HCLTech considers the “art of the possible” to be what clients can deploy at scale in the near term. In HCLTech’s AI & Cloud Native Labs, “the possible” is grounded completely in what can be done, not what is theoretically possible. In a decade of visiting innovation and transformation centers, TBR has heard every version of blue-sky creativity and out-of-the-box thinking but cannot recall another IT services vendor definitively connecting “the possible” to “deployable at scale.”

Key highlights of the report:

• Engineering credibility — HCLTech has always stood out among the large India-centric IT services vendors for its engineering DNA, a mindset that seems to permeate every aspect of the company’s solutions and engagements. Flower first mentioned his company’s engineering legacy in the context of how his teams approach clients’ problems. Then De Vos described a critical element in HCLTech’s engagements at the labs, saying that clients know they are going to be able to “flip a switch” and have a working, materially important solution, not just a PowerPoint presentation or road map.
• Sustained engagement — HCLTech’s leaders repeatedly described client engagements that extended over multiple lab visits, whether on-site, virtual, or even set up in the client’s facility. While client selection — who comes to the labs and for what kinds of work — is not handled lightly, HCLTech clearly maintains flexibility with respect to how clients can tap into the time and expertise of the HCLTech professionals at the various labs worldwide, reflecting the company’s desire and ability to deliver on client objectives with its portfolio and resources over relying entirely on transactional volume.
• Commitment to relationships — For HCLTech, delivering on client objectives includes keeping the AI & Cloud Native Labs and the entire labs network part of the relationship beyond the contract. Flower repeatedly noted that the labs function as an asset that HCLTech can bring to clients to jump-start problem solving and move from strategic decisions around technology choices and approaches to the training and cultural change management needed to sustain a solution beyond the MVP and pilot stages. That commitment came through in both the use cases Flower described and HCLTech’s understanding that these labs are decidedly not a direct revenue generation source but a critical component to HCLTech’s overall strategy.

In TBR’s view, HCLTech’s AI & Cloud Native Labs have positioned themselves well for what will likely be an exceptionally turbulent time in the cloud and IT services space. HCLTech effectively uses the AI & Cloud Native Labs as a platform to showcase its plethora of products from the HCLSoftware division and helps clients integrate the same into the overall solution architecture.

Download the report to learn more.