Why Digital Transformation is Game-changing? — DevLabs Alliance
In the last two decades we have seen the era drastically change to Digital Era. Beginning from Digitization to Digitalization and now towards Digital Transformation, the change is continuous and rapid. While the forerunners benefited during the genesis, digital transformation is beneficial for everyone no matter the stage of their business.
Digital Transformation uses the best of this Digital Age and gives output that adds value for the customer and the company while providing better decision-making capabilities in lesser the time and richer in information.
So what is Digital Transformation?
Digital transformation is the process of using digital technologies to create new — or modify existing — business processes, culture, and customer experiences to meet changing business, market requirements and deliver value to customers. This re-imagining of business in the digital age is digital transformation. One of the examples of digital transformation is cloud computing. It reduces reliance on user owned hardware and increases reliance on subscription based cloud services.
Digital Transformation surpasses conventional roles like sales, marketing, and customer service. Instead, digital transformation begins and ends with how you think about, and engage with, customers.
So, efficiently engaging with customers and increasing the value delivered to them is the main role of Digital Transformation — with digital technology on our side while redesigning how things are done conventionally.
One thing any business must do whether small or large scale is to take a step back to check whether they are really doing the right things on their journey towards digital transformation.
The New Digitally Conscious Customer
Our day begins and ends with the use of technology. We start by turning off our ringing alarms in the morning and go to sleep checking our social media accounts, emails or adding different items to the online shopping cart. We (used to) check reviews for a restaurant before trying it out and booked plane tickets during work out while listening to the customized playlist of your music player. Sometimes we didn’t even have to lift our finger; the command of our voice was enough.
Now to this Digitally dependent and digitally conscious user, would the conventional way of delivering value prove to be satisfactory, value-adding and time-saving along with a personalized user experience? Of course not
Digital Transformation goes beyond technology. It is about the customer and their needs.
The way business was done before, the complex and often lengthy processes companies used to follow might have worked before but not today. Companies used to put their focus on their operations and work first then waited for the customer to make their move but now it doesn’t work like that. It shouldn’t. It is a waste of time and resources and even loses the customer to go look somewhere else. Digital Transformation focuses on the Customer needs first, the value they want and the way they want it. Accordingly the activities are designed around these experiences.
Stepping into the new role
Before rushing things, we must understand what is possible with Digital Transformation
A key element of digital transformation is to understand the potential of your technology — Know thy potential
As a company you must ask yourself “What is our technology really capable of, and how can we adapt our business and processes to make the most of our technology investments?”
It’s not about doing things faster. It’s about doing things better and if it happens in less time then why not? Netflix is the perfect example for this. Before Netflix, we used to rent a movie, go to the store, choosing then returning! Such work. But now you get personalized user experience movies and TV shows right in the comfort of your own devices from anywhere in the world!
The 3 steps for the shift
1. A smart, flexible IT environment
It is not about what you have, it is about how you use it. How are you using your IT resources? Are they utilized to their maximum potential? Is there something that can be added that would supercharge your execution?
Such as cloud computing. 86% of the businesses believe that cloud computing is a top priority and key to digital transformation. The cloud enables companies to be fast, dynamic and flexible — giving your organization the ability to test new projects that are cost-effective and low-risk — allowing you to use technology to meet customer demands quicker.
This links to a crucial factor — personalization
2. Personalized customer experiences
I will be honest, this is one of the first things that I notice as a customer and a good personalized experience makes me continue being a customer for any service.
Today’s buyers want organizations to treat them as a unique individual, and know their personal preferences and purchase history.
Are you using the rich information resulting from the IT towards building customer loyalty?
This opportunity is provided to you by CRM (Customer Relationship Management). It helps you treat each customer as individual. It manages your interactions and relationship with customers and potential customers.
3. Multi-channel experience
A digitally dependent and digitally aware buyer means the need for instant gratification which means instant solution to their problems and needs. Digitalization has brought everyone closer and made the world smaller, which is why everything is happening in real time now. This is why those companies that can offer immediacy, personalization and accessibility to their customers will win out in the long-run.
The consumers are ever where and explore every channel, they don’t stop at one. They browse in-store, shop online, share feedback through mobile apps and ask questions for your support team on social media networks.
Tying all of these interactions together allows you to create a single digital profile every time a customer interacts with your business.
Conclusion
In conclusion, organizations must adapt to leverage digital transformation but it should be proceeded towards carefully. Blindly stepping into it without knowing your resources, potential and customer base would prove wasteful. Study your business model, question whether a change is needed in this modern era and dive into customer experience and redesign accordingly. The old model of waiting for the customers to find you doesn’t work anymore. The consumers are out there spread over every channel, reach out to them!
— Sangmitra
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