5 Rules for Digitally Transforming Your Business in 2021

Digital transformation seems to be the buzzword for 2021, but it’s a lot more than just a trend. Through digital transformation, businesses and organizations have the chance to catch up with the times and make sure digital technology is integrated into all areas.

After all, if there’s a lesson to be learned after the events and craziness of 2020, it’s that many businesses are still at a beginner level when it comes to technology integration with their processes. As more people were forced to stay and work from home, the world registered a new wave of cyberattacks that targeted vulnerabilities in this area. And, these were possible because many companies didn’t yet embrace the idea of remote workers and secure remote connections.

However, digital transformation encompasses a lot more than remote workers and easy access to the company’s database and files regardless of location. First and foremost, the process requires a deep analysis of the business processes to identify lags, gaps in communication, and risks that can be solved with the use of modern technology.

Therefore, it is good to hire a digital transformation professional team, like RTS Labs consulting, to make sure the transformation doesn’t disrupt daily business activities. Still, whether you do it on your own or not, here are the top five rules to respect for seamless integration.

#1: Involved Leadership

According to a study by McKinsey, transformation cannot be successful unless the leaders are involved. Therefore, a successful digital transformation starts with the top executives and moves through the ranks changing the culture, methods of communication, and a lot of other things.

Change is scary, but if the issue is approached seriously and employees see their leaders are involved and also offer proper support, it becomes a new project they have to tackle. Therefore, make sure to actively check on progress, provide the necessary funds and support, and allow people to freely express their worries.

#2: Create Business Value

You can implement all the technology you want, but if your employees don’t see the value in using it, the transformation will not be successful and people will return to the old way of doing things. As a result, you will have lost the investment in this project and will continue with a low-productivity team hindered by manual processes.

To avoid this bleak scenario, create value at each step of the implementation. For instance, you can start by automating a manual process by integrating an app or an online platform that allows employees to do a routine, boring task that previously took a lot of time in a matter of minutes. This will free their schedule for more important tasks, highlighting the value of using modern technologies.

#3: Encourage Communication

Even with all the technology already available in most companies, there are errors in communication. These usually stem from a corporate culture that sets teams against each other using conflicting goals. As a result, team A doesn’t communicate well with team B, which in turn results in mistakes, delays, gaps, and so on.

So, when you do a digital transformation integration, take a closer look at your current interdepartmental situation. Are people collaborating well with other team members? If no, then where is the problem?

Modern office technology is designed for collaborative work and supports open communication, so this is a great chance to refurbish your corporate culture as well.

#4: Don’t Dismiss Experienced People

It often happens that people with business experience but not as tech-savvy are ignored during discussions that involve modern technologies and the likes. But this is a mistake since going digital requires both technology and experience – the former provides a fresh perspective, while the latter provides guidance and advanced knowledge of the business processes that they have gained over the years.

Therefore, it is good practice to get experienced people involved and on board to make the adoption easier and smoother. In fact, the secret to a successful digital transformation stands in how well you can integrate the fresh perspective of technology with the experience of your oldest employees.

#5: Focus on Data-Driven Marketing Strategies

In today’s day and age, marketers have the amazing option of working with advanced data and reports that offer deep insight into their target audience’s way of thinking. Therefore, data-driven strategies are highly efficient and produce better results than any other type of marketing strategy.

Additionally, with the right data, you will know what type of content to publish on the website and other online channels, what keywords to use, how to schedule posts on various social media platforms, and how to adjust PPC campaigns and other promotion tools.

During the digital transformation process, you will have the opportunity to automate various data collection and marketing processes. Make sure you make this step a priority and constantly check on the progress.

Wrap Up

Overall, the digital transformation process is complex and multifaceted, but it is a requirement for businesses that want to stay competitive. Additionally, it is a continuous process since technology is constantly evolving and all the systems require maintenance and training. Lastly, as the business grows, you may need to scale all the systems and add new processes.