What is digital transformation and what does it really mean for your company?

What is digital transformation?

The World Center for digital transformation says that “organizational change is the foundation of digital business transformation.” This is because changing the nature of an organization means changing the way people work, challenging their thinking and the daily work processes and strategies they rely on. While these present the toughest problems, they also bring the most valuable rewards, enabling a business to become more efficient, agile, and data-driven, seizing more business opportunities.

Defining ‘digital’ in digital transformation

While the focus is on changing the way the business works at all levels, technology underpins all digital transformation projects. But what technology?

Obviously, this changes as time goes by, but typically companies want to adopt technologies that help them harness and make sense of the vast amounts of data they find themselves in, as well as prepare for trends like the Internet of Things ( IoT) and mobile devices.

That means analytics tools are high on the agenda, as is cloud computing, which allows you to store data outside your own data center, potentially shutting it down. You may also want to focus on collaboration tools such as file sharing, mobile devices, and apps that allow your employees to work wherever they are and give them instant access to information, especially useful for salespeople visiting customers, for example.

What does digital transformation mean for your business?

Embracing and moving towards digital transformation does not mean simply jumping on every tech bandwagon that comes along. Doing that is like putting a handful of cut vegetables in a pot and calling it soup. Unless you put the right ingredients in the pot and turn on the stove, you’ll never make soup, at least not a soup that everyone wants to eat. Instead, every business needs to spend some time thinking about what digital transformation really means to them.

Companies need to think first about transitioning core business processes and digitizing the customer/business process. They need to think about which applications, platforms, and solutions fit into their culture, day-to-day operations, and budget. Unfortunately, there is no standard solution that companies can opt for. It is a process that requires customization and a touch to follow the trends.

Digital disruption and focus on the consumer

Digital disruption is another key term that describes what digital transformation can do to society at large. Smartphones created disruption, Uber created disruption, and wearable technology continues to create disruption. With each key technological advance, the daily lives of consumers change a little more. The norm is shaken and the advancement adds value to consumers. Businesses that take advantage of the new changes, and that understand how these changes affect daily life, can modify their practices to meet consumer needs.

Focusing on the consumer is one way to ensure you’re meeting the demands of the digital age. Knowing where your customers interact online and how you can meet them in their own territory will improve your ability to make their lives easier and make sales. All companies need to think about digital transformation and the power of disruption now. There is no more time to take small steps and get your feet wet. It is a bathroom or sink environment for many companies.

Planning ahead for digital transformation

Digital transformation is both an end result and an ongoing process. You have to make the initial move, and then you have to continue to evolve or get kicked out. There is no quick fix for digital transformation. When you sit down with your team to discuss your company’s digital future, think about the near future, but also about your company’s long-term goals. To stay relevant, you’ll need to implement digital solutions that move your business forward into the digital age and not stand still or go backwards.

At each step, think about the business experience. What can you implement to streamline internal operations? What can you implement to facilitate customer interactions? These aspects that will drive your digital transformation. For some businesses, that may mean adopting an integrated payment solution so customers can log into an online portal and pay their bills. For others, it may mean accessing social media and posting relevant content on a regular basis. Any move into the digital space is part of the digital transformation.

In the long term, the digital experience will change. How can you make change an easier part of the business process? Transparency, a group mission toward digital relevance, and constantly listening to customer behaviors can all be important in shifting your company’s focus away from legacy business practices and toward a more digital-oriented future.

If your company is looking to enter the digital transformation race, it is important to act now. Late adopters may be at a serious disadvantage as the competition is already in the domain. If you’re looking to adopt a business model that uses a digital core, we can help. Embrace digital transformation with the best developers to stay at the forefront of change.