# Flexible Finance: the importance of investment in changing times Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2017-09-13 Category: INVESTING Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/investing Meta Title: UK Finance Execs: Key Strategies for Success in 2017 Meta Description: Discover how UK finance leaders are gearing up for success in 2017 by investing in customer experience, talent, and technology to navigate changing business URL: https://financedigest.com/flexible-finance-the-importance-of-investment-in-changing-timeshtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/fd130917-10-1736843506095-compressed.jpg) _By_ **_Jose Carvalho,_** _Senior Vice President, Global Commercial Payments Europe at American Express_ 2017 has been a challenging year for many British businesses. Business leaders across the country have facedsignificant changes to the way they trade, grow and operate. And, as a result, they have needed to [work harder than ever to set their organisations up for success](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-make-hybrid-working-successful.html "How to make hybrid working successful"). At American Express, we looked at the [investment priorities of those overseeing some of the biggest budgets in UK business](https://www.financedigest.com/investment-opportunities-for-businesses.html "Investment opportunities for businesses"), to help us better understand how leaders are reacting to new challenges this year. To do this, we asked 100 of the UK’s senior [finance](https://www.financedigest.com/) executives about their strategies for success in 2017 in our [Global Business](https://www.financedigest.com/bhp-in-talks-to-sell-global-oil-gas-business-to-australias-woodside.html "BHP in talks to sell global oil, gas business to Australia’s Woodside") and Spending Outlook. Rather than cutting costs, we found that almost all of these leading [finance](https://www.financedigest.com/) executives are upping investment to help their organisations navigate change; 99% say their company’s spending and [investment](https://www.financedigest.com/intel-facility-is-largest-greenfield-investment-in-poland-pm-says.html) will increase worldwide between 2017 and 2018. Instead of battening down the hatches, these leaders have remained flexible when it comes to how they are spending, to [equip their businesses with everything they need now and in the future](https://www.financedigest.com/material-handling-equipment-market-2022-scope-of-current-and-future-industry-2030.html "Material Handling Equipment Market 2022 | Scope of Current and Future Industry 2030"). So, what can other [finance](https://www.financedigest.com/) leaders learn from our findings? **Improve customer experience** Gaining the edge over competitors means providing customers with a much better experience; 84% of UK senior finance execs said that [pressure to compete on the quality of customer service has increased over the past two years](https://www.financedigest.com/stocks-under-pressure-as-euro-zone-inflation-hits-13-year-high.html "Stocks under pressure as euro zone inflation hits 13-year high"). So it’s no surprise that the country’s [finance leaders are spending more in this area](https://www.financedigest.com/4-areas-of-finance-you-should-be-watching.html "4 Areas of Finance You Should Be Watching") to generate increased sales and improve customer loyalty. The message from finance executives is that you don’t get ahead by [cutting corners](https://www.financedigest.com/when-it-comes-to-cookies-lets-not-cut-corners.html "When it comes to cookies, let’s not cut corners") or skimping on service; you win new customers by offering the best. **Focus on people** Talent proves a [critical foundation for success](https://www.financedigest.com/five-critical-tips-to-create-a-successful-start-up.html "Five Critical Tips To Create A Successful Start-up") in these changing times. Far from reducing headcount, the majority of the country’s [top finance](https://www.financedigest.com/the-future-of-finance-how-to-defend-against-the-top-threats-to-cloud-security.html "The Future of Finance: How to defend against the top threats to cloud security") execs expect the overall number of employees in their businesses to have increased by the end of 2017, and they plan to boost [investment](https://www.financedigest.com/intel-facility-is-largest-greenfield-investment-in-poland-pm-says.html) in headcount as a result. People are your most powerful asset. Our [research found that the biggest challenge in delivering](https://www.financedigest.com/research-delivers-insight-into-the-global-polymer-surfactants-market-during-the-period-2021-2029.html "Research Delivers Insight Into The Global Polymer Surfactants Market During The Period 2021-2029") great service is retaining great staff, and senior financial executives said that adding more customer service and support staff would have the biggest benefit to their company. Finance and IT workers are high on the list of employees to hire and retain this year, while a shortfall of [sales and marketing](https://www.financedigest.com/e-prescribing-market-sales-revenue-to-substantially-surge-in-the-next-ten-years.html "E-Prescribing Market Sales Revenue to Substantially Surge in the Next Ten Years") staff is seen as a business-critical problem. Senior [finance managers](https://www.financedigest.com/how-application-management-can-help-tackle-the-finance-industrys-carbon-emissions.html "How application management can help tackle the finance industry’s carbon emissions") are also forging workplaces that attract and keep brilliant people. Ensuring that flexible working, better workplace environments and improved training are [top of the agenda this year will help build a happy and motivated team](https://www.financedigest.com/man-group-picks-all-female-top-team-as-ceo-ellis-retires.html "Man Group picks all-female top team as CEO Ellis retires"). This is essential in a competitive and constantly-changing environment. [**Stay committed to tech**](https://www.financedigest.com/the-new-cyber-agency-helping-tech-startups-stay-secure.html "The New Cyber Agency Helping Tech Startups Stay Secure") Technology is another high-priority area, and receiving the single biggest increase in company-wide spending in 2017. Hardware and infrastructure top the shopping list, as well as enterprise-level IT systems to help [improve operational performance](https://www.financedigest.com/panasonic-delays-production-of-new-tesla-battery-to-improve-performance.html "Panasonic delays production of new Tesla battery to improve performance"). Mobile tech is also seen as way of helping people [work remotely](https://www.financedigest.com/remote-and-hybrid-work-are-here-to-stay-as-cyberattacks-escalate.html "Remote and Hybrid Work are Here to Stay as Cyberattacks Escalate"). But more value is also being found in data itself; sophisticated data analytics have become more important for strategic decision making, and top finance execs [say these will overtake management intuition and experience within five years](https://www.financedigest.com/veterinary-suture-kit-market-will-generate-new-sales-opportunities-in-upcoming-year-says-fact-mr.html "Veterinary Suture Kit Market Will Generate New Sales Opportunities In Upcoming Year, Says Fact.MR"). Having the right systems, processes and tools in place to deliver real [competitive advantage](https://www.financedigest.com/turning-the-burden-of-compliance-into-competitive-advantage.html "Turning the burden of compliance into competitive advantage") is key. And in unpredictable times, any [investment](https://www.financedigest.com/volkswagen-boosts-electric-car-investment-in-spain-to-10-billion-euros.html "Volkswagen boosts electric car investment in Spain to 10 billion euros") that boosts efficiency and frees up teams to handle business-critical decisions and work will ultimately boost the bottom-line. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---