Digital transformation allows the business to access advanced technology, better internal processes, and improved production. This is becoming an increasingly essential part of the management of any business. The digital age is here, and companies that do not step up to the plate to make the most of the technology out there will fall behind their competition.
There are so many reasons that a business might want to embark on a digital transformation. For companies experiencing reduced productivity, this could be the difference between profitability and losses. In instances where archaic processes create workflow issues or strife with customers, digital transformation can eliminate roadblocks and get workflows back on track.
If you are ready to learn more about how a digital transformation roadmap can improve your business processes, you need to read on.
What is Digital Transformation?
Digital transformation is the process by which a business or an area within a company is guided through a broad change related to technology use and organisational structure. This impacts all aspects of the business, from the people and the processes used each day to its structure and capacity.
Businesses need to be aware that this change impacts more within their company than just what kinds of technology are being used. There are genuine and challenging changes that will create stress and a learning curve for employees and shift how a company connects with and provides clients.
The primary takeaway that businesses need to have about digital transformation is that the key to making it a worthwhile undertaking is making sure the new technologies are integrated into existing workflows correctly. When you change technology just for the sake of changing it, you can run into all kinds of issues with workflows and customer care that should be avoided at all costs.
Digital Transformation Roadmap
Secure Senior Management Commitment
Without senior management being on board, any significant change to a company will not work out as planned. This is the first critical step for any plan to change technology or business processes. You will want to be sure that the CEO and the other senior management are aware of what this change can do for business and why it matters.
All successful digital transformation projects are managed from the top down. This means that your management needs to be on board before you start working out any of the details of the vision, the plan, or the process by which these changes will be implemented. Digital transformation is an all-in or nothing kind of process, and you need your top-tier management to be on board for it to work.
Use Clear, Ambitious Digital Targets
It would help if you were sure that your roadmap shows clear targets for the investment made. It is expensive and disruptive to use digital transformation to improve business workflow and outcomes, and you need to show why these changes and the cost are worth it. Beyond that, you will need to know if your changes meet goals. When you are not clear about whether or not you are hitting targets, it can make the whole process lose steam.
Setting targets like OKR and KPI goals that mean something makes it easier to stay on track. You do not want to back-slide when things get tough, and you will want to be sure that you can show investors, employees, and top management that the steps being taken are working. You can easily keep your rollout of changes on task and schedule when you have targets in place. For setting goals and tips, check out our guides on resource levelling, pareto distribution, and project kick-off meeting.
Start By Offering Lighthouse Projects
It is critical to win support for your digital transformation process. You will want to make sure that you offer up easy targets at first that have minimal risk and deliver big rewards. Making everyone involved in the transformation invested requires proving that it will work.
Customer satisfaction matters here as well, and you want to be sure that you are delivering changes that will improve their experience before you tackle anything that might have the opposite effect in the short term. Cost savings, improved customer engagement, and better workflows are good outcomes for the first targets you plan to hit. You can measure these achievements by implementing weekly workplans to work smart, not harder on your goals.
Deliver in Phases
There is no digital transformation process that can happen overnight and in one fell swoop. You will need to plan to execute your transformations in stages to ensure that the process is not overwhelming. Using phases will also allow you to test your work and ensure it performs as expected before moving on to the next part of the project.
You will need to optimise each step, and you will want to look hard at automation that can make workflows more effective and faster. When you digitise, you will only work on one piece of the total project at a time. You will then need to check that each phase is working correctly before moving on to the next steps.
Taking the time to deliver in phases can make the most significant difference during your rollout. You will want to ensure that each stage has clear goals and gets good results during each step. This will give everyone confidence in the process and help propel the team toward the next phase with good energy.
Build Capabilities
Training is the most critical overarching step involved in this process. You will need your teams to know how to use these new tools they have been given correctly to be effective. If you have been holding off on training until the end of the rollout, you will likely end up with very frustrated users who are not invested in the process. Make sure that you are thinking about the needs of the teams that work for you and helping them feel invested in each phase.
An invested workforce will always be happier with your digital transformation process. When you empower teams to use the new functions you have put in place correctly, they will be eager and ready for the rest of the process to be completed. You will want to be sure that you are getting accurate data about the performance of each phase, and if your users are out of the loop, this might not be possible.
Why Should You Pursue Digital Transformation?
Digital transformation has been shown to improve these critical aspects of business performance:
- Improved customer service experience and engagement
- Increased efficiency
- Improved decision-making for business outcomes
- Improved innovation
- Transformed business outlook and presence
The global spend on digital transformation in 2024 is projected to be about 2.4 trillion dollars in the US. If nothing else shows you that this is a business trend that deserves your attention, statistics like this should confirm it.
Tessaract Can Help You With Your Digital Transformation Needs
If you are ready to take the step and make your business better than ever, you might need some support. Tessaract can help you transform your business processes and accelerate your business growth and workflow automation with ease. Power your business with Tessaract by letting us manage your digital signing processes and implement your business management software to achieve a high performance culture through optimal work performance.
We can help you make your digital transformation process seamless and effective through efficient corporate tools. Overcome the repetitive tasks, roadblocks or bottlenecks in your daily operations and worries about growing your business and meeting future demand. With Tessaract on your side, there are no limits to what your business can do!