What is digital transformation and why is it important?
Digital transformation refers to the process by which digital technology is integrated into a business at all levels. The main advantage of this is that it helps businesses to become better-placed to meet changing business and market demands.
We live in an increasingly digital age, so it’s essential that businesses remain flexible and are able to adapt with the times, so that they are able to take advantage of the many opportunities presented by technological advances in their industry.
One example of digital transformation is the huge shift from analogue to digital that we’ve seen over the past decade or so. Once upon a time, businesses relied on physical documents, handwritten ledgers, and various files and binders for record keeping. Now, the majority keep files digitally, and rely on other digital tools like file sharing and cloud storage for their day-to-day operations.
Artificial intelligence, mobile apps, data-driven cloud computing, and social media are other examples of process and technology changes that have been embraced by businesses over recent years.
Some advantages of digital transformation (also known as digital innovation or digitalisation) include that it:
- Helps businesses to work more efficiently
- Helps to refine processes and make them simpler
- Affords a more convenient and personalised user experience, therefore adding value to your business in the eyes of your customers
- Allows you to find new customers, rather than having to wait for them to find you
- Enables you to identify new opportunities for growth and revenue
What are the different types of digital transformation?
When it comes to digital transformation, a few different models and frameworks exist. Generally speaking though, there are four main areas. These are:
- Process (integrating new technologies, applications, and systems that transform your business processes)
- Business model (incorporating new technologies that transform your business’s operational model)
- Domain (leveraging new technologies to enter different industries, and redefine traditional products and services)
- Organisational (engaging digital talent, and promoting a workplace culture that welcomes and embraces digital change)
What does the digital transformation process look like?
At Tomedia, we’re experienced in delivering digital transformation strategies that guide companies in achieving their business outcomes, as well as their business challenges.
We specialise in tailormade strategies that are 100% customised to you and your business. Here’s what the process might look like:
1. Initial consultation
First, we’ll ask you some questions to get a better idea of where your business is at now, and where it needs to get to. Some examples of the questions we might ask are:
- What does your business do?
- What products or services do you offer?
- Who are your current and potential customers?
- What are your long and short-term goals?
- What do you want to achieve with your digital transformation? For example, are you wanting to upgrade your current systems, or adopt totally new technology?
- What technologies do you use in your business at present?
- What are your staff’s current technologies capabilities like?
- What inefficiencies, or things you could be doing better or more quickly, have you noticed?
2. Stakeholder consultation
Digital transformation is a change that will affect people at every level of your business. As a result, it is essential that a stakeholder consultation process occurs, where staff at different levels of the business are briefed about the proposed changes, and asked for their feedback.
As part of this stakeholder consultation process, we will interview staff from different areas of your business, and ask them about things like:
- What works well with your current processes?
- What doesn’t work so well?
- What changes would you like to see?
- What do you think of the proposed changes?
3. Plan
Based on the feedback we’ve received from you and your staff, we’ll then put together a plan. This will outline things like:
- What technologies will be implemented?
- How will they be implemented?
- What will the implementation workflow look like at different levels of the business?
- How will the success of the digital transformation be measured? (i.e. what metrics will be used?)
- How will your staff be supported in adapting to these changes?
4. Feedback
We’ll then present our recommended strategy to you. You will have the opportunity to review it, and provide us with your feedback. We’ll then continue to work back and forth on this, making any changes necessary to ensure you’re 100% happy by the time we get to the implementation stage.
5. Implementation
Once you’re happy with our recommended strategy, it’s time for us to start implementing it.
Exactly what this phase looks like will vary depending on the specifics of the strategy we’ve designed for you. Essentially though, we’ll be facilitating the necessary changes.
6. Monitoring and feedback
Once the digital transformation strategy has been implemented, we’ll continue monitoring it over time to see how well it is performing.
We’ll also provide you and your staff with the opportunity to provide feedback post-implementation. For example:
- How well do you think the changes are working?
- What have you noticed is working better or more efficiently since the transformation?
- What do you think is not working as well, or what would you change?
Based on this, we will then continue to refine your strategy where necessary, to ensure it is achieving the best possible results.
Get started
Digital strategy consulting is just one of the services that we offer at Tomedia. We have a proven track record of supporting successful digital transformations for businesses in a wide range of sectors.
To find out more about what this might look like for your business, contact us today at [email protected] or 0419 697 016.