What Does Digital Transformation Entail for Your Business?
The term digital transformation has been used so much over the past few years and has become so diluted that it’s lost all meaning.
If that’s the case, then why are we talking about this exact thing right now?
Well, the fact that it’s an overused cliche that can pertain to pretty much anything in today’s business doesn’t make the concept irrelevant. What we need to do to inject meaning into this idea is to apply it to our own business.
Only then will we have one of those “Eureka!” moments and see the advantages clearly.
What is Digital Transformation?
An article from The Enterprisers Project defines it as follows.
“Digital transformation is the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business, fundamentally changing how you operate and deliver value to customers. It’s also a cultural change that requires organizations to continually challenge the status quo, experiment, and get comfortable with failure.”
We rather like this definition because it allows us to dissect, not only the concept itself but its practical application in three critical areas.
How Your Business Operates
It really doesn’t matter what industry you’re in or how big your business is; to remain competitive you need to embrace all things digital. It’s become a matter of survival, not the cherry on top.
The recent pandemic has forced us all to accept that we must adapt to change quickly, and digital systems and processes allow for this. If you’ve jumped on the digital bandwagon, no doubt you’re seeing a shift in the way your business operates.
For instance, over the years we’ve moved from satellite offices to sprawling connected facilities using secure branch interconnectivity and lightning fast internet to stay cohesive. More recently remote workers have set up home offices and make use of the cloud for secure and current systems. Unreliable copper cables are being replaced with fibre, allowing for significantly better voice and video communication between business teams.
But there’s so much more to it. Look at some of these advancements (thanks to the internet) and consider how beneficial they would be to your own business.
- Sentiment Analysis tools have become available which measure the health of your brand. What is the perception of your company in the market? What are people saying about you? In what context is your brand mentioned? What is the sentiment of the word choice?
- CRM software is a no-brainer for businesses that want to streamline their services and provide enhanced customer experiences. It serves to provide efficiency, transparency, and cohesive customer management within your team.
- Instant messaging apps provide instant, real-time responses between teams and customers. Group calls, team chats, one-on-one meetings, video conferencing – instant messaging is part of digital transformation, and it’s awesome.
How Your Business Delivers Value to Customers
The customers are the real winners when it comes to the topic of digital transformation. Businesses have become more accessible and far more proactive when communicating with customers.
Instant messaging platforms, chatbots, live chat systems, and better website experiences have all coalesced to offer an all-round better user experience. This matters, because people don’t have the time or inclination to be put on hold in a queue with a dozen other people when they have questions or problems.
Digital tools, including those mentioned above, allow forward-thinking companies to fully engage with their customers. It’s possible to collect data and feedback, conduct market research, and access opinions easily. This information, in turn, gives us the opportunity to deliver value to our customers in the areas that matter to them.
How Your Business and Team Grow
Some have resisted digital transformation because they feel that it comes at the expense of human interaction or people’s jobs. However, this doesn’t have to be the case.
- Automated processes can free up time for more meaningful interactions with customers.
- Removing repetitive, mundane tasks allows for upskilling or retraining of your team to take on new, exciting projects.
- Paper-based processes are replaced with faster, more accurate systems with less margin for human error.
- Remote work has allowed for more viable employment options for talented candidates who couldn’t fit the traditional 9-5 office-based system.
- This throws open the talent pool for smart businesses to welcome team members from around the globe.
- Shifting to digital platforms has reduced the operating costs of many companies, removing the burden of costly offices and the coffee and cake that comes with it.
In Summary
These are just some of the incredibly positive possibilities that digital transformation offers.
We recently wrote about the digital divide and the impact that it has on the unfortunate people on the wrong side of the chasm. This is a bigger issue than we can fix alone, but we can encourage you – as a business owner or decision-maker – to ensure that your company stays on the right side.
Choosing to ignore the amazing benefits of digital transformation places you voluntarily on the back foot. Economic survival today requires pivoting quickly, failing early, and getting to grips with digital.
We can help you transform. Let’s connect.
