Alt-tag: Laptop showing a gear undergoing digital transformation.

Technology is constantly evolving, and businesses sometimes struggle to keep up. At least that’s how things used to work up until a year ago. The new digital marketplace seems to have been propped up by the coronavirus pandemic. Now, companies are racing to achieve faster migration to fully digital services in order to deliver a satisfying customer experience. Join us as we dive into ways to accelerate your digital transformation.

The importance of digital transformation

Organizations are facing a challenge brought on by COVID-19. The struggle to stay relevant in a growing online-only marketplace has caught many businesses off guard. Some thought they had time to assess the developing tech trends and adapt to new technologies at their own pace. However, reality set in, showing us that customers have quickly shifted to digital services. Basically, people are spending more time at home, choosing to minimize unnecessary contact. Those same customers are expecting flawless service, and their choices are abundant as companies race to meet the growing demand. Migrating from an analog to a digital business model was always the smart thing, but now it has also become an imperative. If you don’t find good ways to accelerate your digital transformation, you will soon be left without any customers.

Old ways of adopting technology simply do not work anymore. Businesses are forced to reach customers exclusively through digital channels. This requires a systematic change in how we approach marketing, lead generation, and customer relations.

Assess what you have right now

Blindly jumping on any new trend that comes by can lead to chaos and confusion for your employees. Adopting something just because the competition is doing it will cause your business to come to a screeching halt. Unless you plan and prepare for the changes, that is.

Carefully determine what your current system can support. Do you already have software or staff that can help with the digital transformation? You will most probably need external help, but try to determine what kind of third-party assets your company needs. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or want to work with our team.

Of course, the end goal for your company should be to stabilize and fully embrace digitalization. Try to minimize your dependence on third parties and IT support by fully embracing content creation yourself. After you set up the needed systems – you and your employees should be capable of using them without much outside assistance.

Time the changes carefully

Even if changes to your company structure are long overdue, biting off too much at once can prove to be counterproductive. Surely, you want to accelerate your digital transformation and compete with other businesses for the online market. However, you could lose a lot of time in adapting and training. While you’re still figuring out how to adjust to the changes, your day-to-day business operations can come to a standstill.

Create a digital growth strategy and a plan regarding adopting new procedures and technologies. Adhere to the strategy you have set out, and don’t do things on the fly. It might also be a good idea to spread out some of the changes, so they don’t wear your company down. Most importantly, be upfront with your employees. Stress the importance of the changes you are making. Have them join you in a company-wide sweeping effort that has to involve everyone. Make change and growth the new company culture. You can even take on new hires who are already accustomed to the digital space you plan to occupy.

Overlap with the old system

Take a look at how you are currently doing business. Be objective and see what works and what doesn’t. Digital transformation can be an excellent opportunity to make changes from the ground up, but remember that you don’t have to change everything. Even when you are making foundational changes, aim to make them intuitive for your employees as well as your users. It’s perfectly fine to keep things familiar wherever you can. Above all, you need to keep in mind that you are building systems for your own business. There is no need to make a one-to-one copy of what someone else is doing.

Ensure you train employees for the new software

Whatever digital technology you plan to adopt, you will need to help your employees get trained and fully put it to use. Some companies already have brilliant software solutions at their fingertips which they are failing to fully utilize. For example, Customer Relationship Management software is a standout, but it will not give you the results you expect unless you push for company-wide adoption. Do your best to familiarize employees with the new software and ensure everyone understands how important it is. Always choose adaptable solutions that can evolve with your employees’ skills and the needs of your company.

Use data to see what works

Any decisions you make need to be based on first-party data, not on gut instinct. Trust the numbers and get hard data whenever possible. Even Google states the importance of trusting first-party data in marketing as a way to accelerate your digital transformation. Don’t be scared to give up on things that don’t work, regardless if it’s the new changes you have implemented or old ways of doing things. Do your best to make things work, but swallow your pride and concede when things just aren’t working. Use data to drive innovation and always get feedback from employees and customers.

To summarize

If you feel you’re behind in the tech race, you might be looking for ways to accelerate your digital transformation. Be mindful to make the right decisions for the right reasons. Don’t spend your budget on state-of-the-art software only for your employees to ignore it. Find a solution that is a perfect fit for your business and evolve to make the most out of it. With the right approach, you won’t need to copy what others are doing, and you can become a trendsetter instead.

Image used:

https://pixabay.com/photos/transformation-digital-visualization-3746922/