As part of RomeCup 2021, SAP Italia, in collaboration with the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, organised a hackathon dedicated to “Customer Experience Metamorphosis in the New Normal” for second-degree secondary school and university students.
The hackathon, held on April 28, was the final event of Project SoftBot, promoted by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, which involved high school and university students from the “Roma Tre” University in webinars on intelligent technology: Internet of Things, chatbot, blockchain and robotic process automation.
The hackathon involved mixed teams (students, developers, SAP experts, digital coaches) in an entire day of development based on real cases - companies that have still not kicked off digital transformation processes or have just begun – to develop innovative solutions. The tools are SAP software and services to be integrated with enabling technology (cloud, big data, IoT, artificial intelligence, blockchain, etc.).
The hackathon is based on customer experience. The Coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown have altered the purchase behaviour and expectations of consumers. Consequently, companies have to review their customer experience models. The diffusion of the virus, the measures adopted to curtail contagion and the sense of fear that is widespread have led to a new style of live, new eating habits, new spaces and ways of living, that also extend to shopping. The latter aspect, in particular, requires companies to focus. Will the gradual abolition of these measures return us to pre-lockdown habits? Indeed, many new trends may remain.
The SAP Challenge calls students to design the company they wish to represent (sector, proposition, dimension, business challenges, reference target) and develop solutions to understand the new needs of clients and provide them with the best possible user experience, exploiting the power of data and at least one of the new forms of technology reviewed in the webinars.
“Companies are facing a milestone period. They are called to undertake a process of digital transformation to face the rapid transformations that are underway in society. And customer experience is one of these. It is essential to listen to clients, understand their needs, expectations, fears, habits and act consequently. Technology will play a fundamental role. It will allow us not only to meet clients, but also to provide them with optimal, custom-tailored experiences,” explains Carla Masperi, Chief Operating Officer at SAP Italia. “It’s important for the students who are about to access the working world to understand this technology and its potential. We are convinced that they will develop extraordinary ideas that will accompany us in the following years.”
“We provided students with the opportunity to enjoy a concrete experience of digital transformation with a company like SAP. And they understood how to face problems and identify solutions,” added Mirta Michilli, Director General of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale. “It also turned out to be a winning choice in terms of orientation, as the experience provided students, especially high school students, with new tools to understand how technology works and how important it is for culture, creativity and problem solving in order to develop a true process of innovation.”
