The Digital Fitness Test – a new and innovative tool designed to test the digital fitness of chambers of commerce – was launched at the 12th World Chambers Congress (12WCC) in Dubai in the presence of chamber leaders from over 100 countries.
The tool, developed by PwC in collaboration with Dubai Chamber, evaluates chambers’ digital capabilities and readiness and their ability to leverage technology to meet new business requirements.
During an interactive session at the Congress titled ‘Fit For Digital: Know Thyself’, participants took the Digital Fitness Test, comprising a 12-question self-assessment via a QR code, meaning that virtual attendees at the congress could also participate.
Test criteria for chambers included the presence of unified and comprehensive digital strategies, organisational cultures with digital mindsets, disaster recovery plans, and documented programmes to identify security breaches.
Kaveh Vessali, Data & AI, and Smart Cities, PwC, UAE, said: “We want to talk about the notion of assessing your digital fitness as an organisation in order to leverage data, technology and digital tools in the service of your business. We do this to identify opportunities to leverage digital channels to help in a number of different areas in running a chamber.”
Discussing how it was important to set a direction for chambers of commerce’s digital activities, he said: “Without a true north, you may end up implementing lots of different initiatives and lots of different data technology.
“These might be all over the place, so it’s critical to ensure they’re pointing in the right direction in the service of your members, in the service of your staff and in the service of your mission.”
At the conclusion of the session, Vessali said: “Data is valuable when shared – it has to be trusted as it has to be managed properly. It provides value when it’s put it in the right hands, in the right place and at the right time.”
“You are looking to provide a unified experience for your customers- gather data about their interactions with you and analyse those. Generate insights into where customers are having the most trouble – try to identify where the challenges are and don’t hesitate to look to your partners and your members as advisers,” he added.
The 12th World Chambers Congress in Dubai was co-organised jointly by Dubai Chamber and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and its World Chambers Federation. The recent edition of the biannual event is the first to be hosted post-pandemic, with its programme centred on chambers of commerce realigning their services to drive business in a new era being defined by digitalisation, governance, and social and environmental issues.
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