No company can escape the digital revolution, a process that tends to be fraught with any number of pitfalls. Jungle Minds has compiled a list of eight key aspects to keep in mind for businesses initiating a digital transformation process.
1. Forget the old, embrace the new
Digitalisation is changing the way we work and do business. All the old certainties are peeling away. Be extra alert when people start dropping terms like ‘channel conflict’ and ‘cannibalisation’ into the conversation. This means you must avoid getting stuck in old patterns of behaviour and embrace change instead.
2. Start out with a clear briefing
Be clear about what you aim to achieve by implementing new digital technologies. Example: creating new income streams by adopting a radically new revenue model.
3. Think in terms of ‘benefits’
Even if your business case doesn’t cover all the bases right away, your benefit case could support investing in digital technologies further down the line (for example, to gain access to new markets or develop new skills).
4. Establish a ‘loose link’ between IT systems and your organisation
Make sure your legacy systems (including finance/accounts, customer records, ERP, etc.) continue to be accessible but are physically separated from the organisation’s front end, where maximum agility is required.
5. Don’t conflate e-commerce with a digital transformation
Developing an e-commerce platform is a major first step – but not a goal in and of itself.
6. Digital = strategy, strategy = CEO
Keep your senior management in charge of the digital transformation.
7. Allocate the resources needed
Digital transformation is not your standard business case, nor does it warrant a blank cheque. It’s not a project either, but rather an ongoing programme.
8. A digital transformation requires digital talent
Your digital transformation process cannot be successful without the right people on board. Set the bar as high as possible. Good employees are there to contribute, but above all to learn – together and from each other.
Also read ‘Eight pointers for a successful digital transformation’