Reaching Full Technology Potential

Insights from the Operations and Technology Conference

Whether you attended this year’s Operations and Technology Conference to gain perspective on improving client experience, develop skills around how to lead through change or network with the most impactful technology vendors in our space, this popular event held in Chicago in September did not disappoint.

The conference kicked off with a client experience pre-session, hosted by Deb Reuben of Reuben Creative, spinning client experience innovation content from the recently formed ELFA Technology Innovation Work Group. Through an interactive forum, participants learned practical ways to stay on top of their clients' expectations in this fast-moving, ever-changing environment.

Next, we officially kicked off the conference with an informative keynote session. Dr. Robert Wescott, Founder and President of Keybridge Research LLC, previewed new research from the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation, assessing the potential for various degrees of recession and the resulting impact we could experience within our industry.

This engaging insight was the springboard for two days of rapid-fire sessions that balanced the operational side of leadership with the practical application of full technology potential.

The session “Who Moved My Cheese, AGAIN?” included a hat exercise that provided insight into how various personality types handle change.

The interactive session “Who Moved My Cheese Again” engaged the audience and took us in and out of our comfort zones, providing insight into how various personality types handle change and how we as leaders can navigate a full spectrum of behaviors.

The “Dip Your Toe” series gave 30-minute burst presentations throughout the conference, providing practical information on topics like Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain. At the session “Dip Your Toe into the Digital Journey” Denis Stypulkoski of TIAA Commercial Finance Inc. shared a digital journey that had us all thinking about how we can evolve to become “software companies that offer leasing products.”

Interactive sessions engaged attendees.

An interactive session on the power of diversity in your organization offered an open dialogue and excitement around how to practically improve organizations through a diverse workforce and culture of inclusiveness.

We learned what bait we need for “phishing” season and why toast isn’t just for breakfast!

Back for its second year, the vendor lightning rounds gave informative insight into each exhibitor as they answered the question “How do my company and solution provide for the future?” in a fast-paced and fun three-minute presentation challenge.

The conference then connected with its accounting conference partner—the ELFA Lease and Finance Accountants Conference—in an all-angles holistic conversation about the changes required to comply with CECL implementation.

We learned how to be agile organizations and not just run agile projects, what bait we need for “phishing” season and why toast isn’t just for breakfast! (Hint: While making toast seems simple, the variety of outcomes help reveal unexpected insights and diverse points of view into how we frame ideas, communicate and address problems with visual design thinking.) The creativity and commitment of the Operations & Technology Committee to provide timely, useful and engaging content continues to impress all who attend.

We’re already working on next year! I hope to see you in New Orleans at the 2020 Operations and Technology Conference, scheduled for Sept. 14-16.