Nowadays, everything around is becoming digital. Especially if considered how the global pandemic and quarantines forced many businesses to either disappear or go online. But it started long before the coronavirus and has been going on for decades already. Haven’t you noticed how important online shopping has become in the last 10 years?
However, to be able to explain its importance and influence on businesses and society in general, we need to answer the question “What is digital transformation?”
What Does It Even Mean?
Generally speaking, it’s all the processes needed to improve every aspect of a company through changes with the use of digital technologies. Yet, due to the differences between all the companies, the algorithm of this complex process is different for every business too.
Also, it’s not possible to achieve similar significant changes and improvements for every company. For example, a wooden log factory has more limitations in transformation than a translation agency.
That doesn’t mean the factory can’t do it all, though. Digital transformation isn’t related only to modern websites and online sales. It includes improvements in all aspects of work. For a wooden log factory, it could be done by tracking the performance through specialized software and automating and controlling machinery through computers.
But that’s only a part of it. Every business should plan its digital strategy according to circumstances, financial possibilities, and other limitations. The best way to analyze and begin the process is, of course, to contact specialists.
There are many companies on the market today. For instance, specialists from Develux would be glad to help you out with this matter. Such services ensure the efficiency and stability of the software side of this complex process.
Why Is It Important?
1. Performance
As shown in the example with the wooden log factory, digital transformation brings performance increase. It can be used to automate certain processes. Right, it’s expensive at first. But automated production quickly pays off. It also doesn’t require a monthly payment, while human workers do.
Machines can perform at a faster pace too, thus elevating the production rates even higher. And the cost of servicing such machinery is still lower if compared to all the expenses on human resources. Why is automation considered a part of this transformation? Because it uses digital technologies, it’s simple.
But there are countless other ways to increase performance. Today, there’s specialized software for almost any need a company may have. It removes tons of work from the employees, allowing them to allocate their efforts and resources to the more important tasks.
2. Quality
With the improvements in performance, better quality comes. How does it work? Digital technology mostly involves software and machine learning.
Yes, machines do bug-out sometimes. But they are less subjected to making mistakes than humans. For instance, who would you trust to do a 596*2134/0,32 calculation? Right, you would use a calculator, a tool that appeared because of digital transformation.
Just like said before, making processes digital free the workers from extra chores. These processes can be done faster and better by computers, dramatically decreasing the number of possible mistakes. The latter may easily occur because someone “feels tired” or “is in a bad mood today”.
3. Superiority
And now, to the most important point. Technological progress doesn’t stand still. Today, we have so many quality-of-life improvements that it’s impossible to live without them:
- smartphones;
- cloud storage;
- smart AI, etc.
All of them are the results of a digital transformation of the past, and the foundation of the modern one.
Companies in all spheres try to keep up with the changes such innovations bring. Otherwise, they just can’t stay afloat. And the ones that somehow manage to stay alive still lose in every aspect to their rivals that implement the modern tech into the workflow.
Customers prefer companies that can provide services online. The reason is simple – you just need to click a few links, and you’re done. There’s no need to travel somewhere just to do a few-minute task. And even if some processes (for example, receiving a passport) can’t be done online, the transformation enhances the offline experience.
In the case of receiving a passport, it could simply be done by eliminating the first-come, first-served traditional algorithm. Enlist in the online queue from your phone while sitting on a couch. You just need to come at an appointed time now, without being stuck for hours in a waiting room.
Once again, customers will always seek a more convenient option, which is almost always the online one. And that itself is a huge advantage of digital transformation. It has become a very important market condition today. You either become digital or stick to old principles and suffer huge losses.
4. Challenges
Yet, with all the advantages it brings, there’s a huge challenge to such transformation. It needs to be done right. Yes, it sounds obvious but is still crucial when performing such complex and long-term processes.
What’s needed is to research every aspect of a workflow inside your company. Every single process needs to be analyzed to find out how its processes could be improved efficiently. Because making a wrong decision could be fatal.
That means, every business needs a well-thought and professionally done strategy. It should include not only the plan of how to make a company more digital right now but also the potential issues and improvements in the future. It’s called strategy for a reason, after all.
Bad decisions in planning can lead to bankruptcy. You will either waste too many expenses on inefficient improvements that won’t pay off or decrease the quality of the services, thus leading to a reduction in sales. There are countless examples of companies that disappeared because of wrong digital transformation strategies.
Summing Up
As you can see now, becoming digital is crucial in today’s world. There’s even a well-known modern saying: “You don’t exist if you’re not online”. But the transformation needs to be done wisely, with deep analysis of every aspect and a thoroughly planned strategy.
So, keep a cool head, do what you think is right, and don’t forget about the basics of economics. Good luck!
