1/3 of SMEs do not have a website, David Curtin, IE Domain Registry, speaking at Digital Transformation Conference, June 8th

By @SimonCocking. Quick chat with David Curtin, CEO, IE Domain Registry (IEDR) who will be speaking about “The Digital Health of Irish SMEs – the good, the bad and the…unhealthy”. David will be speaking at the upcoming Digital Transformation Conference, at the Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin taking place on 8th June 2017 (see here more info and for tickets).

12 great reasons to attend the Digital Transformation Conference on June 8th in Dun Laoghaire

What do you do ?

I am the CEO of the IEDR, my job description is “Jack of all Trades”.

IEDR has been managing the .ie country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) namespace since July 2000. Its work includes protecting, supporting and promoting the online presence of all .ie domain names.

The IEDR’s mission is to provide unique, Identifiably Irish, domain names along with registry and related services to the local and international Internet community. IEDR’s vision is that the .ie domain name will continue to be recognised globally as representing Ireland’s presence on the Internet with high levels of stability, safety and resilience.

#dlrsummit Digital Transformation is just 48 hours away! Are you ready for the digital revolution? https://t.co/mO2vBYfaLC ?? pic.twitter.com/jJhvFyVG1w

— 3XE Digital (@3XEDIGITAL) June 6, 2017

How did you get involved in the digital industry? What drew you to a career in tech?

Rapidly changing technologies and businesses processes make it an exciting sector. The pace of digital disruption is accelerating – and that makes every Quarter a challenge.

What would you like to highlight about your presentation?

EU stats show that Irish SMEs are #1 in Europe for SMEs selling online, SMEs eCommerce sales and SMEs selling online cross-border – IEDR was amazed at this conclusion in the DESI 2017 report, so we investigated further. Our 4^th Digital Health Index research (due to be published on 6 June 2017) shows a very different picture. With the current rate of digital transformation and digital disruption, the last thing that Irish businesses and policy makers can afford to do is grow complacent.

Last Chance to Book your DLR Summit Tickets – Limited number of tickets left! https://t.co/6YQY72Oji2 @dlrsummit pic.twitter.com/kL6DcFxcDs

— Irish Tech News (@Irish_TechNews) June 6, 2017

What are the biggest takeaways for audiences?

Almost one third of all SMEs do not have a website. Of those SMEs with a website, only 30% can process online payments. Irish consumers are spending almost €9 billion online, but most of that is spent on foreign websites. Irish SMEs are exposed to death by a thousand clicks.

How can the audience members implement takeaways from your presentation in their own businesses?

Think about what consumers want from online experiences and integrate their preferences within your core business systems.

Who or what companies or organisations do you think are currently successfully implementing Digital Transformation to their businesses?

There are numerous examples of good digital transformation in government services e.g. motor tax online, ROS, the passport service etc.  In the private sector, many of the most impressive companies are ‘born online’.  Examples include GOCAR, GoParkit, WebDoctor and BrandTone.

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