclusion

Remote work brought many opportunities and great challenges.The work world was crossed by technology and both companies and professionals had to adapt quickly to these changes.

Gabriel Pablo Marcolongo, CEO of Includes me.com, affirms that at the time of hiring people with disabilities and working remotely, the only consideration that companies have to have to understand how their digital accessibility tools are.And he adds “that if something tested the pandemic is that you can work from anywhere in the world, as long as you have the possibility that your talents can access a global market, that is, if your trades or your knowledge can be used, they can be provided viaa computer and an internet connection, no matter where you are based.And if you have the correct accessibility tools, your client is the world basically.Today, where do you have to focus on as an organization is to understand the accessibility of your systems.

Insurance market reinvention

“I understand that the insurance market will be aligned to the incipient recovery of the economy in general terms.But to leverage growth even more we must innovate in the supply of products, generate new insurance modalities, adapt to demand through more personalized and disruptive products, offer more services and be very attentive to the needs of the insured, ”says GabrielBussola, president of Libra Seguros.

Digitization in the insurance market has also been of great value for improvement in terms of agility and management efficiency and processes."Favoring online hiring for a certain customer profile, from Libra we understand that the advice and attention of a producer is irreplaceable, that is why each digitally contracted policy is referred to an insurance producer," says Bussola.

Connectivity, a key link

The countries of the world are involved in a career for bandwidth.One of the industry indexes, the Global Index Speedtest, reports that Argentina is 74 in the world, with an average drop -down speed of 49.64 Mbps, while the country with the highest average speed, Singapore, has 234.40 Mbps.“We are closer to Singapore and less than Ivory Coast in this ranking implies that Argentina managesToday you have no access to that technology, ”says Horacio Martínez, CEO of Silica Networks.

“The world adapted to the pandemic on the march with two essential tools: vaccines to eradicate it and connectivity to survive it.Teleworking, remote classes, distance courses and conferences, even legislative work and government management turned to virtuality.The 2020 will remain as the year of accelerated digital transformation and without anesthesia, and that put companies like ours in the first battle line, simply because digital transformation is impossible without good connectivity.This connectivity depends today on the massive and accelerated deployment of fiber optic networks to the home (FTTH), a subject in which we are delayed with respect to the countries of the region.Just 12.5% of the total fixed connections in homes is by fiber optic, the only technology that can support the growing bandwidth demanded by household users, ”concludes Martínez.