There are four main areas of digital transformation. Get ideas for where you could be digitally transforming further, or where you may not have even thought of ‘going digital’.
We always say at Cultrix, if you have a feeling you could be making more of technology in business, you’re probably right.
Is there an aspect of digital you’re missing? Could you be using digital more? Do you even know if you’ve ‘digitally transformed’?
Digital transformation means more than just doing your online marketing
Sure, digital transformation includes online marketing, engagement and community building. And developing your presence in the ‘digital space’. But having an internet presence is only part of digital transformation.
The four areas of digital transformation
Digital transformation is not one thing in isolation, it’s a many-pronged journey along which businesses evolve and grow. Understanding that it’s not one set of actions is a step in the journey, which will help you to look at your business from different viewpoints.
Digital transformation involves:
- Increasing IT take-up
- Digitising your operation
- Digital marketing (likely to be the most familiar to you)
- Doing digital business
This isn’t a tick list. Each area should be revisited according to your priorities and evolving business goals.
For example, don’t stop using the latest IT if that helps you to achieve your goals. You revisit, reassess and take action on a constant basis.
Increasing IT take-up
If you haven’t upgraded or modernised your IT infrastructure, enabled a hybrid or flexible working strategy or moved to the cloud, it’s likely you need to uplift your IT.
Digital transformation means embracing the IT and tech available to you to lower IT maintenance costs, increase employee satisfaction and efficiency of operation.
Does your budget allow for digital investment? Do you use up-to-date platforms? Is your business continuity plan in place such that your data and systems are backed up and maintained? All these aspects of IT adoption and your attention to them are important to your digital transformation.
Digitising your operation
Are your business processes optimised? Are you using digital processes to manage manual, repetitive tasks? Are your employees working as efficiently as they can, using digital means to help them? Are you automating customer contact where appropriate to increase customer satisfaction and encourage engagement? Can your customers pay online and self-serve?
Digitising processes in your operation saves time, money, solves business problems and helps you to manage your workflows, as well as customer service – fundamental to your digital transformation.
Digital marketing
Have you invested in your digital marketing? It’s likely to be a business’s first area of digital adoption due to the obvious benefits of growing a business online. Cost per acquisition of new clients tends to be lower, you can communicate your brand, build awareness and create your customer community all online, using the right platforms and publishing the right content.
But it doesn’t happen overnight, and you’ll need the right data and content to engage your audience, from website to social media, SEO, email marketing and online campaigns.
Doing digital business
Digital can open up new avenues for your business. Is there potential for a digital arm to generate a new revenue stream? Doing new digital business requires investment and some disruption, but the possibilities for growth and pivoting your offer are there. Collaboration, growth opportunities and access to new markets are all untapped potential that could be accessed through your digital reach and activity.
Digital transformation is a journey
The journey of digital transformation never stops, and nor should it. As you evolve your business, your activity in the digital space and uptake of digital tools and collaborations evolves too.
One of the keys to success is realising you need more than one aspect and that each requires ongoing revision, uptake and implementation.
Need help with your digital transformation? Get in touch with the Cultrix digi-specialist team for a chat.
< Read more articles on our Web Academy
The changing role of social media in marketing
Social media isn’t what it used to be. User-behaviour has evolved, and businesses are under increasing pressure to adopt different posting habits to make it worth their while.
Providing digital help and support – what to consider
Do you want to offer your customers digital help and support they can access online? It’s not as simple as just removing the phoneline. Here’s what to consider.