Unleash the potential: finding your hidden returns

In this era of rising digital investment – and rising expectations – leaders are increasingly challenged to ensure this translates into tangible value. However, our research reveals a significant ‘value gap’, with organisations struggling to realise the full potential of their existing technological footprint.

In fact, the majority of business leaders feel there is 21% to 50% of untapped enterprise value in the tech investments they have already made. And this presents a prime opportunity if they can bridge that divide.

Even as technology budgets rise, the total enterprise value organisations attribute to digital transformation has stagnated, remaining at around 33% between 2023 and 2025.

From ERP systems, data warehouses and cloud platforms to employee and customer applications, the technologies attracting investment are complex. Unlocking their true potential demands dedicated focus on value capture throughout transformation cycles. That calls for significant change management, including rethinking business processes, roles, specialist skills and teams, and mature data architecture.

Organisations that choose the path of least resistance, failing to put the necessary enablers in place, absolutely risk leaving value on the table. In addition, large-scale tech programmes often suffer from scope creep, with projects deviating from their original, lean business cases. This can occur as stakeholders introduce new use cases or, in some instances, push personal wish lists that no longer serve the modern organisation. The result can be a loss of strategic focus that leaves value untapped. 

Define your monetisation strategy

One way that businesses are driving greater value from their investments is by focusing more on monetisation strategies, with over half (55%) dedicating around a fifth of their digital transformation budget to this. Key approaches include becoming a platform business, enhancing customer personalisation and organisations competing with themselves by launching products or services that may compete with existing offerings.

In particular, the private equity market is leaning into this. Across private equity houses, there is a recognition that tech investment as a means to reduce cost or increase productivity is only going to go so far; it must also enable growth. As a result, we are seeing more focus on monetisation strategies in PE portfolios.

The latest Deloitte CFO survey indicates a more positive macro environment ahead, with more than half of finance chiefs (59%) confirming they have become more optimistic over the past 12 months. Almost all of those surveyed (96%) expect to see a rise in investment in digital technology and assets by UK companies in the next five years.

It is clear the scrutiny around maximising the value of these investments will only grow, and responsibility for driving this rests with an organisation’s entire leadership team.

Next steps to unlock value