Embracing the latest technologies and methodologies is key for improved business operations and end-user value. It can help your business evolve and develop on the road to digital transformation.
Digital transformation is a daunting prospect for many businesses. Change, however, doesn’t need to be difficult. There are challenges to overcome such as the cultural, financial and security barriers associated with digital transformation but the end result of optimised operations, financial savings and engaged end-users is worth it.
Agile methodologies teamed with the technical know-how to produce transformative software products means you can remain ahead of the digital curve, as well as your competitors.
Why adopt digital transformation?
Before we delve into how to future proof your enterprise with digital transformation, it’s worth looking at why modernising your technology is beneficial.
These days companies are forced to adapt their technology, networks and working practices or they risk being left behind. 90% of businesses now use some kind of cloud computing approach and it’s more important than ever to gain as much competitive advantage over your competitors as possible.
With this forward-thinking, companies are collecting more data, gaining smarter customer insights and subsequently delivering a better customer experience.
For employees it increases the ease of working from multiple locations and collaboration is more effective.
If a digital transformation is carried out effectively across your enterprise, it can benefit everyone, from your people to your customers.
Becoming a Digital Organisation
Regardless of what industry you’re in, the modern world dictates that companies must digitally transform, or be left behind. The expectations of both customers and employees of businesses have changed dramatically as technology has evolved. Today companies recognise that they should be providing customers and employees with the digital solutions they require or risk losing out to competitors who have already begun their digital transformation journey.
Digital organisations need to:
- adapt quickly to a changing business and technical landscape;
- be responsive to customer needs;
- engage employees to be forward-thinking and collaborative;
- monitor and manage business performance effectively;
- analyse data intelligently; and,
- manage compliance, risk and security.
Fully embracing digital signifies the way a company thinks, behaves, what it values and how it makes decisions. In short, digital transformation enables a company to operate effectively in the evolving digital climate.
What does a digital transformation framework look like?
Digital transformation strategy will vary widely based on the organisation’s specific challenges and demands, however, there are a few common themes among existing case studies and published frameworks that are often used by businesses and technology leaders when commencing digital transformation.
For example, these are some prevalent elements:
- customer experience
- operational agility
- culture and leadership
- workforce enablement
- digital technology integration
While each guide has its own recommendations and varying steps or considerations, business owners and directors should look for those important shared themes when developing their own digital transformation strategy.
The Digital Transformation Strategy
Digital transformation is considered by some as a buzzword; however, it is actually a tangible approach to business change.
The approach comprises of:
- consulting for a period of time to understand a client’s business, reviewing current technology and providing an independent recommendation for improvement
- working with clients from start to finish to analyse requirements and then design a feasible software solution
- either complementing the work an IT department already does by adding expert resource to enable faster project delivery, or fully delivering the resulting software product
Digital transformation is about taking time to talk to management and staff to understand a client’s business. Assessing the capabilities of the existing systems alongside business operational processes to determine where any efficiencies could be made and what might stand in the way of achieving this, be it technical, cultural or financial. We’ll then ensure that our recommendations accurately and effectively meet the specific business needs of the organisation.
Barriers to Digital Transformation
When it comes to transformation or change there are always going to be barriers. So that you are prepared for everything, here are some of the common barriers you might face when it comes to digital transformation.
- Company culture – people can fear change and there can be a lot for employees to get their heads around
- Cost – the expense of investing in new technologies and the software that supports them
- Legacy systems – more data-intensive processing that many companies’ IT infrastructures are not prepared for
- Security – increased security threats
Understanding the importance of digital transformation is vital and if you’re unsure of how to begin the process, software development companies are here to help. Through their digital services they can begin by focussing the digital changes that directly influence your business strategy and easily deliver return on investment. Don’t hesitate, taking the time to create a digital transformation strategy can help your business to evolve and improve operations.