RBC's Go Digital™ program combines
Microsoft's cutting-edge technology with the bank's
industry-tailored advice and financing solutions to make the
digital transformation journey more seamless and accessible to
Canadian companies
TORONTO, June 18, 2019 /CNW/ - To help Canadian businesses
unlock greater business value and capitalize on advancements in
smart technologies and cloud solutions, RBC and Microsoft today
announced the launch of RBC's Go Digital program. The
program is designed to remove key barriers which businesses have
cited as preventing or delaying their digital transformation. Go
Digital offers a suite of turnkey technology solutions
leveraging the power and security of the Microsoft cloud and
skilled Partner Network, as well as innovation financing and
tailored advice from RBC to help businesses embark on their digital
transformation journey with greater ease and confidence. The
program is currently available to Canadian food manufacturers and
will continue to expand to other industries over time.
A recent IDC report found that while Canadian executives
acknowledge the importance of embracing new technologies to
digitally transform their business, the majority have yet to take
action. A similar report found that 29 per cent of Canadian
organizations are lagging in digital transformation and have not
yet started their digital modernization. The most common
barriers identified by Canadian companies include the
challenge of finding the right solution, sourcing the right
provider and securing capital.
"Technology is disrupting customer expectations and traditional
business models everywhere, and businesses need to adapt to these
historic changes to differentiate and lead in the market," said
Greg Grice, Executive
Vice-President, Business Financial Services, RBC. "RBC is committed
to creating more value for clients and helping them along this
journey. That's why we're coming together with industry-leading
partners like Microsoft to deliver tailored solutions that will
help accelerate and simplify their digital transformation."
RBC & Microsoft design tailored solutions to fuel
business growth
The manufacturing sector in Canada accounts for approximately $174bn in GDP, more than 10% of the total GDP of
the entire country.1 The adoption of advanced
smart factory technologies can help fuel the next wave of business
growth by way of significant cost savings, increased productivity
and enhanced quality which ultimately results in delivering greater
value to customers and employees.
Despite these benefits, mid-market Canadian manufacturing firms
are falling behind when it comes to the digital transformation of
their business, making Canada one
of the worst performers in the Organization for Economic
Co-Operation & Development (OECD)2.
Fifty-five per cent of manufacturers do not use advanced
technologies and one-fifth have no plans to invest in them in the
next three years, naming cost and uncertainty as deterrents for
digital transformation3.
______________________________
|
1
https://canadianvisa.org/life-in-canada/key-industries/manufacturing,
Canadian Visa Org, 2019
|
2
Industrie 2030: Accelerating Adoption of Advanced Manufacturing
Technologies, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters,
2017
|
3 2018
Management Issues Survey, Canadian Manufacturers &
Exporters, 2018
|
Given this significant opportunity, RBC's Go Digital
program is now available to Canadian food manufacturers as part of
its initial launch with plans to extend the program's reach to
additional industries.
"This strategic partnership with RBC demonstrates our strong
commitment to helping companies across Canada have greater access to digital
technologies," said Kevin Peesker,
President of Microsoft Canada. "By leveraging the breadth of
Microsoft's trusted cloud platform, tapping into the skilled
expertise of our Partner Network and maximizing RBC's
sector-specific business and financial expertise, we believe this
program will give organizations in Canada the confidence to truly embrace the
next wave of computing, and expand that reach to more businesses
across North America in the longer
term."
Optimizing food manufacturing operations powered by
Microsoft
RBC and Microsoft co-designed a curated suite of
technology and innovation financing solutions tailored to food
manufacturers. Leveraging a group of industry-leading partners from
Microsoft's Partner Network, RBC's Go Digital program offers
access to digital solutions that are powered by artificial
intelligence, cloud business applications, data analytics,
blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoT). These solutions
include, but are not limited to:
- Environmental monitoring (i.e. temperature, humidity, air
quality) leveraging the scale and intelligence of Microsoft's
Azure Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled sensor technology to reduce
waste, drive efficiency and realize cost savings;
- Food transparency and traceability leveraging blockchain
technology to meet regulatory requirements and standards, from farm
to table;
- Production variability monitoring using
Microsoft's Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Azure IoT capabilities
to reduce equipment downtime, increase output forecasting accuracy
and improve quality control; and
- Cloud-Based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) leveraging
Dynamics 365 to address food safety and compliance, quality and
production, recipe development and management, and food recall
traceability.
To learn more about RBC's Go Digital program, please
speak with an RBC Account Manager or email godigital@rbc.com.
ABOUT RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with
a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading
performance. Our success comes from the 84,000+ employees who bring
our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients
thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank, and one of the largest
in the world based on market capitalization, we have a diversified
business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional
experiences to more than 16 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 34 other countries. Learn
more at rbc.com.
We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives
through donations, community investments and employee volunteer
activities. See how at rbc.com/community-sustainability.
ABOUT MICROSOFT CANADA
Established in 1985,
Microsoft Canada Inc. is the Canadian subsidiary of
Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq "MSFT") the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses
realize their full potential. Microsoft Canada provides
nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services
in both French and English. Headquartered in Mississauga,
Microsoft Canada has nine regional offices across the
country dedicated to empowering innovation, prosperity and security
through great software - any time, any place and on any device. For
more information on Microsoft Canada, please
visit www.microsoft.ca.
SOURCE Royal Bank of Canada