• by Ananth Satluri

Digital Transformation as a Solution

Digital transformation is the adoption and use of digital technology by a company. The main reasons behind implementing digital transformation are to boost the efficiency of a firm’s operations, its overall value, and its innovative efforts.
A digital transformation strategy is a well-crafted plan that involves leveraging digital solutions to boost vital business activities such as engineering, manufacturing, service, and more.

Today, businesses heavily rely on technology to offset the harsh effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. At the heart of the digital transformation are cloud software and infrastructure. These features enable businesses to build resilience in the most vital areas. As a result, the businesses can create a platform where all stakeholders can collaborate easily and have high customer engagement rates. While the integration of cloud technology may vary from one industry to another, there is one consistent feature. The primary driving force of digital transformation is the chief information officer (CIO).
 

It is essential to recognize that some businesses were able to survive the effects of the Covid-19 crisis. However, this does not mean that they could simply go back to “business as usual.” They should re-direct their processes and place more emphasis on:

• Building resilience by putting cloud at the heart of your business.
• Creating a collaborative environment where the built resilience can thrive.
• Adapting your business to the current digital ways in which your prospects and customers engage best with the business.
   

For the above objectives to be met, the Chief information officer should use cloud technology to convert the business from survival mode into a revival mode. Let us look at the above objectives in greater detail below:

 

1. Building Resilience Through Cloud Technology

Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, cloud technology was a vital aspect of many businesses. However, with the havoc that the Covid-19 created, cloud technology has become a “must-have” for businesses that had not yet adopted cloud technology into their operations. Those businesses that are already using cloud technology enjoy the ability to create additional revenue sources and innovate much faster than their peers. In addition, these businesses analyze their data much more efficiently. The need to incorporate cloud technology in business’s operations today is illustrated by the fact that:

• A massive 80% of business executives are contemplating using cloud technology to mitigate potential risks.
• Approximately 87% of businesses consider cloud technology to be the missing piece of their strategy that can help them meet their objectives. 
   

Some of the steps that can help businesses build resilience include:

• Creating a cloud plan that integrates different cloud solutions aligned to emerging market conditions.

• Re-evaluating ecosystem partnerships such as hyper-scalers that are central to the success of a firm’s digital transformation and resilience.

• Optimizing cloud investments through higher efficiency and operational costs.

2. Creating A Collaborative Environment Where the Resilience Can Thrive

Social distancing has made many companies embrace remote working programs as part of their operations. Thankfully, cloud technology was instrumental in helping companies to transition easily to remote working programs. Operations continued smoothly, and some firms were still able to achieve higher productivity. Therefore, many firms have been able to keep using work from home (WFH) programs and plan to do so into the future.
 

As much as work from home (WFH) programs have been productive, they have significant limitations. Vital aspects such as creativity and collaboration essential to accomplishing tasks efficiently are limited. There are also challenges regarding data security and the employees’ well-being. However, strategies such as incorporating more virtual workrooms, collaboration tools, and adding more videoconferencing and messaging tools have made the environment more collaborative. 

Balancing on-site work arrangements and work from home programs (WFH) is necessary for creating a platform where business resilience can thrive. Employees will be required to develop new digital skills that will allow them to better balance and interact with their colleagues effortlessly. Cloud technology will come in handy here and significantly boost employee engagement. 
 

Some of the steps that businesses can use to create a collaborative environment for resilience include:

• Create a personal enablement program that significantly boosts employee engagement and service delivery by using AI technology and features like chatbots. 

• Integrate business processes with automation to enhance the employee experience.

• Maximize tools such as augmented virtual reality working sessions to promote innovation. 

• Designing more integrated working methods, such as travel assistants, that are effective at advising users on COVID-19 restrictions. 

3. Adapting Your Business to The Current Ways in Which Your Prospects and Customers Engage Your Business

The current business environment necessitates firms to engage their customers beyond social media platforms. Virtual reality (VR) technologies come in handy here and they can be used to host virtual showrooms or show houses. This VR technology provides a convenient experience for your customers to shop from the comfort of their homes. In addition, the virtual showrooms allow a customer to feel like they are actually in the physical store and are interacting with your products in person.  
 

These efforts of offering the best omnichannel experience to your customers have become necessary to cater to the large market using digital channels to do their shopping. The application of virtual technologies is not solely reserved for individual customers but businesses and industries as a whole. For example, augmented reality is crucial in helping engineers service production machinery without travelling to the site. 

Some of the ways that a company can adapt to the new ways in which customers engage with it include:

• Consistently redirecting IT investments to generate new sources of revenue in line with new products and services in the market and the emerging customer needs.

• Evaluating the changes occurring in your customer journey.
• Evaluation should also be done on the customer experience, considering their emerging behaviours and the current business environment.

Final Take Away

Every business wishing to thrive in the long run should embrace digital transformation. In particular, cloud technology will help every firm build resilience while adapting to the new ways that their existing customers interact with them. If your business is ready to adopt a digital transformation or take it to the next level, contact our experts for help by filling in the form below.