Here are a few Tips to Embark on a Journey of Digital Transformation in 2020
We all enjoy making a few resolutions on the first day of a new year. Maybe you’re ready to lose some weight or hit the gym more often. Or maybe you’re looking to read a few more books or attend a few more seminars than you did last year. Personal resolutions are great, and oftentimes, the changes we make in our personal lives carry through to our professional lives. But this year, why not embark on a journey of digital transformation? 2020 can be YOUR year to scrutinize each department and process for areas to improve, integrate, automate, and streamline – creating a healthier bottom line, and of course, a greater customer experience. So how do you undergo digital transformation? It all starts with a well-thought out plan that drives change in an effective manner.
1. Perform an audit to gather the right information
First and foremost, it’s time to start gathering the right information. Before you embark on a digital transformation journey, you need to identify where you’re at right now and where you want to be in the future. We recommend reviewing the following:
- What are your digital strengths and/or weaknesses?
- What are your competitors doing better than you are?
- What is available to you in terms of assistance and/or partners?
- What do your customers feel frustrated about/feel is lacking?
You want to keep your goals in mind throughout this process. Whether you’re looking to take advantage of opportunities to enter new markets or you’re looking to combat new entrants into the marketplace, think about your goals as you go. Remember, digital technology can be surprisingly helpful in a lot of areas.
2. Establish a framework for business value
This step is important to ensure buy-in from all relevant parties. You must be clear about the business outcomes you’re expecting to achieve. You will likely make a significant investment over the years into transforming your business on a digital level. If you don’t assess the business value you’re aiming to achieve, you may struggle to maintain dedication to your plan. The 5Ss of digital marketing, established in 2000 by PR Smith and Dave Chaffey, actually offer a great place to start – although created for setting goals in digital marketing, they offer insight into the type of value you should be looking for:
- Sell (grow or increase your existing sales/client base)
- Save (reduce service costs and/or save money)
- Speak (engage your customers/prospects through digital channels)
- Serve (add more value to your customers)
- Sizzle (expanding your brand online)
3. Identify the resources necessary for digital transformation
As with any big change, you need buy-in and you need commitment from the people involved. Make sure you’re identifying the resources necessary to your digital transformation journey. This will primarily focus on the people involved, however, you will also need a clear vision that’s documented for everyone to review. Your resources must include:
- An advocate who will ensure each step of the plan goes smoothly. This person is responsible for the overall efforts behind your digital transformation journey. .
- A clear vision that outlines the big picture of where you’re at currently and what you’re going to achieve on your digital transformation journey.
- A digital team that has the knowledge, expertise, and experience to help you implement, maintain, and support the digital technologies necessary to achieve your objectives.
Note: If you don’t have a digital team yet, call (831) 753-7677 to speak with Alvarez Technology Group – a team of experienced digital transformation experts in Salinas, CA.
Dell is an incredible example of a company that stayed ahead of marketplace demand. In 1996, they launched their website – generating $1 million in sales per day after 6 months of going live. In 1999, they launched their technical support online – despite others in the industry believing it wasn’t possible.
4. Work with your digital team to create a roadmap
Lastly, work with your digital team to create a roadmap that outlines two key areas: platforms and operations. Remember, you can stretch out the roadmap over the course of a year or more to get everything accomplished. The platforms section should be divided into:
- Technology: What hardware, software, and other tools will be necessary?
- Data: What data will be needed to gather insight and how will you organize that data?
The platforms are an integral part of your digital transformation, but the operations behind those platforms are critical too. The operations section should be divided into:
- People: Who will be executing what according to your roadmap?
- Processes: What business processes will be updated to achieve your objectives?
Remember, many of your processes will likely change as you incorporate new technology and data into your environment. If you’re aiming to expand your brand, you may need to create a process regarding social media that ties into the tools you’re using. If you’re aiming to upsell your existing client base, you may need to create a process regarding marketing and/or data collection that ties into the tools you’re using.
Alvarez Technology Group is your go-to team of digital transformation experts. Call (831) 753-7677 to make 2020 YOUR year to start embarking on an incredible journey.
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