Companies
29/09/2016

Partnering with Deloitte, Apple Deepens its Enterprise Push




As Apple Inc.’s latest attempt to boost enterprise sales as its key product, the iPhone, shows signs of maturation, Deloitte LLP will open a new practice to help corporate clients work with Apple products.
 
The two companies announced a partnership on Wednesday to this effect.
 
The companies said that more than 5,000 Deloitte advisers will be included in the Apple initiative. EnterpriseNext, a program aimed at helping clients make better use of Apple products and services, was also launched by the consulting firm.
 
As Apple aims to draw more revenue from a market that some say it has traditionally overlooked, it has announced a steady stream of enterprise partnerships in recent years.
 
Deals with Cisco and SAP have followed a partnership struck with IBM in 2014 signaled Apple's intentions of getting more serious about corporate clients, or enterprise. Apple CEO Tim Cook said in an interview that as companies think strategically about their practices, the deal with Deloitte will ensure that Apple is top of mind.
 
"What's needed now is more of a focus on transforming the enterprise and helping businesses identify which areas have the highest either return on investment or highest impact on customer satisfaction," Cook said. "Deloitte is well positioned for this."
 
Customers can meet with designers and engineers who specialize in Apple's operating system as part of the EnterpriseNext program.
 
"The intent there is to, in one location, bring the best engineers, the best products and the best thinkers to try and address clients' problems," Punit Renjen, CEO of Deloitte Global, said in an interview.
 
After sales of the iPhone, which drives more than half of its revenue, declined for the first time this year Apple faces mounting pressure to find new streams of revenue.
 
Analyst Jan Dawson of Jackdaw Research said that the quickest way to progress in enterprise is to partner with companies rooted in the space and the tech giant appears to have concluded exactly that.
 
Apple's enterprise business had reached $25 billion in annual revenue, Cook said in 2015. He stressed the company is gaining ground but declined to provide a new figure on Wednesday. "The momentum is significant, and we see this as a very important growth vector," he said.
 
“We know that iOS is the best mobile platform for business because we’ve experienced the benefit ourselves with over 100,000 iOS devices in use by Deloitte’s workforce, running 75 custom apps,” said Punit Renjen, CEO of Deloitte Global.
 
“Our dedicated Apple practice will give global businesses the expertise and resources they need to empower their mobile workforce to take advantage of the powerful ecosystem iOS, iPhone and iPad offer, and help them achieve their ambitions, while driving efficiency and productivity,” Renjen added.
 
“As the leader in digital transformation strategy, Deloitte is an ideal partner that brings a team of Apple-dedicated strategic advisors to help clients truly revolutionize how they work using iOS, iPhone and iPad,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO.
 
“iPhone and iPad are transforming how people everywhere get work done. And through this partnership, we’re able to help even more businesses tap into the incredible capabilities that only the Apple ecosystem can deliver,” Cook added.
 
 (Source:www.reuters.com & www.apple.com) 

Christopher J. Mitchell
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