Swift acceleration of technology and innovations. Omnipresent desire for market disruption. Ever-growing customer demands. All of these themes and trends are feeding the complex, versatile trend called digital transformation.As an executive in the technology service field I constantly reflect on the relevance of the term ‘Digital transformation’ to what we do (and how it helps our customers)!? So, how can we leverage the innovations of digital technologies to improve our businesses by changing it completely or optimising what is already there. Realistically, most of us are not going to build or invent a game changer in our industry, much as we like to dream, most of us will not invent the next Airbnb – but we can accelerate improvements to keep up with the pace of change, because with the digital transformation there is no final state. We are never done.We all want to execute a vision and demonstrate our leadership. We all want to stay relevant to an evolving target market and take advantage of it! We want to attract talent, transform business models, create a vibrant culture, and improve productivity and agility. But how?To simplify this let’s use relatable analogy so that everyone comfortable with this hot topic. I love food so let us relate food to different function in the business and the outcome that they try to achieve.
The more chocolate I eat, the pickier I get. Plain milk chocolate it’s not doing the trick anymore. I want more refined and bespoke experience. Companies like us are experiencing the shift in the sales process and customer engagement. In the centre of digital movement is the customer. Customers are driving the entire digital transformation endeavour. Listening to the customer and incorporating marketing strategies into the day to day business is a very important step on transformation journey. Rules of marketing have changed. Customer wants more immediate, inclusive, immersive, inspirational and intimate connection. We live in hyper-screen reality. Today’s market dynamic means that we shall use technology to enhance sales process by automation, increased reach and improved user experience. For example, we are using a CRM product like HubSpot to give an end-to-end view of the customer reduces data entry and provides a more integrated sales marketing. It simply means combining marketing, customer experience, branding, and technology to achieve the best results.
Even if I enjoyed slow cooked lamb shoulder for lunch, I want to be able to digest it fast so I can engage with the next experience faraway from dining table. No one likes to get stuck in the same spot for a long period of time. Our location no longer plays a part in how productive or engaged we are with our work. I want to enable employees to execute the concept of ‘work is what I do rather than where I go’ by separating the work process from the location of the work. My people are now working from home one or two days per week and technology has made this seamless! The productivity improvements are up to 20%. The improved collaboration products in communication has ‘enabled’ the sales team members to access an expert in the office or from the vendor land to get questions answered in real time.The other aspect is process automation by use of technology. For example, complex work scheduling and resource management is typically managed with an application. This focus the business to utilise their people on higher value tasks.
The pressure on value from cost and appetite for risk is one of the most interesting challenges of digital transformation. We have access to much more ‘facts and data’ and instantaneously available which supports the process of decision making with insights rather than assumptions. On the other hand, there are so much choice re viable options that it gives a new meaning to ‘choice breeds confusion’! The challenge is to choose a healthy meal that is optimal for your constitution and lifestyle.
The key ingredients for successful transformation recipe are consultation about what needs to change (no attachment to ideas, please), clear decision on what success looks like for all parties involved / impacted and commitment to execution based on priorities. This is an ongoing process as the word ‘evolve’ suggests – change becomes easier at every iteration – we must persist until the changes are welcomed and celebrated by all! We are not there yet and we do not profess to have all the answers, but we know that it is not a ‘want’ but a ‘need’ for our success. Enjoy your meal!Check out what we are cooking at Byte. Try our perfected recipe for digital transformation called OneSpace:Get your free demo today
Business Owner and Executive Director at Byte Information TechnologyProficient IT executive with expertise in aligning, tailoring and driving technology-based business solutions, projects and people that support and enhance organisational growth. Customer and quality focused. Inspired by team contributions and the joint energies invested in meeting the challenges of continuous improvement, and superior delivery of services.
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