What is Digital Transformation?
Digital Transformation is the integration of digital technologies into all areas of a business to bring about fundamental changes in efficiency and productivity. It is also a cultural change that requires a business to challenge the status quo and think outside the box to become more agile and responsive to customers’ needs, market changes and competitor activity.
Digital Transformation will look different for every business. But it applies to all from the small to the enterprise.
Why Should I be Concerned about Digital Transformation?
A business may undertake a digital transformation project for a specific reason. Perhaps a paper based process has become error prone and laborious. Possibly customers demands have changed and they need their interactions handled in a different format. Maybe remote working has introduced management challenges that need a specific technology solution. Or sometimes a business just wants to modernise across the board and take advantage of new ways of working.
Ultimately though the reason that many businesses need to consider some level of digital transformation is survival. If you don’t do it your competitors will and that just may give them the edge in the market.
Where do I start?
Our advice is start small. Digital Transformation doesn’t need to happen overnight. It can be a staged process based on small individual projects. First step would be to identify what areas of your business there is room for improvement either by department or by process. Maybe you have several IT solutions for different objectives that aren’t syncing together. Are there wieldy paper based process using up staff time that could be automated? Have you legacy systems that haven’t grown with your business and don’t meet your staff needs?
We recommend engaging with a solution provider who are experts in the areas of technology and importantly work processes. They can help you identify where to begin and design a roadmap to define your digital journey and plan a budget.
What is Software Development’s Role in Digital Transformation?
Software Development is the underlying enabler for Digital Transformation. In recent years businesses across the globe have realised the importance of software development. Software enhances, extends and radically restructures how businesses work. It is used to expand functionality, update existing processes, modernise existing infrastructure and can directly affect the financial health of a business.
As a result designing software solutions with quality and customer care in mind have become key aspects of business maturity and digital transformation.
Moving Forward
Digital Transformation requires change in 2 areas: Processes and Infrastructure and Culture and Mindset. Businesses need to be open to change and to the use of new technologies. Many businesses tend to rely on off the shelf software for specific operational functions. But frequently these solutions don’t meet the requirements as so many processes are individual to each business that the vanilla solution leaves productivity short.
Software Development however ensures that all users business needs are captured and met ensuring that your staff operate as efficiently as they can. The knock-on effect is customers are served better and business agility is increased.
Being open to new technologies is key to successful Digital Transformation and staying competitive.
Contact us for a no obligation chat about your business IT.
