We live in a digital world; this was already the case before 2020’s global pandemic changed business operations overnight and underscored technology’s incredible power to connect and unify the world.
The ongoing crisis has demonstrated the need for organisations to engage digitally; it’s been reported that Covid-19 has accelerated the UK’s digital transformation efforts by over five years. This trend is only going to continue an upward trajectory from here, with a permanent shift in working practices predicted.
Simply put, digital maturity must be the strategic goal for forward-thinking companies right now: the ability to respond appropriately and in a timely fashion to ever-evolving digital environments has never been more vital.
To reach this critical goal, a digital transformation journey is necessary - one that encompasses the people, processes, culture, and technology that lies behind your business. These are the four key steps to take to ensure your organisation is future-proofed and ready for whatever comes next.
#1: Be clear on your priorities and your purpose
Your strategic goals and aims serve as the building blocks for a successful digital transformation strategy; to realise new digital possibilities, you need to be crystal clear on where you want to go and why.
A discovery meeting is always the best first step to take; we’ll kickstart any new digital transformation journey by gathering key stakeholders together and exploring:
- What are you doing well, and how can you improve?
- What do you need to change, and why?
- Where is productivity slowing, and where are costs mounting up?
Are there any issues that are impacting the organisation as a whole - or is there one big problem area?
A common issue faced by many organisations is cross-departmental working; a lack of clear communication or internal training can often lead to inconsistencies between different locations and teams. This can be overcome with detailed analysis into ways of working to create a digital roadmap to smoother collaborative pathways.
#2: See where the gaps are
A gap analysis is always a worthwhile exercise: the process of asking where are we, and where do we want to be?
By taking a careful look at your performance to date compared with your desired goals, you’ll be able to analyse your situation and, hopefully, identify some ‘quick wins’ which can be implemented and acted on straight away.
For some businesses, the ‘gap’ can be as simple as making sure an e-mail goes to the right person. More often, this analysis will result in the need for a longer-term tech solution to be implemented, based on company goals. Automating processes, for example, can free people up from repetitive administration tasks, allowing them to concentrate on more important aspects of their role.
#3: Evolve your work culture
Transformation isn’t possible without invested people: it’s absolutely essential to cultivate a working environment and culture where change is seen as a positive step forwards - and to attract employees who are open to doing things differently.
For many organisations, it can take time to alter current practices - sometimes a complete culture change is necessary. Taking a collaborative approach, canvasing internal opinions and seeking input from all helps to secure buy-in for a progressive and future-focused work culture.
It may be that many of your staff feel that they’re following the right processes but have, over time, developed their own individual ways of working. A united and inclusive approach will encourage joined-up thinking amongst your team, with everyone focused on the wider future as well as their personal contribution.
#4: Think long-term
When it comes to digital maturity, you need to look at the big picture, not just what’s immediately in front of you.
This is where we come in. Our development team can create the right piece of software or provide a technological solution to help you to face any challenges you may face, both now and in the future - grounded in a sound digital strategy.
The combination of our commercial insight and taking the time to build a detailed picture of you and your business, will help us to develop new, creative, and innovative ideas for your business - with visible benefits.
By undergoing a detailed consultancy process, you can be sure that you’re following the right strategy for your long-term future before investing in digital change.
Make your digital vision a reality
To truly transform digitally, it always pays to first take a step back and look at your business as whole. Adopting and embedding technology within the way that you work can make a radical difference if you take an integrated approach.
The right digital solutions can bring about much-needed efficiencies, speed up processes and make a sizeable difference on engagement and profit.
Digital Wonderlab can help you do more, do it better and do it faster. So, if you’re curious about finding the right digital solution for you, get in touch. We’ll make it happen through carefully crafted technology.
