Achieving Your Business Goals with Digital Transformation

At this point, it’s cliché to say that the world is going digital. Between the COVID pandemic and long-term structural changes, digital just isn’t optional anymore for most businesses. But what exactly does digital transformation as well as digital transformation consulting entail?

A key challenge for business owners is understanding how digital transformation aligns with overall business goals. Businesses across the country are engaging in digital transformation: installing a new IT system or moving a process to the cloud sounds great, but what is IT actually doing for your bottom line? 

Can you measure the impact of digital transformation on your goals? Yes, you can! In this article, we’ll take a look at four digital opportunities and digital transformation consulting tips that cut costs, generate inbound leads, mitigate risk, and propel you towards your goals.

Web and mobile design: putting you in front of today’s customers

Your customer base is increasingly digital, especially in these times when physical access is limited. This means that your website or your mobile app is among the first points of contact between your business and potential clients. People are impatient and first impressions matter. Digital transformation consulting experts often note that smart, responsive web design, engineered to scale across cell phones, tablets, and desktop, funnels leads to your services with less friction. By aligning content and design with today’s client expectations, you’ll see a direct uptick in the conversion rate, turning visitors into qualified leads. 

Enterprise solutions: scaling for growth

If you're with a medium or large business, you have a different set of expectations relative to small businesses. This is especially true in the current environment. Typically, the needed solutions must scale upwards and horizontally: where a small business might need an application for 20 computers in a single location, you might be looking at a cost-effective way to handle 500 computers across 15 locations. To address these needs, the digital transformation solutions must be naturally capable of scaling seamlessly so you can offer different levels of features to different employees. Compliance is also key. Unlike small businesses, you probably tend to prioritize compliance with regulations and standards, even if that adds to overall costs. You should have application solutions that meet or exceed industry standards and legal regulations. It’s not enough to be “good enough.” Your solutions need to deliver, and then some. 

Cloud solutions: the sky’s the limit

Cloud solutions make anywhere, anytime access possible. Cloud migration is especially important today, as most businesses struggle with work-from-home. Moving your data, applications, and processes to the cloud lets your team work effectively, wherever they’re located, and on all of their devices. By reducing the cost of physical server installs and license fees across multiple PCs, cloud migration can save you thousands per year while actually increasing efficiency.

Mobile development: reaching clients and your team on the platforms they use

Today’s customers are more likely to reach out to you from a mobile device than from a PC. Billions of people across the world -- including your clients and your workforce -- use smartphones every day. A strong focus on native mobile development can translate into a more flexible workforce and a better-engaged clientele.

Port key functionality from your enterprise solutions to Android and iOS, letting your team get work done whether or not a PC’s in front of them. A native mobile app can also add value to the customer experience, giving your clients new ways to reach you and new ways to engage with your product or service. The efficiency gains and enhanced client retention translate into substantial long-term gains.

Staying ahead of the competition through digital transformation

The best time to start your digital transformation journey is right now. Because of the tangible impact that digital has on your bottom line, the competition isn’t going to wait around.
If you want to stay a step ahead and reach your long-term growth targets, digital transformation is the only viable way forward.

Because other businesses in your industry are also looking at digital, strategic thinking becomes key to staying ahead. You need to follow a systematic approach and viable digital transformation consulting tips.

Focus, iterate, and improve: the keys to digital transformation success

Look at digital transformation as a continuous process of improvement. Moving a certain business function to digital isn’t the end of the road as far as productivity gains are concerned: updated software, new tools, and new processes mean your digital solutions can become more and more efficient as time goes by. By strategizing, concentrating on core opportunities, and iterating, you laser-target your digital transformation budget onto the exact things that’ll get you ahead. 

It all comes down to following a systematic approach to digital transformation. And don’t limit yourself to identifying areas with potential for digital transformation: almost every business function stands to benefit. Instead, look at the steps you can take to maximize long-term ROI and mitigate risk. 

This starts with doing a top-to-bottom appraisal of your business, your products, and your processes.