Enterprise Times met with Gert-Jan Wijman the VP & General Manager EMEA of Celigo at Oracle NetSuite’s conference, SuiteWorld 2024 in Las Vegas. The company provides integration and automation platform (iPaaS) on a mission to simplify how companies integrate, automate, and optimise processes.
Wijman discussed the increasing trend of the integration of ERPs, CMS, middleware components, and automation, including AI. His remit is to focus on mid-market companies with up to $1 billion in revenue, emphasising a broader automation platform rather than best-in-class products.
Celigo recently announced a B2B integration manager, targeting the eCommerce verticals. Key challenges include data management and maturity levels of clients. Tips for businesses include self-awareness of their maturity stage, finding trusted advisors, and involving business people in projects. The conversation also touched on the importance of low-code/no-code solutions and the influence of independent advisors in Europe.
Wijman says “Automation through integration, because it’s not just integration, it’s a broader area. Our announcement here about B2B manager fits in that strategy.” B2B Manager, is a new solution from Celigo designed to simplify self-service EDI management. With this release, Celigo customers can centrally manage EDI and API based business-to-business and application-to-application integrations through a single platform.
What are the key challenges that business face to effectively integrate and automate their business processes?
Wijman suggests that the key challenge was getting enterprises to understand where they are in the technological maturity scale. Celigo initially provided point integration solutions prior to the company building their current platform. Many companies, particularly small-medium enterprises either bought standalone point solutions, or absorbed technology in that way. Inevitably, they developed integration challenges, applications that did not talk to each other and data silos.
“We have a model which describes the characteristics of the different maturity stages. Then we ask customers, where they see their technical stack today and going forward. Celigo aligns with these companies. Depending on where they are in their maturity journey, we take them by the hands guide them along their journey.
“Before they move-up the technological maturity level and start developing a centralised strategy, they need to have a person responsible in the company. That individual needs to be empowered to be able to make decisions.”
What are your top key tips for an enterprise looking to embrace integration through automation?
- Know where the business is on the maturity journey. Assess their current capabilities and readiness for automation and integration. “Looking for outside knowledge is sensible step to take. It can be difficult for an organisation to make a fair judgment about itself. So having an external company gives providing insight can be useful,” said Wijman.
- Find a trusted advisor who can help you evaluate your maturity level and guide you to the next stage. “Find an external trusted partner they can trust and can confirm the current status of their technical stack. Further this partner could assist them into the next stage of their technical evolution.”
- Align your automation and integration efforts with your business goals and build a solid business case.
- Involve both IT and business stakeholders in the project to drive better processes and increase adoption.
- Prioritise simplicity and ease of use in the technology you choose, especially for mid-market companies with limited IT resources.
- Be aware of cultural changes and change management needs when automating business processes.
- Consider the role of composable architecture and platforms that provide a broader set of automation capabilities.
Wijman summarises that, “The key is to understand the organisation’s current state. Get the right guidance and balance the technical and organisational aspects to successfully embrace integration and automation.”
How about the cultural impact of technological change?
Wijman acknowledged that automating business processes can have a real impact on people’s jobs and how the organisation operates. Effective change management is crucial to address this.
He also advised involve a wide range of stakeholders Business Stakeholders. Celigo advocates for involving business people, not just IT, in automation and integration projects. This can help drive better processes that actually work for the business. He mentioned the concept of “citizen developers” – business users, often younger and more tech-savvy, who can play an active role in shaping and deploying automation solutions.
“The key is to recognise the cultural and organisational impact of automation. Then proactively address it by involving business stakeholders and empowering citizen developers. This ensures the technology is accessible and aligned with the company’s maturity and change management capabilities.”
What are your thoughts on the idea of Democratising technology? Making tech much more accessible and easier to use.
“This is in line with what Gartner have raised as technology democratization. We believe IT departments need to work closely with other key business stakeholders to deliver solutions. Particularly in this area of automation and integration, where there are so many internal dependencies.
“It is important to have people involved in a project that have a different perspective based on their role in the organisation. This can help drive success in the outcomes in the end.”
Celigo’s approach is to make their platform simple and accessible enough for non-technical users to participate in automation projects, rather than leaving it solely to the IT department. Wijman emphasised the importance of balancing the technical capabilities of the automation platform with the organisational and cultural readiness of the company.
What are your thoughts on the increasing trend of MACH architecture particularly among European SMES and the rise of the MACH Alliance?
Wijman confirmed that Celigo is aware of the MACH Alliance and the trend towards composable architecture. He mentioned that Celigo is in the process of getting involved in this area.
He noted that the MACH trend and the influence of independent advisors seem to be more prominent in the European market compared to the US market. He suggested that the composable, modular approach of MACH architecture could suit Celigo’s target mid-market customers, who may not require the full functionality of large, monolithic platforms.
Wijman observed that the MACH approach and the involvement of independent advisors in Europe can sometimes create a different dynamic for technology vendors, compared to the more direct marketing approach seen in the US market. He indicated Celigo is closely monitoring the MACH trend and its impact on the market, especially in the European context. As a result, the company is working to adapt their strategy and offerings accordingly.
Overall, Wijman recognise the significance of the MACH architecture trend, particularly in the European mid-market. Consequently, Celigo is actively engaged in understanding and aligning their solutions with this evolving landscape.
