What Does Digital Transformation Really Mean?

In the wake of the Covid-19 Pandemic, a survey designed and analyzed by Lawless Research found that the virus was a tremendously strong catalyst in furthering digital transformation. The survey showed because of Covid-19, an average of 2.7 broke digital transformation barriers per respondent, an increase in digital transformation budgets for 79% of respondents, and a desire to continue these efforts as the world reopens among 92% of respondents. Even before the pandemic, the term “Digital Transformation elicited a sense of urgency to adopt new technologies and modernize one’s business, but adoption and modernization aren’t always the same. Many companies use cloud storage, digital documents, and other “digital solutions” without achieving noticeable results. While adopting these technologies is the first step, it may not be enough if you’re simply using the same processes and operations, just in a newer medium.

Updating your tech without updating your processes is like repainting a house and calling it new!

Just as a freshly painted house may still have a faulty foundation, processes and operations can still be dated despite a digital makeover. Manually uploading documents to the cloud for review is still the same as faxing or emailing them. You press send, and if additional changes are required, the documents still need to be sent back. Saving local documents automatically to the cloud, however, is a new process that eliminates the need for manual input and allows for immediate and equal access to the latest information by anyone permitted.

Similarly, filling out a form requires the same inputs, whether with a pen and paper or a screen and keyboard. But what if predictable information, such as monetary totals on a W-2 form, could be reliably indexed without the need to total and type the information yourself? These are the kinds of new and efficient solutions that truly define digital transformation.

But how does one effectively implement a digital transformation?

Like all change, digital transformation takes time. Setting measurable goals is an essential first step. Ask yourselves what processes and operations can be made more efficient and how changing them can affect metrics like productivity and the customer value chain. After you decide what processes and operations to change, it’s important to segment the change into manageable pieces. If you are planning to implement a new company-wide solution, maybe start with one department or branch, or if you want to start taking advantage of more of your digital solution’s features, try training employees in one new feature at a time.

It’s also important that your digital transformation is positively felt throughout its implementation.  Is the transformation beginning to yield noticeable results? Is it starting to make tasks feel smoother and more efficient? How well is this change being adopted, and how can this adoption be catalyzed? It’s important to ask these questions throughout the implementation process to ensure you’re continually harvesting value.

While true digital transformation can be confusing and timely to implement, Square 9 softworks can help guide you through the process with a dedicated professional services team and innovative solutions to help you streamline the way you do business. For more information, visit www.square-9.com