5 Key Elements Of Digital Transformation

Transitions in technology have brought forward a favorable impact on businesses. Various industries are thriving globally due to their digital presence. The pandemic plays a crucial role in this drastic move. One word that has been heard a lot for the past few years is “Digital Transformation”. 

Let's start with what is Digital Transformation and what is this hype all about. 

Digital Transformation is an approach in which an organization endeavors to contemporize its operations with the most delinquent technologies and with the existent human capital, in order to remain competent and relevant to the present environment. 

Many organizations are striving for digital transformation but only a few are able to conquer it. The reason behind this failure is not shifting the entire system 360 degrees. Commencing with a few modifications won't be helpful for attaining the transformation. You will have to move along with its core factors which are: Team, Leadership, Technology, Process and Framework, Customer Insights, and Experience. No matter the type of industry you are into, or the scale of your business, it is crucial to capture it in the company's strategies and ideas. 

Together these Elements of Digital Transformation can support your organization in achieving the targets which appeared difficult earlier. Digital transformation just by digitizing the organization won't show the results. Accompanying it with the right team and leaders to execute the strong ideas will help the agenda. The team and leaders will have to accept the new culture of running businesses. Organizations that have insightful data which is implemented with the latest technology to get the expected results. 

The pressure to compete with the most delinquent trends is real and necessary at the same time. The main focus is not just to achieve digital success but also to provide customers with a new experience of technology and ease. It is possible to provide them with this experience when your system is working with all these elements combined. 

The organizations which have successfully enforced these Key Elements of Digital Transformation are able to taste success. If companies don't involve these elements then it is difficult for them to pass the test of time. It is only a matter of a few years before the organization without the updated technologies and robust company processes will start observing its downfall.

Here we are discussing the key elements of Digital Transformation:

1. Team

The biggest strength of any organization is its human resource. Unlike what is currently believed that technology is the king, it is nevertheless essential that you are hiring the right fit for your organization to achieve digital transformation. This can be a decisive element in the process. Based on the business scale the team is structured. But it is necessary to mindfully hire employees for digital transformation, and they are:

• Digitally Talented People

We have already learned how important technology is in these times. To stay competent you must start hiring digital ninjas who are experts in coding, designing, and the other digital aspects of a business. Not following this path might leave you behind your competitors. Experts working on data or design for the digital transformation in your organization will be a great move.

• Self-Motivated

Of Course, the leaders and managers are there to motivate the employees to work better. But the ones who are self-motivated will give you outstanding results. It is often observed that employees who initiate the tasks on their own, will bring forward intelligent ideas for the betterment and success of the organization. 

• Upskill Them

Getting rid of dedicated and hardworking employees because they are not familiar with the latest changes would never be the solution for overall success. Instead, help them learn new skills and languages. You can run programs or events which will include activities for upskilling them. 

A company working towards digital transformation needs a flexible and well-balanced team that can work together towards a shared goal. This speeds up the process and guarantees results. 

2. Leadership

A strong leader means a strong team. The leaders of the organization should be the ones who take charge of the team and their actions. Building new ideas to achieve the target effectively should be their motive. With technology and digitalization in a leader, you will also need a strong mindset for heading in the right direction. For digitization in your organization, it is necessary that your leaders are familiar with these aspects. Some qualities to keep in mind while choosing them are:

• Say No To The Orthodox Leaders

This is the new era where leaders have to be strong performers too. The companies whose leaders do not believe in equality are not up to the latest trends in the workplace then it is not advised to have them. They will only create hurdles for growth and the organization's culture. 

• The Ones Who Can Foresee The Future

Future-driven and focused on results are the kind of leaders who should have a place in your organization. If they are building new ideas and strategies but can't imagine the outcome, it is a red flag for the success of your company’s future. Using the right data and finding the pathway to achieve it are the kind of leaders your organization should have. They should have a clear vision of the plan they are trying to enforce. 

• Willingly Tries New Technologies

Digitalization is a boon for this generation. The ones who start using it now will secure the future. Leaders should make the right use of these technologies. Adding technology just to prove you have upgraded with the trends should not be a reason. Using it rightfully and optimizing it for the best results will be the solution for digital transformation. 

• Not too Stiff for Experiments

Transformation is not easy. Any plan which worked for other companies doesn't have to work for your organization too. The “one size fits all” mentality won't take your ideas anywhere. Leaders should be ready to take risks and experiment with new ways to get the perfect strategy for their organization according to the customer demands, and their satisfaction. Not taking the risk will only push your idea behind. 

• Takes Credibility

Not all visions come true and it is fine. But when the leaders are not ready to take responsibility then it shows the vulnerable part of their leadership. Success or failure a leader should hold themselves accountable for their decisions and actions. 

3. Processes and Framework

Working should not feel draining all the time. If the idea of work makes your employees lethargic then it will drastically impact productivity and might become a hurdle in the digital transformation. The culture shift should start by optimizing the process of the company. Create a framework that will have the outline of what you want to achieve with Digital Transformation Elements and make things smoother for the team. Let's check some basic changes that can take you closer to digital transformation:

• Simplicity

With digital transformation, you are aiming for an overall change. In this transformation try to indulge in some methods or practices which can ease the process. Not only for the employees of your company but for the customers too. The change in the working system and the digital interface will help in the process. Easier application and systematic functioning save time and energy. 

• Culture 

Transformation is not only achieved with technology but with the leader and team too. Bring a work culture that is more adaptive and which erases the gap between various managerial levels. It should all be interrelated for achieving the outcome you are planning from digital transformation.  

4. Technology

In the past few years if we have realized something, then that technology can make or break your business. Staying behind in terms of technology can actually slow down the process and the efficiency of the business. Especially when compared to the competitors. For the sake of digital  transformation, many organizations are switching to new technologies rapidly. Well, it is true that the latest technology is required but opting for a technology because it is trending won't solve any problem. Instead, it will raise new ones. 

Your employees might not use the technology after a certain time because it is not as useful. Try to do your research when choosing a technology for your firm. The investment in new technology is huge and wasting that money on some unnecessary process won't do any good. Let's know some of the points which you should keep in mind while introducing new technology for digital transformation:

• Finding technology that is highly suitable for your industry and the work environment. Try to consider the size of the team and their skills when you are choosing the technology.
• Do prior research and check reviews before investing in new technology. This will give you the right idea. Otherwise, you will be getting the company budget and cost at stake. 
• Consult the employees and IT team before getting to any decision. They know better about the working process and will give you useful insights about it. 
• Include technology that can help in making the existing functioning smoother. You don't have to introduce an altogether different interface and working system. 
• It is required to go fully digital at this time. Recruit employees who have expertise in artificial intelligence, data science, machine languages, and digital marketing. this will help your organization in making better adoption of new technology to the work system.

5. Customer Insights and Experience

Any modification or upgrade in any organization or its guidelines is to satisfy the customer's needs and deliver a pleasant experience. It should start with a digital platform where the interface is painless to operate, and an efficient team that can help in decoding any issues or queries the customers are having. Based on their remarks or reviews, you can judge what changes you will need for bringing that transformation to your organization. It is often easy to ignore the customer insights and their experience when framing a strategy or digital transformation when customer experience should be the final goal to achieve long-term profitability. 

• Take Away

Digital Transformation is a long journey and not an overnight change. You have to consider all these Digital Transformation Key Elements in the process and give it some time to work out. While forming strategies and framework for transformation you are not done there. The process is never-ending. The real meaning of digital transformation is to stay up-to-date and work effectively with the trends and technology. Learn new technologies and use new resources. Evaluating the performance from time to time and working in advance towards changes will help you bring that transformation into existence. Technology and process will only work when the leader is making strong and effective changes and the team is executing them in the right direction. Taking customer insights for a better customer experience is the best approach. Together this will bring transformation.