Plug and Play

Honestly, I rarely speak to the people who actually use the technology, given that we're a technical publication and have a technical audience, and most coal-face users might not be able to talk to the intricacies of coding and development. Not that I can, of course, given that I'm a politics major, but the point is that I've been on the receiving end of technology implementations this week, and a lot of what's been said in the few times that I've had those conversations rings true. Namely, when I ask what they want out of something, the most common response is that a user wants to be able to come into the office, sit down at their machine, turn on a computer and have something just work.
We've transitioned to a different newsroom here at Incisive London this week, and there are certainly teething problems. A lot of people are cynical about and hesitant to adopt the hot-desk philosophy that's been introduced, and it doesn't help that it's two hours after work starts while I'm writing this, and a lot of us don't have phones yet. Mostly, though, it's been an ironic experience. I have a tendency to roll my eyes when people start talking about core competencies, and how technology isn't a part of them, but this has certainly highlighted how difficult it can be for non-technical staff to adapt to a technical environment. Particularly if the implementation has been, shall we say, rocky.
Different Ways
This, of course, is one of the areas where good vendors are differentiated from great vendors. A great vendor will work with the client to ensure that the bugs, the kinks, and the requirements are all fully worked out and resolved before day zero, when the employee begins work. A poor vendor might have great technology, but none of the above. The perils and pitfalls become far more pronounced in financial services after all ─ a telephone interruption is annoying for us in the media, a trading interruption can prove fatal if it occurs at the wrong moment.
This is perhaps most pronounced in cloud technology, where a stripping away of the physical infrastructure provides the biggest psychological transformation . As an example, despite the fact that I've been covering unified communications systems, cloud storage, and other new-fangled ways of working for years, it's still a bit weird that I won't have a handset most of the time going forward. Now, if I can just get this ridiculous headset to work...
A great vendor will work with the client to ensure that the bugs, the kinks, and the requirements are all fully worked out and resolved before day zero, when the employee begins work. A poor vendor might have great technology, but none of the above
Only users who have a paid subscription or are part of a corporate subscription are able to print or copy content.
To access these options, along with all other subscription benefits, please contact info@waterstechnology.com or view our subscription options here: http://subscriptions.waterstechnology.com/subscribe
You are currently unable to print this content. Please contact info@waterstechnology.com to find out more.
You are currently unable to copy this content. Please contact info@waterstechnology.com to find out more.
Copyright Infopro Digital Limited. All rights reserved.
As outlined in our terms and conditions, https://www.infopro-digital.com/terms-and-conditions/subscriptions/ (point 2.4), printing is limited to a single copy.
If you would like to purchase additional rights please email info@waterstechnology.com
Copyright Infopro Digital Limited. All rights reserved.
You may share this content using our article tools. As outlined in our terms and conditions, https://www.infopro-digital.com/terms-and-conditions/subscriptions/ (clause 2.4), an Authorised User may only make one copy of the materials for their own personal use. You must also comply with the restrictions in clause 2.5.
If you would like to purchase additional rights please email info@waterstechnology.com
More on Trading Tech
WatersTechnology latest edition
Check out our latest edition, plus more than 12 years of our best content.
A new data analytics studio born from a large asset manager hits the market
Amundi Asset Management’s tech arm is commercializing a tool that has 500 users at the buy-side firm.
How exactly does a private-share trading platform work?
As companies stay private for longer, new trading platforms are looking to cash in by helping investors cash out.
Accelerated clearing and settlement, private markets, the future of LSEG’s AIM market, and more
The Waters Cooler: Fitch touts AWS AI for developer productivity, Nasdaq expands tech deal with South American exchanges, National Australia Bank enlists TransFicc, and more in this week’s news roundup.
Inside the company that helped build China’s equity options market
Fintech firm Bachelier Technology on the challenges of creating a trading platform for China’s unique OTC derivatives market.
Experts say HKEX’s plan for T+1 in 2025 is ‘sensible’
The exchange will continue providing core post-trade processing through CCASS but will engage with market participants on the service’s future as HKEX rolls out new OCP features.
‘The opaque juggernaut’: Private credit’s data deficiencies become clear
Investor demand to take advantage of the growing private credit markets is rising, despite limited data, trading mechanisms, and a lack of liquidity.
Overnight trading blocked, consolidated tapes, BlackRock’s Larry Fink, data costs, and more
The Waters Cooler: Deutsche Börse provides crypto custody, FIS has a new GenAI tool, and some M&A activity in this week’s news round-up.