While many businesses were on the road to Digital
Transformation (DX), there is no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic
accelerated these strategies and projects. ‘Nice to have’ technology
became ‘must have’ practically overnight, and the
entire business model had to shift in many cases. However, DX is not
just about implementing new technology. It is about choosing the right
technology to solve a business problem or leverage an opportunity, or
both. Ultimately it is about the experience, for
both the end user and the customer, and choosing the right digital
consulting partner is key to getting it right.
Technology with a purpose
DX should always be about improving business
efficiency and effectiveness rather than implementing technology for the
sake of it. However, during the panic caused by the pandemic this has
been overlooked in many instances.
To leverage maximum value from transformative
technology, it needs to be utilised in such a way that it solves
business problems and adds value. Consulting is a necessary step to
achieving this, because a third-party view often identifies
different opportunities and ways of bringing business and technology
together to ensure the solution implemented is technology with a
purpose.
With that in mind, consulting should always begin
with an analysis of the current scenario and the goal of understanding
business processes, employee and customer perceptions. Moreover, it
should also find the right ways in which to measure
performance. From there, areas that can be improved through technology
should be identified and categorised based on timelines, cost and
projected benefits. Solutions can then be architected appropriately.
Experience is invaluable
Changes do not happen in isolation, and businesses
are complex and made up of multiple systems and processes in an
ecosystem including suppliers, customers, partners and employees.
Introducing technology at any point will impact the entire
ecosystem in some way, and these interactions need to be understood so
that the change can be managed effectively. People and processes could
be affected, both upstream and downstream, so the experience needs to be
considered.
Every change is a potential point of failure if a
technology implementation is not well thought out, and the experience of
the right consulting partner can be invaluable. Consultants understand
technology and the business problems it solves,
however, business plays a major role in its own success. It is
imperative for business, IT and digital consultants to work as a team to
ensure solutions are planned, implemented and managed in a practical
manner.
No such thing as ‘one size fits all’
Today, most businesses do not have the time or
budget for a rip and replace approach. They need to get quick value from
any DX implementation, and consultants can help to identify areas that
will give these quick wins and those that will
be more complex or time consuming. The reality is that there is no such
thing as an off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all solution to the challenges
that DX projects pose. Every business problem has a unique solution, and
consultants bring with them an objective
external opinion. An experienced consultant also brings a wealth of
insight from different industries that could influence the success and
failure of an implementation.
Moving forward, businesses need to understand and
accept that customer buying patterns and employee working patterns have
changed forever – both locally and internationally. Investing in
technology is not a guarantee to retaining customers,
but without it, businesses will in all likelihood lose them. DX is
crucial, but it needs to be about using appropriate technology to
improve the business. Choosing the right DX partner assist businesses to
make the most of the current crisis and emerge leaner,
more streamlined and ultimately more successful than before.
