Four Ways to Drive Successful Digital Transformation

According to a report released by the research firm Gartner, 40 percent of CEOs list company growth as their top priority. But digital technology—or the lack of it—remains a significant impediment to growth. In the same survey, two-thirds of business leaders said their company needs to go digital to facilitate growth and stay competitive.

WHAT EXACTLY IS A DIGITAL BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION?

In short, digital business transformation is an overhaul of your company’s activities and processes to maximize the capabilities of digital technology such as automation, cybersecurity, data collection and analysis, and cloud-based storage.

Most business leaders are on board, in theory. More than half of the CEOs surveyed by Gartner reported that they plan to increase spending on digital capabilities this year, but less than half said having a digital business strategy. That is where CIOs, AV integrators, and IT experts come in. Without an organized approach to digital business transformation, there can be a disconnect between the technology a company has and the goals they are trying to achieve.

Here are some ways you can help your leadership or clients achieve successful digital business transformation.

Start Small.

The hardest thing about change is getting started. Company leadership might need a little help imagining what a digital transformation will look like and how it will benefit the organization. Start with something small, and if you can, demonstrate with the technology you already have and how optimizing can reduce costs and improve efficiency. Limiting your scope to the immediate technologies at hand can actualize the abstract concept of transformation. Then you can move on to demonstrating the benefits of a full digital transformation.

Identify risks—and benefits.

Despite recognizing the need for digital advancement, many CEOs might be afraid to go all-in because the systems in place now work, and they don’t want to jeopardize a good thing. For example, a CEO might worry that a shift in a company’s business and operational models might reduce value or revenue. It is essential to identify and address risks during the planning stage of your digital business transformation. In many cases, focusing on the benefits of digital business transformation can help you do that. Benefits include better customer experiences and improve employee productivity, which are also metrics you can collect to show digital business success.

Choose the right tools for your goals.

Many organizations start their digital business transformation by thinking about the kind of cool or flashy technology they want, instead of the business needs they are trying to address. A company’s use cases, goals, and business objectives should inform digital technology investments.

Cultivate digital dexterity.

According to Citrix, the U.S. suffers from a $2.7 trillion productivity gap. Though technology promises to make us more productive, challenges in using new technology diminish productivity instead, ensuring employees know how to use technologies—as well as know-how to learn and where to get answers—will improve productivity. Digital business transformation often goes hand in hand with cultural and organizational changes.

ASSEMBLE THE RIGHT TEAM

CIOs, IT directors, and AV integrators all play roles in a successful digital business transformation. While CEOs and other leaders understand business processes and models, CIOs, integrators, and IT experts understand the role technology plays in supporting and enhancing those processes and models. Choosing the right tools—and the right partners—can make your digital business transformation successful.