Executive Juliana Sguerra recently took over as CEO de Boston Consulting Group (BCG) In colombia.
He explains that the use of technology and ways of working are issues that are on the minds of entrepreneurs.
(Read: Cerámica Italia expects to grow 35% in sales in 2022).
What can be the differential of BCG with the competition?
It is the way we work with our clients. We do not get to impose a solution made from before. It seeks to understand the client’s problem, what is the reality and its culture to create with the solutions and put them into practice. When I started in the United States, consulting was very focused on taking a PowerPoint document and leaving the suggestion of the strategy or the solution of the problem. Now they accompany each other and we work hand in hand to achieve the success of the projects, which makes them more tangible when it comes to making the impact visible. That’s where the value is.
How do you see the progress of business?
After the pandemic, 2022 should continue to pick up. In line with the 10% growth of the economy last year, we believe in the OECD forecast that the country can grow 5.5%. That is a good estimate since we believe in private consumption and in the confidence that exists around the average consumer. A study by BSG on the consumer showed us the change from uncertainty to tranquility and I believe that the issue of changing habits and savings is going to keep spending on spending and that is going to continue fueling the country’s growth. The agility in vaccination has contributed a lot.
Because of inflation, isn’t there a greater tendency to save?
Inflation is a global and local issue that we are seeing. That is going to affect consumption but I don’t think it will necessarily affect growth. But there are some areas where consumers do want to spend. We have seen it in international tourism as well as in the local one. We already see an appetite for local investments for this area, as well as a change in consumer habits to eat healthier food and exercise. All this means that there are some expenses for some items that were not seen before. The issue of health is very important.
What are employers worried about?
Several things. The first thing is to recover that growth that they allowed to have in 2020 and 2021 and how they position themselves in the face of the changes that have arisen in society. So they think about how they put the accelerator on all technological, digital and information use issues in order to respond to new trends. The other thing is how bardan approach the new ways of working, how they go back to make sure that their employees are happy but also productive enough, with a care for their health. In BCG we have the theory of bionic companies who see how they are strengthened with the use of technology not only in the field of industrial processes but also in the use and processing of information, and how they offer their clients something personalized because those are their new requirements when it comes to interact with companies.
(Also: Increases competition in digital banking in Colombia).
And the investment mood?
In some industries there is an appetite and in others we see the decision to spend towards what generates the most value for them. The pandemic has caused companies to rethink the way they direct their spending to reposition themselves for the future. The political situation also makes them think about what to do.
Does that also affect mergers and acquisitions?
Not necessarily. When there are good opportunities and companies have realized that they have to grow, they are willing to carry out these operations. It is an area that can have a lot of activity this year. In 2021 it was very important.
BRIEFCASE
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