Delivering Value Through Insight™ with our Industry Insights
One of the core benefits of Expense Reduction Analysts is our global network of experts, many of whom have developed practical knowledge, experience and insight from extensive careers in relevant industries.
To provide further value, we’ve incorporated this real-world knowledge and insight into a range of downloadable white papers, which are available for free and can help you learn more and gain a competitive advantage on a variety of topics.
Since our launch in 1992, we’ve also developed numerous professional relationships with recognized professional bodies and organisations whose insights we’ve also been able to integrate into our white papers.
Explore our latest industry insights and resources below
Explore our latest industry insights and discover practical knowledge and actions you can take to help improve your business. If you’d like to learn more about any of our downloadable white papers or how we can help your business, contact us today.
Five Areas of IT the Financial Sector Should be Looking at
There are 5 key areas of IT that the financial sector needs to keep an eye on to stay competitive and meet evolving customer demands.
These areas are:
- Cybersecurity
- Cloud computing
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning
- Mobile banking and payments
- Blockchain and distributed ledger technology
For more information, download our latest insights today.
5 Challenges Facing the Agrifood Sector Today
These are challenging times for the Agrifood sector.
We all know by now that the food production of one part of the world can be significantly affected by decisions and events taking place in another. Such occurrences can result in dramatic price increases, which can in turn reduce a company’s profit margins.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the pandemic serve as prime examples of this phenomenon.
In our latest whitepaper, we discuss 5 of the biggest challenges facing the Agrifood sector in 2023.
Download our insights today.
Market Intelligence 23.1
Uncover hidden savings and efficiencies you don’t know are there.
In this document, we hope to provide several pertinent, on-the-pulse insights from our experienced UK specialists.
Download today to see what’s inside.
6 Healthcare Trends & Implications in 2023
Healthcare is a dynamic industry, full of important transformations. Technology and other factors are impacting the industry each day and challenging the main players.
In our latest whitepaper, we explore the 6 latest healthcare trends and their implications on the industry, these include:
- Balancing Technology with ‘Care’
- Shortage of healthcare professionals
- Population Health Management and Access to Care
- Patient Experience
- Interoperability
- The Rise of New Specialized and Digital Native Players
Download our latest insights today.
Procurement as a Lever for Sustainable Change
Sustainability has become a buzzword in recent years, and for good reason.
The concept of sustainability refers to meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
In other words, it is about finding a way to live within our means and preserve the planet’s resources for future generations.
Sustainability is essential because the Earth’s resources are finite, and we are currently using them at an unsustainable rate.
One way that businesses can contribute to sustainability is through sustainable procurement.
Read our latest insights today.
The Thought Leadership | Issue 7 | New Frontiers for Digital Technology
In this issue of our Thought Leadership publication, Fabio Borri shares his insights into ever-evolving digital technology, and the unique responsibility it holds by supporting the growth of businesses across the globe.
With contributions from both Giorgia Palazzo and Stefano Novarini, this issue explores ‘The 4th Industrial Revolution’ and the deep cultural shift on business models aiming to tap into new market areas and reinventing how digital tools can provide added value
for customers.
Download our latest issue of The Thought Leadership today.
A Break in the Clouds for Manufacturing: Turning Challenges into Opportunities
According to Gartner, 78% of CFOs and Financial Leaders plan to maintain or increase investment in digital technologies in the next two years. The findings also indicate that CFOs view technology as a key to mitigating inflation and are planning cost reductions in other areas to support this activity.
It’s not just inflationary pressures that are driving this activity. It has been shown that companies that drive the right digital investments have a 2.7x higher customer retention, 1.6x higher customer satisfaction rate and a 1.9x higher average order value.
A great digital experience can also lead to consumers spending more, with 67% of consumers spending more with leading digitalised companies – making them 3x more likely to outperform their industry peers in terms of revenue and margin growth.
Download our latest insights today.
A Break in the Clouds for Manufacturing: Turning Challenges into Opportunities
The past two years have been tumultuous for the manufacturing industry.
As, arguably, one of the worst-hit industries of the pandemic, manufacturing suffered hugely from labour shortages, supply chain disruptions, and an uncertain economic climate.
Despite the stormy weather, there could be a break in the clouds.
In this whitepaper, we examine four key trends to consider for the manufacturing industry in 2023, and how to turn them into opportunities for business growth:
- Raw Materials & Logistics
- Temporary Labour
- Energy
- Cybersecurity
Download our latest insights today.
The State of the Agrifood Sector in 2023
In this issue of our Thought Leadership publication, Christian Bang Søndergaard shares his insights into the current state of the Agrifood sector as we leave 2022.
At the start of 2023, the global food industry faces a number of challenges. For a few years, the industry has been characterized by unstable commodity markets, where the price arrow has mostly pointed upwards. This has naturally pressured earnings, as strong mass retailers do not accept all increases in production costs being added to the price. In the cases where a price increase is accepted, it is typically with a delay, whereas commodity prices tend to take effect immediately.
Download our latest issue of The Thought Leadership today.
Retail Growth in 2023: Turning Challenges into Opportunities
2022 was a mixed bag for retailers, with normal activity returning to the high street after two years of forced closures. However, 2022 was also plagued with challenges including inflationary pricing, supply chain disruptions, economic uncertainty, and retaining employees.
Many of these concerns are still prevalent this year.
Retailers need to be conscious of the change in consumer behaviour, not only due to rising prices, but also as they become more aware of environmental issues and demand a higher level of customer service regardless of where they choose to shop.
The supply chain disruptions of 2022 have resulted in excess inventory for most retail companies in 2023. Retailers need enough stock to meet customer demand and deliver goods quickly, without suffering an excess that diminishes working capital.
Retaining employees continues to be a struggle for the retail sector, who suffered 3x worse with employee retention than other industries in 20221. Can businesses adapt their core values to not only attract customers, but also keep employees engaged?
Will these challenges make 2023 another difficult year for retail, or are there opportunities for growth?
We believe there are several.
Download our latest insights today.
The Innovation Game: Payment Solutions to Challenges Faced by Trade & Wholesalers
How can innovative payment solutions reduce risk and costs?
When we say that businesses are struggling with inflated costs, we aren’t telling you anything that you don’t already know.
It is likely that you are facing many of those costs yourself.
The picture of high costs is applicable to all sectors. But businesses belonging to the trade and wholesale sector are also facing reduced footfall as clients recognise that consumers will be tightening their belts in response to economic downturn.
There are fewer opportunities to pass on your increased costs.
Instead, you should – if you haven’t already done so – undertake a forensic analysis of your spending.
- Are your resources being directed to the most effective areas?
- Are you as efficient as possible?
- Are there any specific opportunities to get ahead of your competitors?
Addressing those questions, many companies race to their office consumables, energy tariffs and waste management, finding significant savings in their biggest areas of spend.
With this document we are recommending that you take that enthusiasm and address your banking and payments.
Download our latest insights today.
Helping Hospitality: Solving the Sector’s Top Challenges
As you know, the pandemic sent the hospitality sector into hibernation.
Economically, few sectors suffered more; retailers took their business online, financial services saw insurance claims drop significantly, but companies belonging to the world of hospitality faced a long period of anxiety-inducing inactivity.
While many restaurants, hotels and leisure facilities used the downtime to renovate premises, improve processes and streamline back-office operations, some didn’t have the luxury of spare capital to undertake these projects.
Instead, an above-average number went into administration.
Illustrating the struggle of many hospitality businesses, the Financial Times reported that London has lost approximately 14% of its restaurants since 2020, and the Italian accommodation and restaurant industry lost approximately €15.6 billion as a direct consequence of the pandemic.
Download our latest insights today.
Rethinking Retail: Tailor-Made Solutions to the Sector’s Top-Shelf Challenges
The World Health Organisation has declared that the end of the pandemic is in sight.
But retailers aren’t out of the woods yet.
Instead, they still have to contend with rapidly increasing energy bills (causing a cost-of-living crisis and, as a result, reduced high street footfall), supply chain disruption and a higher cost of doing business.
As a CPO, CFO or CEO, you may be feeling the pressure, more so than at any other point in your career.
We acknowledge that you don’t always have time to address these issues head-on, but we do.
In this whitepaper, we discuss the challenges facing retailers and a few of the possible solutions.
Download our latest insights today and discover how our expertise might prove the perfect tool to future-proof your business.
The Thought Leadership | Issue 5 | A Shipping Perspective on Supply Chains
In this issue of our Thought Leadership publication, Hans-Henrik Hansen shares his insights into some of the areas you should be aware of when navigating your way through the everchanging risks that have been facing intercontinental supply chains for the past 30 months.
This ‘perfect storm’ might appear to be subsiding, but the proper and timely address of these risks can still mean boom or bust for businesses.
Download our latest insights today to find out more.