The term Digital Transformation has been around for a while and serves as an umbrella topic for many discussions around evolving business practices in today’s digital world.

But what is it? What’s in it for you and how do you set your organisation on a pathway that allows you to reap all the benefits that adopting new digital trends and innovations will offer your business?

In this blog post, we seek to explain some of the fundamentals of digital transformation, particularly for SME business owners, who may not have a dedicated Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer or a plethora of IT experience in their own skill set.

So, what is digital transformation?

Well, in a nutshell, it’s any changes you make to your business which involve a shift to digital technologies.

It could be:

• Changes to business or operating models which require the adoption of new in-house custom software solutions
• Updating of processes to become more efficient, more agile and cost-effective
• Upgrading product development pathways to become more innovative, faster to market and competitive
• Improving employing experiences by investing in cloud-based platforms which allow remote working and operate seamlessly across time zones
• Elevating the customer experience with better user interfaces, intelligence on customer behaviours and buying patterns

On this last point, you’ll read a lot of material about how digital transformation puts the customer at the centre of everything you do.

And it does. Quite rightly.

But it’s more than that…

As you can see from the list above, it potentially affects whole areas of your business, with change management impacts as the status quo is challenged and a new digital culture evolves in your organisation.

And in some cases, it has disrupted whole industries. Think Uber, Air BnB and Netflix…

There is no doubt that digital transformation is here to stay and is a must for all businesses with an eye for growth in the future who want to maintain or increase their competitive edge. In fact, in a recent report, PWC stated that 60% of senior executives believe that digital transformation will be critical for business growth.

And let’s face it – who wants to be a digital laggard?

And, what’s in it for you?

A well planned and executed digital transformation strategy will set your business up nicely for the years ahead and potentially account for a big chunk in your growth target through process improvements, increased employee retention and a better understanding your customers.

Put simply, it will:

Get you closer to your customers – existing and potential

Back to that idea of competitive edge. Companies which have first-rate digital solutions – a well-designed and easily navigable website, internal processes which allow order processing to be slicker and leaner, a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system which enables them to nurture their customer relationships – are more likely to deliver a top-notch customer experience. And those customers will a) return and b) tell their friends about their experience.

Help you attract and retain the best talent from the workforce

Investing in digital platforms will allow you to offer more flexible working conditions for your teams. Cloud based systems, web-based apps, some even with mobile app functionality, will attract new, digitally savvy teammates, who will help your business grow and are more likely to stay with you.

Enable you to get rid of old processes and legacy software technology

Implementing a digital strategy is the ideal time to review old paper-based processes, which may take longer, lack real-time data capture and offer more room for error. It’s also a time to obsolete any legacy software platforms which may be holding you back, becoming impossible to maintain or even becoming a non-compliance risk.

Provide a quantifiable ROI

One of the beauties of digital transformation, is that by their very nature, many of the software tools and IT systems adopted will have built in tools which help you justify your investment and its impact on your organisation. Revenue growth, cost reduction, customer acquisition and retention and speed of innovation are but a few parameters which can be measured and tracked with built in digital analytics.

Simon Ashley, Go Tripod’s Co-founder & Director commented, "We love helping people discover the benefits of digital transformation for their business. Our goal is always to create advantage for all stakeholders - clients, people, partners and communities. It's a goal that reflects our purpose, our core values and our culture of shared success."

How can I get started?

As with many things, taking the first step is often the biggest. But also, as with many things, help is at hand.

At Go Tripod, we’ve been helping SMEs transform their businesses into digitally efficient operations for the last 15 years. We’re a nice bunch who know our stuff when it comes to software development and customisation and we pride ourselves on our ability to understand your business goals and processes too, ensuring you end up with digital solutions which suit you, your customers and your budget.

We’ve helped businesses from the very start to formulate their digital transformation strategies – even stepping into the CTO role in an interim capacity with our CTO as a Service offering.

We’ve helped small businesses grow by developing custom web-based software and bespoke mobile apps or adopting processes which help them move away from the reliance on outdated spreadsheets and undignified piles of paperwork.  And we’ve helped larger operations get closer to their customers and realise better, more efficient digitally-based processes.

We’d love to help you too!

To learn more about how digital transformation can benefit your organisation, simply email hello@gotripod.com, call us on 0845 475 2487 or complete the form below.